A Crowded Life

Today's Reading: Psalm 104:33-35, Amos 9:13-15, & Titus 2

Scripture:

"I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. Let my meditation be pleasing to Him; as for me, I shall be glad in the LORD." Psalm 104:33-35

Observation:

Life is crowded. Duties of the various roles played can consume all the margin in life. Spiritual pressures, financial pressures, parental pressures, job pressures, goal pressures, and even pressures from hobbies all rise up to split attention and drain energy. This passage is a great reminder of just how simple the goal of life should be: sing praise to God, please Him in thought, and be glad in Him.

Application:

As I look at this passage from Psalm, I realize I do not own these words in my life. If I were to rewrite it as a honest prayer, it would have to say "as long as I am getting what I want, understand what is taking place, and generally feel comfortable with my life I will sing to the LORD."

The simple command from God's Word is to seek Him first. The greatest commandment Jesus sighted was to love the LORD my God with all my heart, mind, and soul. Nowhere in there did Jesus mention anything about taking care of myself first.

Prayer:

Father, I can’t see how to get to where You are leading me this morning. I should sing praise to You for who You are, not because of what You do for me. I should please You in what my mind lingers on, not wrestle with self-centered escapes and pleasures. I should be glad in You, not just using You as a means to get joyful things. I confess to You this morning that my struggle in this area is sinful. My praise is condition. The meditations of my mind are messy. My gladness is tied to the condition of my life. I ask for Your forgiveness.

My flesh is warring hard against this word this morning. My mind is scrambling to understand how to live it out. It does not seem practical or possible to not be distracted by the pressures of life. It does not seem practical or possible to separate my relationship with You from the day-to-day and place You in Your rightful place as being number one in my life. I ask that You lead me today in spirit and truth as I seek to walk in obedience to Your leading in my life.

Nasty Words

Today's Reading: Psalms 86, Amos 5:14-15, & Titus 1

Scripture:

"They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed." Titus 1:16

Observation:

Talk is nothing; lifestyle is everything. It is easy to make professions with the mouth, but it is another thing to align actions with words. God, through Paul, calls those who talk of God and live in opposition to Him some really nasty words. Detestable. Disobedient. Worthless.

Application:

I am not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but I'm smart enough to know that having God call me detestable, disobedient, and worthless is not a good thing. My actions must prove my faith. God does not call on me to be perfect, but He does call on me to be in pursuit of what is holy. This morning's reading reveals three ways I can test my walk for alignment with His Word.

The first is found in Psalm 86. When the pressures of life mounted up, David turned to God for deliverance. God was his hope, strength and deliverance. If I am really seeking God with my actions, hard times will drive me towards Him.

The second in found in Amos 5. The call of this passage is to hate evil and seek good. HATE evil. It is not enough to just use will power to resist evil. My call is to literally hate it. SEEK good. A life after God is not sitting still. I have to be active pursuit of good things.

The third is found in Titus. The result of my relationship with God must produce purity. If I am living according to what God is asking of me my mind and my conscience will be clear. This does not mean that I will be perfect for I know that as long as I am in this body I will sin. What it means is that I will not live in denial of or as a slave to my sin; I will confess it, God will forgive it, and I will most past it.

Prayer:

This is a tough word. I am not sure why, but today's world seems to press me to blame You for hard times in my life, not turn to You in prayer. I often fall to that pressure and end up angry with You. I ask that You forgive me of my arrogant attitude towards You.

It is easy to hate certain evil. There are certain sins that really standout in my mind as vile. On the other hand, there are also certain evils that I really do not hate. Certain thoughts, actions, and dreams are fun to play with. I realize this morning that evil is evil. I need to hate it all. I ask that You forgive my secret desires for the certain evils that appeal to my appetite.

Father, my life has to produce pure fruit and result in a good pursuit. That is my heart's desire today. Help me help my stupid self. You see my day and the things that I will face. I am helpless against my weaknesses. Be my strength. Be my desire. Be in me my all consuming passion.

