Day 123 – Makeover (Philemon)

Isn’t it awesome when we have the opportunity to refresh and renew ourselves?  It may be something as simple as a candlelit bath with soft music playing to something as exotic as a dream vacation.  Maybe it’s a day at the spa with a makeover or an afternoon with a great book.  No matter what avenue you take, it’s such a great feeling to be rested, renewed, and refreshed.  Paul writes to Philemon about redemption and renewal of the relationship with Onesimus, but I want to focus on the praise that Paul expresses to Philemon first.  “I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ…the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.” (Philemon 6-7)

I first learned a particular method of sharing my faith in a program designed to witness to non-believers.  Over the last year, though, I gained a great deal of practice in sharing my faith with fellow believers.  Initially, it was in the course of updating friends, family, and especially co-workers in Edward’s progress through treatment.  I was in and out of work and each time I came back, I often had a new “God” story to share.  It was also an opportunity to be transparent about my flaws and fears but demonstrate a practical application for my faith.  I’ve never made so many people cry in my life!  Many of them expressed being inspired and renewed by our faith through this illness, yet sharing our experiences was refreshing and renewing for me!

I love that Paul links these two experiences together…sharing your faith = refreshing of the saints (you and them!).  Our faith is not only a testimony for non-believers.  Sharing our faith reminds us of God’s abundant grace and mercy, renews our intimacy with Him, and refreshes us and others.  Next time you need a fresh perspective, seek an opportunity to tell someone just how awesome God has been to you.  It’s an instant attitude makeover!

Today’s prayer:

Lord, thank you for the spiritual refreshment that you provide me through worship, Bible study, and fellowship.  Thank you for the opportunities to share my faith with others and the excellent renewing of my spirit which follows.  Open my eyes to the opportunities that I might not otherwise see.  Amen.

Add a comment September 20, 2010

Day 117 – He’s coming! (1 & 2 Thessalonians)

I’ve lived hundreds of miles away from family since I was a teenager, so I get really excited when we will see them.  Whether we are traveling to them or they are traveling to us, I can’t wait.  I plan for things that we can do together and anticipate a great time reminiscing and exchanging stories about life  now.  With only a few exceptions, those visits are marked with laughter and love.  It is with this kind of excitement and anticipation that I look forward to seeing Jesus in person.

Paul gives us a glimpse of this event.  “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God.  And the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)  Party on!!!  I imagine the ”cry of command” to be Jesus calling each of us by name to rise up to him.  Though I’ve never heard Jesus’ voice, I suspect it will be beautifully familiar…like when a beloved friend calls your name out in the mall and your heart is filled with joy at the sound.    The dead and living Christians will join Jesus for the most awesome family reunion – not only will we be hanging out with Jesus, but all of our deceased Christian relatives and friends will be reunited. 

Though I wait in great anticipation for this reunion, Paul’s warning subdues me and reminds me of the urgency of the work to do during my remaining life.  Paul states that Jesus is delivering us from “the wrath to come”. (1 Thessalonians 1:10)  He shares a glimpse of that wrath in 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10.  “..when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.  They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might…”  What can be worse than eternal destruction?  Eternal separation from the presence of the Lord.  There are so many people hurting from the void in their lives due to a lack of a relationship with God.  What would it be like if that was a void that was busted open – without the hope of being filled or the ability to heal EVER?

Let’s celebrate the great day when we will be forever in the company of each other, saved family members, and our Lord.  Let’s seize the opportunities to add attendees to this great event.

Today’s prayer:

Lord, I am so excited for the day that you come for me!  While I wait, help me to reach others to join the party.  Give me the heart to serve, the words to share, and the love to build up others.  Amen

Add a comment September 14, 2010

Day 87 – Afflicted with hope (2 Corinthians)

Paul knew a little something about suffering.  He’d been through it all, but I couldn’t help but notice how hopeful his letter to the Corinthians letter is despite his sufferings.  Paul recounts some of what he has been through.  “Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one.  Three times I was beaten with rods.  Once I was stoned.  Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.  And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.” (2 Corinthians 11:24-28)  He clearly experienced physical and emotional pain throughout his ministry.