Moving Past Information

Today's Reading: 2 Kings 13:20-21 & 2 Timothy 3

Scripture:

"always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of truth." 2 Timothy 3:7

Observation:

It is quite possible to spend a lifetime "learning" and never really "learn" a flippin thing. In this context having religion can be worse than not having anything at all. There is a huge separation between obtaining information, giving a godly appearance, and really walking in the truth of God. I see three things in the passage that will hinder my growth.

Application:

The first thing that will hinder my growth is allowing the depravity of the world to sneak into my life. "Lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God." These are the words Paul uses to describe the temptations I will face. As I look at this list I realize just how easy it is to be taken captive. There is not a thing on the list above that I have not been a part of at some point in my life and that I am not still vulnerable to today.

The second thing that will hinder my walk is surrounding myself with religious people. Paul repeatedly warns against being with people who give an outward appearance of being a Christian but live a lifestyle in opposition to it. This is the only group of people the New Testament says to avoid. It is amazing how destructive it is to adopt false religion or to be a luke warm follower of Christ. I have to flee the first sign of this behavior.

The third thing that will hinder my walk is giving up before I learn the lesson. Paul encourages me to continue in the things I know to be true even as I face persecution and observe the fall of others. I have to daily seek God's Word and WRESTLE with it until I find its application in my life. God is at work in me and I have to get my mind, body and soul into alignment with what He wants to accomplish. This never has been and never will be a popular or easy path.

Prayer:

Father it is so easy to stop at the information level after hearing a good sermon, receiving good advice, reading a good book or hearing Your voice in the scriptures. But that is not enough. I must wrestle with things until change occurs inwardly. This is a messy, confusing, frustrating, and painful process.

I need Your help. I am a stubborn man and prone to failure. My greatest fear in life is the things in my heart not matching the words of my mouth. Keep me sitting at Your feet. Move before me and guide me as I seek to become transformed into Your image. You are the vision for my life. You are my mission.

Becoming Strong

Today's Reading: 2 Timothy 2

Scripture:

"You therefore my son be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." 2 Timothy 2:1

Observation:

Paul does not give Timothy an command to just suck it up and be a man. His words are much deeper than that. In the verses that follow I see a three things that he teaches Timothy to do in order to be strong. Much like the body needs a workout to be strengthened, faith requires a routine to reach its maximum strength.

Application:

The first step in this process I see is that I need a mentor. Not just any mentor, but someone who will mentor me in love, spirit and truth. Paul warns that it is not hard to find people willing to be mentors, but many of them offer empty words that will actually carry me away from God. I have to seek advice that aligns with the WHOLE counsel of the Word, challenges my understanding, and forces my behavior to change.

Second, I have to mentor others. God designed me to be a river, not a reservoir. If I soak up everything that is poured into me and never share it, then I am living in opposition of the plan God has for me. I learn best when I share with others what God has done in my life and help them find truth for their lives. There are many days that I feel like I need to get better before I share with others, but that is not the truth. God wants me to be a good steward with the lessons I have already learned.

Finally, I have to work hard. This is an inescapable truth in becoming a disciple. It will always be hard work. There are days that I want to stop fighting. There are days when the battles seem to never stop coming. Hit after hit after hit pile on and I feel like just laying down and surrendering the battle to them; but even if I stop fighting satan will continue attacking. Eventually I will have to get back up and fight again. Laying down only makes getting back up harder.

Prayer:

Life gets overwhelming at times. Satan has learned enough about me to know my weaknesses. He hits these places in my life with a remarkable accuracy and a relentless consistency. The torment of the things that chase me intimidate me as they are much stronger than I. In all honesty, there are many days when hits from Satan feel like they are stronger than Your ability to deliver me.

I thank You for reminding me this morning that standing strong against Satan and overcoming my struggles requires much more than hard work. It requires much more than wishful thinking. It requires much more than seeking advice. Standing strong is a process that requires me to be diligent in coming under the teaching of one stronger in their faith, to be a good steward with the things You have already taught me, and to have a undying commitment to stay engaged in the process.

I Can't Quit

Today's Reading: Joel 2:28-30 & 2 Timothy 1

Scripture:

"For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of hands." 2 Timothy 1:6

Observation:

Everything that is given to man in Christ was freely given and can under no circumstances be earned. It is a free gift accepted by faith. But, while the transfer of salvation was free, the maintenance of faith is anything but free. Keeping the fire of faith alive requires the same attention, dedication and work as does keeping a camp fire alive.

Application:

In this passage I see three things that can quench the fire in my spirit. The first thing that quenches the fire in my spirit is timidity. Timid is defined in the dictionary as lacking in self-assurance, courage, or bravery; easily alarmed. I can't allow these things to come upon me as they are not from God. When I chose to cower down to these feelings I am also choosing to lay down my faith.

The second thing that quenches the fire in my spirit is becoming ashamed of the Word. I can easily become unwilling to share my faith or become restrained in sharing because of fear of shame, ridicule, or disapproval. There are many times when I know God wants me to do something and I freeze in the moment. I have to stand firm and move towards the truth instead of suppressing it.

The third thing that quenches the fire in my spirit is changing the Word to fit my experience. I have a tendency to lower the standard of the Word so that I will not be disappointed. I have a tendency to lower my beliefs when my prayers feel as if they have come up short. I have am often tempted to change my interpretation of my beliefs to what I feel is possible. I have to constantly be reminded that God's Word is absolute and I can't dumb it down to fit my perception of reality.

Prayer:

My salvation is complete and I believe that regardless of my actions I eternally belong to You. While I know that is true I also know that I can't quit striving forward. I do not want to die as one who laid down his faith and lived a mediocre life. Your Word says that You take no pleasure in those who shrink back but relish in those who hold fast to their confidence in the face of difficult circumstances. That is the man I want to be.

I pray that You produce in me a sincere boldness when I feel timid, a strong assurance when I doubt, and an absolute trust in Your Word when circumstances get hard. I pray that You fill me with a crazy love and a stupid faith that is unexplainable outside of Your presence and provision. I ask that You do something unexplainable with my life and continue to teach me to fight the good fight.

The Good Fight

Today's Reading: 1 Chronicles 24:17-20 & 1 Timothy 6

Scripture:

"Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called…" 1 Timothy 6:12

Observation:

The Christian life is not some passive form of self meditation designed to lead a person to peace, prosperity and protection. It is a fight that requires concentration, discipline, and extreme effort. There is a spiritual battle taking place and each Christian is charged with assuming their role in this war.

Application:

This is teaching is not a license to attack anyone who opposes me. Paul instructs me to fight the "good" fight. There are many elements listed in this passage which describe the good fight. First I have to put aside self interest. Personal gain is a deadly pursuit. I have to be content with what God has given to me and receive with gratitude the things He chooses to add to me.

Second, I have to learn truth. The world is full of false teachings about what it means to pursue after God. I must bury myself in the word and submit myself to men of God who are able to speak the truth; not just offer arrogant opinions.

Third, I have to set my sights on the things worthy of pursuing. Righteousness. Godliness. Faith. Love. Perseverance. Gentleness. These are the things that Paul says should be on the top of my agenda.

Finally, I have to be moving forward. The Christian life is not about sitting idle and working on me. Paul says to do good, be rich in good works, give in abundance, and take hold of life. Everything that God puts into my life is purposed to produce a forward movement of His plans. I am charged to put His gifts to work.

Prayer:

Father I needed this today. I am a me first person living in a me first world. It is so flippin easy to get caught up in the rat race and forget that You have left me here on earth for Your purposes. I ask this morning that You forgive me for placing my desires to have a better life above Your desire for me to live a worthy life. Lead me today to fully understand and live out Your command to fight the good fight.