Paul also had “a thorn in the flesh” (12:7) and described himself as “unskilled in speaking” (11:6).  I would wager that these conditions further exacerbated Paul’s suffering both physically and mentally.  Paul even shares that he asked God three times to remove the thorn without success “to keep me from becoming conceited”. (12:7)  This suggests that God had a purpose in Paul’s suffering, so we can deduce that God likely has a purpose in our suffering (whether or not He caused such suffering).  In my life, God uses suffering to get face time and to refine my character – smooth out the rough edges.  He always seems to have a spiritual lesson for me with opportunities to practice my new skills or my new self.  When I recognize the process in motion, I find great joy in seeing God change me and feeling the breadth of our relationship deepen.

Like any good parent, God doesn’t leave us to struggle and suffer alone.  He will sit with us in “time-out”, address the errors of our way, and provide the guidance for change.  Paul reports that God’s response to the thorn is, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (12:9)  Paul also states that God is the “God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction.” (1:3-4)  This is the kind of comfort a parent offers when we come in bruised and beat up by the world.

Paul offers great hope and encouragement despite those worldly abuses.  “Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart…For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.  For God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (4:1-6)  “So we do not lose heart.  Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.” (4:16)  It’s really not about me.  Despite my circumstances and surroundings, I can be a light for Christ.  I can experience joy in pointing people to Christ through fellowship with the true light.

My prayer today:

Lord, I am thankful that I do not know the sufferings of Paul, but I am grateful for my life experiences which caused me to seek you, to develop my faith, to change bad behaviors, and to have confidence to begin sharing how my faith influences my life.  I hope and prayer is that others see Your Light in me, regardless if I am standing on the mountaintop or crawling in the valley.  Forgive me for times of weak faith and poor witness.  Fill me with the fruit of the spirit!  Amen

Add a comment August 16, 2010

Day 86 – Meet them where they are. (1 Corinthians)

Social workers frequently say, “I have to meet the client where she is.”  Our meaning is that despite seeing the big picture of problems that the client is facing and path that the client’s choices are taking her down, we will start by meeting the client where she is in her thinking, her actions, her options, and her consequences.  We hope to influence her and her life in a small way as a means to getting to the big stuff.  Much like a parent who approaches a big subject, like sex, by opening the conversation with an age-appropriate dialogue.  No sense in talking about ovulation, if the child does not know what a vagina is.  In many ways, Jesus was sent by God to meet humans where they were then (and where we are now).  Like when a parent uses vocabulary that their 3-year old can understand, God sent Jesus to relate to us in a way that we can understand.

Paul suggests that we use this technique in reaching the unsaved.  Paul is saying that we need to meet them where they are by infusing ourselves into their lives but without becoming like them in their slavery to sin, the law, or other elements against God’s word.  “For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them.  To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews.  To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law.  To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law.  To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak.  I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.  I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.” (1 Corinthians 9:19-23)

Paul is saying that we must go to the unsaved.  The truth is, they are very unlikely to just walk through the front doors of the church and accept Christ as their Lord and Savior.  Our greatest influence is usually found in relationships and “winning” them over to Christ.  This is only possible by putting ourselves in position to build relationships.  For most of us, one of the greatest opportunities is at work where we spend so much time and are forced to build relationships in order to effectively conduct our work.  Are you capitalizing on those opportunities?  Are you sharing your faith with unsaved co-worker?  Are you missing out on other opportunities, like at the gym, weekly girls’ night out, your child’s preschool/school, or neighborhood events, to get involved with the unsaved?  Can you “make” an opportunity to share your faith with someone you know who is unsaved?  The only other question to ask is, “Can I meet them where they are without joining in with sin or violating God’s Word?  If the answer is”yes”, it’s time to “do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.” (1 Corinthians 9:23)

Is your relationship with Christ a blessing in your life?  Arm yourself with several examples of how your salvation and relationship with Christ is a blessing.  Practice sharing the story of those blessings to yourself until you get comfortable with your own stories.  Start sharing them with people who love you to build your confidence.  Pick one or two verses that are meaningful to you and memorize them.  Know 1 verse that explains how to get saved…I prefer Romans 10:9 which says, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”  Then, trust God and the Holy Spirit.  He will give you the words to speak.  We needn’t worry about the outcome; it’s God’s!  “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.” (1 Corinthians 3:6)

Today’s prayer:

Lord, thank you for saving me and for the relationship that I enjoy with you.  Help me to seize opportunities to develop relationships with unsaved people, share how you’ve blessed me, and how they can be saved.  Lord, help me to have the words and the message that needs to be heard.  Lord, I want to be a blessing to the saved as well.  Help me to be encouraging to my brothers and sisters, too!  Amen

Add a comment August 15, 2010