What the Eyes Refuse to See

Today's Reading: 1 Timothy 5

Scripture:

"The sins of some men are quite evident, going before them to judgment; for others their sins follow after." 1 Timothy 5:21

Observation:

This is a great reminder that what the eyes see is not always evidence of what is truly taking place.

Application:

There are certain sins that are front and center in my life. I know everything about them. I have wrestled with them, waged war against them, won victories over them and suffered defeats against them. They are constantly before me as they have been clearly identified.

Then there are sins of which I am not aware. These are the ones that scare me to death. They are blind spots in my life that will only be revealed in one of two ways. First, I can let time prove them sinful by allowing the results of their depraved work to be made public. This is a bad strategy. A "only time will tell" approach to choices I make is a very painful way to learn hard lessons.

The second option is to spend time with God, seeking His truth, and allowing Him to reveal these things to me either through His Word or through another believer. While this is clearly a better choice it is also a harder choice. To do this successfully means that I must be humble enough to consider myself guilty until proven innocent. That does not mean that I am guilty, it just means I consider it possible and allow God to weigh in on the subject.

Prayer:

Father my pride tries to protect me by placing guards around my ego. It is constantly on the defensive regarding what it perceives to be attacks. I have allowed my pride to create defenses against fellow believers who love You and love me and desire to tell me the truth about something they see in my life. I ask that You forgive my refusal to accept these acts of love.

Father I pray that my self-confidence be grounded in You and for it to be in no way associated with my perception of myself. Help me to not become fixated on the sins that I already know about, but to seek insight regarding the harmful patterns of behavior to which I am blind.

Please help me to not be abrasive to people who care enough to share their view of what is true about me. My willingness to hear hard things from others will spare me many tough lessons. I ask that You surround me with people who lovingly correct me back towards You. Help me accept what my eyes refuse to see.

Core Commands

Today's Reading: 1 Timothy 4

Scripture:

"Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all." 1 Timothy 4:15

Observation:

Being in relationship with God is more than just religious rituals and services. It is more than seeking blessings and happiness. It is a full-on, sold-out pursuit of something worth dying for.

Application:

There are three core commands I see in this verse. The first is to take pains with spiritual self-discipline and godliness. Paul compares this to people who work hard at getting into physical shape. It takes intentional, daily dedication to stay on course with spiritual disciplines. It is not ever going to be easy.

The second is to be absorbed in this pursuit. Sometimes it is easy for spiritual discipline to become a "have to" thing. When I have to do something I normally only put forth the minimum effort; just enough to get it done. That is not acceptable as a long-term strategy. I have to allow the truth of the word to move to prominence in my life. I have to allow the hope of the Word to push aside all other things in my life.

The third is to show the world signs of growth. In all his teachings to Timothy, Paul outlines five areas of growth: speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity. These are the five areas of my life that prove my relationship with God. If I am seeking after God and allowing myself to be absorbed in His mission for my life then I will bear fruit in these areas.

Prayer:

Speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity are things that are continually on my heart and mind. I place them first and I want to discipline myself to do good in these areas. As I have sat with You this morning I have been reminded that I am not putting first things first. You word says that I am to seek You first, then all these things will be given to me.

My prayer this morning is that you will come to life to me. I have spent way too much of my time seeking You as one would seek a mystery. I want to walk after You. I want to sit in Your presence and speak of You as one who has seen and heard. I pray that Your Spirit move me past a "have to" and allow the joy of godliness to fill my soul. I ask that You open my eyes to know what it means to be absorbed by seeking after You. Finally, I ask that my life show signs of growth. I pray that my speech, conduct, love, faith and purity be lived out in a manner that is attractive to a lost world.

Blind Spots

Today's Reading: 1 Kings 2:3; & 1 Timothy 1

Scripture:

"wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matter about which they make confident assertions." 1 Timothy 1:7

Observation:

It is amazing how many of the same issues that plagued the early church, plague the church still today. One of the chief issues then was people who did not know what they were talking about were running their mouth as if they did. One of the chief issues today is the same thing. People try to make God fit into their lifestyle instead of allowing their life to be broken and reshaped by God. This gives rise to division, condemnation, and ungodliness within the church. In this first chapter, Paul gives some great instruction to a young pastor named Timothy whom Paul left with the task of restoring order in the church at Ephesus.

Application:

I have to guard myself against being a false teacher. There are three things I sense God saying to me this morning that will help. First, I have to understand the goals of Biblical discussions. In verse five there are three goals Paul lists for teaching; love from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith. I must pursue God's truth in these three areas and make them the target of all my discussions.

Second, I have to know when to speak. In verse 6 Paul warns that some have turned over to fruitless discussions. I am becoming convinced that in excess of 80% of all religious debates are fruitless. People will argue over anything and it is so easy to get caught up in it. I need to be guarded against feeling pressed to join this mess and allow God to lead me in understanding when He wants me to speak.

Third, I have must never define the Word by my lifestyle. Ok, this one hits home hard. The manner in which God revealed His Word to the world left us a great deal of latitude in interpretation. We have been afforded freedom beyond what is imaginable. If I study the Bible looking to justify something I will be successful 99% of the time. This is a trap of satan I must avoid.

Prayer:

Father I do not know how to pray this morning. I am looking at the words on this screen but I feel like the stirring in my heart is much deeper than the words I wrote. I release my will and emotions to You this morning. Your word says that in moments when I do not know how to pray, the Holy Spirit intercedes on my behalf. I need that this morning.

The thing I am sensing is that my lifestyle is forming my beliefs about You. While my conviction is that I twist the scriptures to fit what I want to be and what I want to do; I am not seeing a picture of specific instances of this. I am blind to my sin, but I confess it to You today. Open my eyes to see these blind spots in my life.

Thoughts and Actions

Today's Reading: 1 Kings 21 & Colossians 3

Scripture:

"Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father." Colossians 3:17

Observation:

"In the Name of Jesus" is a phrase that has been greatly abused. This phrase has become a central part of the Christianese language. This phrase is spoken with little intentionality and its meaning varies depending on the situation and the person using it.

God, however, has a much deeper meaning for this phrase. In His Word this phrase is defined as meaning to act consistently with who Jesus is and what He wants to do. In the context of this chapter, He is saying to do all that we do without acting out the things described in Colossians 3:5 and to be full of the things listed in Colossians 3:12.

Application:

In theory the application of this passage today is very simple for me. I am to do all that I do in thought or deed without anger, wrath, malice, slander or abusive speech. At the same time all that I do in thought or deed is to model compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

While the application is so clear and simple in theory; it is brutal in practice.

Prayer:

Father I can sit and analyze these verses all morning long. I can meditate upon them and determine within myself to follow these commands. But we both know that as soon as I come in contact with the first situation of my day that presents an opportunity to practice these things; I will fail.

The conviction I feel this morning is deep. I face many intense moments throughout my week. In the heat of those moments I often lose sight of You. As my connection with You fades in the background the full weight of the old me comes crashing down. That old me is a malicious, hot-tempered, nasty man. While I have progressively gotten better at keeping this man from revealing himself in my actions; he still runs strong in my thoughts. I confess to You this morning the sins that I entertain in my mind.

My hope today is in You. I can't do this; You never said I could. You can do this in me; You always said You would. That is what I cling to today. Strengthen me in Christ Jesus to be all that I can be today. Hold me close and allow my thoughts and deeds to clearly reflect the new man You created me to be.

Guarding Against Deception

Today's Reading: 1 Kings 17 & Colossians 2

Scripture:

"See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ." Colossians 2:8

Observation:

This is a stern warning to guard against the becoming a captive of satan through men of religion. Satan equips men to trap us with philosophy, deception, traditions, and principles.

Application:

There are three things I see in this passage that will guard me from captivity. First, I need to be in submission to a spiritual leader that gets it. Paul was sitting in prison and still his heart was for the churches associated with him. He was their leader and carried a burden for helping them grow in spirit and truth. There are two parts to this for me. The first is to find the man God has ordained to me my leader. The second is to be willing to submit to the TRUTH God reveals to me through him.

Second, I have to know who I am in Christ. Paul throws that down in great detail in this chapter. Many times I am deceived by my own ignorance. The great thing about ignorance is that it is correctable. I need to bury myself in the Word and know all the things that the scriptures say about what my salvation is and what it is not. It is hard to be deceived when the truth is planted in my heart.

Finally, I need to pursue God's truth on my own. It is tempting at times to get all that I get of God through other people. This is a very dangerous choice on my part. While God desires me to be in submission to my church leaders, He also demands that I be a self-feeder. I need to pursue Christ on my own and allow God to pour into me Himself.

Prayer:

You have called me to be part of a church so that I may be in submission to good spiritual leadership. I ask that I not get stuck in the rut of just hearing a great message, but that I recognize the Biblical authority of my church in my life. As long as truth is spoken, my command is to be in submission.

A part of recognizing the truth is knowing the truth. I pray God that You fill me with the full knowledge of who I am in Christ so that no man will be able to fool me into trusting anything else. Help me to experience the freedom that You have given me and to fully understand how to model my life after Jesus.

It is so easy to become lazy. Good preachers deliver the Word in a manner that feels satisfying and it is easy for them to become my lifeline to You. Fuel my desire to seek after You on my own. Help me to continue growing my ability to be a self-feeder of Your Word. Open the storehouse of Your wisdom and pour into me Your truth. I pray that Your Word continue to come to life to me as I seek Your instruction for my life.

A Shift in Prayer

Today's Reading: Colossians 1

Scripture:

"So that you may walk in a manner worth of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God." Colossians 1:10

Observation:

It is interesting to look at the things not included in this list. Paul did not start out this passage by praying for their protection. He did not start out by praying for their happiness. He did not begin by praying for better jobs, increased possessions, or any other earthly reward.

Application:

My prayers need to shift; especially when it relates to praying for knowledge. In the Bible knowledge never refers to head knowledge. Increasing knowledge in the Bible points towards knowledge that results in deeper spiritual growth. Deeper spiritual growth is evidenced by a deeper love for God's word (Ps 119:97), obedience moving closer to perfection (1 Jn 2:3-5), stronger doctrinal foundation (1 Jn 2:;12-14), an expanding faith (2 Th 1:3) and a greater love for others (Php 1:9).

Prayer:

Father, shifts are not an easy thing to make. My relationship with You is real and tangible, but it is also self-centered. Most of my prayers start and stop with things on my mind. I am asking this morning that You help me shift things to focus on what You want to produce with my life. I want deeper love for Your Word, better obedience, stronger theology, expanded faith, and greater love to be the fruit of my life.

I regret all the times I have set my heart on my personal peace, prosperity and protection. These things are not evil but I have totally made them idols. I confess that to You this morning. I pray for Your guidance as the moments of this day of life unfold. I pray that I approach it attentive to what You have planned and what You desire to be accomplished.

God Storms

Today's Reading: Philippians 3

Scripture:

"I press on towards the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3

Observation:

All thunderstorms require instability (potential) and lift. The lift is the mechanism that releases the instability. We say that the atmosphere is unstable when air rising in a cloud is warmer than its environment. As the warm air rises it presses the cooler air down creating vertical drafts. The vertical draft strengths basically determine the degree of storm severity.

Application:

That is the essence of what I observe in this passage. The work of God does not stop at salvation. Salvation only creates the beginnings of vertical movements in my life. My response to those movements determines the degree to which my life will be transformed. As I allow the things of God to rise to prominence in my life and the things of me to be pressed down into nothing; I allow God to create vertical drafts which will release the strength of God in my life.

I have to stay in tune with the updrafts God places on my heart. This morning I am sensing three. The first one is the work of grace in my life. I am not able to be holy on my own. I have to release that sense inside of me that God owes me something because of anything good I have done. I deserve nothing short of death and that is all. It is only by God's grace that I matter to Him at all. The work of the cross is my only hope.

The second is I must strive to press on. Since I am covered by grace it is often tempting to rest, take it easy on myself, and be patient with change. That is not the instruction of the scripture. Paul says to press on. I need to get off my rear-end and drive hard after God in every aspect of my life. I need to seek purity. I need to thirst for knowledge. I need to hunger for His movement.

The third is to allow God to become real. Staying in a constant, real connection with God is not an easy thing. The complicating factor is the fact that God messes up my life. He alters my plans, shifts my goals, changes my ambitions and creates a new reality for me. This type of change is extremely uncomfortable, but they are my call. The more tangible God becomes to me the easier it is to accept the changes.

Prayer:

It is hard to pray what is on my heart this morning. I'm scared. I sense a desire for You to create a God storm in my life. I want my relationship with You to be more than something I did when I prayed a prayer of salvation. I want my walk with You to be a storm of movement towards You. I want my life to be noticeably different because of You. At the same time, I am terrified of what that means.

All that said I ask You to create a God storm in my life. Radically alter my path. Help me to pursue the upward movement of the Spirit in my life as one would pursue promises of worldly fortune. Give me a sense of urgency about things that are of You. Intensify the vertical movements between us. I am trusting You to hold me close during the instability and by faith I trust that I will find the same joy and peace Paul did as he experienced the fabric of his life changing.

Be My Everything

Today's Reading: Philippians 2

Scripture:

"Do all things without grumbling or disputing." Philippians 2:14

Observation:

This verse is speaking to more than just controlling words or emotion when doing something. It is pointing to a continual state of heart and mind that moves beyond personal desires and rests fully in Christ-like obedience.

Application:

This one stings a little. Actually, it stings a lot. A-L-L. It is a amazing that three little letters could carry such weight. In all things. Without grumbling. Without disputing. Ouch. As I read the first 14 verses of this chapter I see a few things that will help me get there.

Paul encourages me to unite with others in love, mind, and purpose. Most of my grumbling and disputing manifest themselves out of me failing to do one or all of these three things. There is one love, one mind, and one purpose and that is Christ.

Paul encourages me to kill my selfishness. There is a part of human nature that wants to receive credit and have things its way. I am not exempt from that. I can't remember how many times I have walked away from a task hurt by who got the credit or who got their way. A part of my command as a follower of Christ is to seek after His glory and not my own.

Paul encourages me to empty myself. This one gets rough. Jesus set aside A-L-L His rights, privileges, riches, glory, and power to pursue obedience with God's plan for Him. I have to follow suit. My life is no longer about me. I am a bondservant to a heavenly mission.

Prayer:

Father I sense this morning a strong conviction. My life is very full of me. I want what I want when I want it. When I approach You in prayer there is normally only one option that will make me happy. When I enter a task I want it to be fulfilling, enjoyable, and comfortable. When I work with others I want them to think like me. And when these things do not happen; I grumble and dispute. I confess this to You today as being sin.

I do not know where to go from here other than to express to You my desire for You to become my everything. Be my joy. Be my fulfillment. Be my peace. Be my glory. Be my all in all. There is nothing of man or earth that can offer me anything other than temporary relief or joy. The things from You are eternal. Lead me in how to follow after You in a manner that is worthy of my calling.

Not That Real

Today's Reading: Philippians 1

Scripture:

"But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake." Philippians 1:23

Observation:

This is a flippin crazy passage of scripture. Paul is literally saying that he is struggling to maintain his desire to live and not because he is depressed, for is joy is complete. Not because he wants to get out of prison, for he is enjoying God's work there. Not because his imprisonment is confusing people, for they were finding encouragement in how God was using him. Paul lives daily with the hope of dying because he so longs to be with God in heaven. That is how real it was to him. The only reason Paul desired to stay on earth was his great desire to see the people of the world enter into a saving relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

Application:

It ain't that real to me. The things of God are real to me. I seek after them. I study. I have given my life over to pursuing them. I strive each day to grow more like Christ. But I still covet my life. I am not ready to go to heaven and not because I feel like I have souls to win. No, I want to stay here because there are things I want to accomplish. Dreams to pursue, experiences to have, and possessions to own all rally together to create a deep longing to live life.

But what about my desire for God. If I were thrown in prison would I be content to simply see God's Word spread through my struggles? Would my joy be so complete that I would be writing letters of encouragement to others? Would the people visiting me see a God so tangible that it actually gave them courage to face the same fate?

Prayer:

You and I both know the answers to these questions. My faith gets rattled when my dishwasher breaks and have to spend my golf money getting it repaired. I am ashamed to think about what would happen if someone kicked down my door and drug me off to prison for no reason other than my love for You. I confess to You my selfish sin.

Father I am stuck in a rut. I know that You have put on my heart a desire to live at a greater level of faith and I know the direction You are pointing me towards. I ask that You strengthen my faith. Help me walk towards Your calling for my life even though it is crazy and stretches me beyond my personal comfort. Redefine my belief of You until it is so real that I too will be torn between leaving this life to join you and staying on earth serve as a beacon for others.

An Active Pursuit

Today's Reading: Ephesians 6

Scripture:

"With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints." Ephesians 6:18

Observation:

Prayer is more than a heavenly form of 911 to call during emergencies. It is more than a Divine application of Wikipedia to use for answering questions. It is more than a Spiritual garbage dump to be used for venting frustration. Prayer is an active pursuit of God's agenda in the lives of those on earth.

Application:

I am really bad about saying, "all we can do is pray." When I say that there is always a hint of desperation because I feel as if praying is not much or I am just saying that because I do not know what else to say. This morning's text serves up some strong reminders about my prayer life.

At all times and in the Spirit is the first command. Prayer is not supposed to be something that I turn on and turn off when my life gets uncomfortable. I am also not supposed to pray according to my will but rather I am supposed allow the Spirit to get me in alignment with God's. Every moment of every day is supposed to be an active form of walking in prayer, seeking the will of God.

Persevere in being alert is the second command. I love the fact that the Bible was written by imperfect men under the inspiration of a perfect God. Why would Paul have said persevere if there was not going to be a struggle? He knew from his on experience that staying alert and in the Spirit was a near impossible task. Staying engaged in prayer is a hard task that will require much effort on my part.

Petition for all the saints is the final command. The object of my prayers can not always be me. Intercessory prayer is tough, but the command of God's word is for me to be in touch with the condition of the lives of fellow believers and be in prayer for them; seeking God's will in their life. The Christian life is a team sport and I need to start playing as part of the team.

Prayer:

Father I ask that my prayer life be given a make over. Help me to find alignment with Your Spirit. My mind and emotions often hijack my prayers and so I pray my will far more often than I seek Yours.

Strengthen my perseverance. The rhythm of life makes this hard. I get lulled into complacency until something bad happens. I know without a doubt I am losing this battle. Help me be stronger in my desire to fight through distractions and stay connected with You in Prayer.

Give me Your heart for others. My nature is wickedly selfish. Open the eyes of my heart to understand the power and necessity of intercessory prayer.

Verse 10 of this chapter commands me to be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Jesus, I need your strength and might in transforming the way I pray. There is no way that I can do this outside of You showing up and transforming me.