Monday, January 29, 2007

Power of God's "Voice"

Good morning to everyone. My prayer and hope is that God’s grace will be sufficient for each of you this day!

Today’s Bible passages are Psalm 29 and John 1:1-13 where we find the familiar words of John giving witness to Jesus, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and Word was God” (John 1:1). We know that Jesus is the living Word and the Bible is the written word of God. “In the beginning…” sounds very much like the Genesis 1:1 “in the beginning” and it is not a coincidence. John was pointing to the fact that Jesus’ origin was not in Bethlehem’s manger but rather that Jesus was eternal.

When we continue to read the creation account in Genesis 1, we read several times the phrase “And God said…” God “spoke”, God’s “voice” and “words” were heard and things came into being. God’s “voice” and “words” created something out of nothing; His “voice” breathed life into a lifeless being. Sometimes I ask myself, what must God’s voice have sounded like? Well, our reading from the Psalms gives the following summary of God’s voice:

The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is majestic. 5 The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon. 6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, Sirion like a young wild ox. 7 The voice of the LORD strikes with flashes of lightning. 8 The voice of the LORD shakes the desert; the LORD shakes the Desert of Kadesh. 9 The voice of the LORD twists the oaks and strips the forests bare. And in his temple all cry, "Glory!" [Psalms 29:4-9 NIV]

God’s voice sounds pretty powerful if you ask me. What if we heard God’s voice like that one Sunday morning? The psalmist declared that God’s voice was “powerful” and “majestic” and was able to “break” the strongest of elements and that in the end, it was all for God’s glory.

God “voice” spoke to you and I one day. In fact, God’s “voice” came and walked this earth 2,000 years ago. God’s powerful and majestic voice called out to us one day to walk with Him. And the power of His voice and word “broke” (to not say shattered) the grip of sin upon our lives. The same voice that called all things into existence at the creation is the same Word that gives life to us today. And it is the same Word that can “break” the barriers that hinder us from a full and faithful walk with Christ.

Have you made yourself available to hear God’s voice through His written word today? What is God’s “voice” saying to you? What barrier is hindering a closer walk with Christ today? Remember that God’s powerful and majestic Word can break through your barrier for His glory.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for the living Word that has reconciled us to you through his loving sacrifice. And thank you for your written word that reminds us that your voice can remove barriers and give us hope as we continue to walk with you. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

By grace alone,
Pastor David

Thursday, January 25, 2007

Unpopular Walk

My hope and prayer is that as the week winds down that God’s blessings have been upon you in a special way. I also pray that somewhere in your day, there has been a space for your personal devotional time with God.

Luke 4:21-30 tells of the “unpopular” and rocky start to Jesus’ ministry in none other than Nazareth, the town where he was raised. As Jesus stood to read the Scriptures and apparently to elaborate on them, the people, who without a doubt included some childhood friends, relatives, and teachers, were amazed by the way he spoke of the word of God. At the same time, their question, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son” kind of sounds like, “Isn’t this Jesus who played with us and went to school with us?” At any rate, Jesus quickly outgrew is grandiose homecoming.

Jesus reminded his “friends” that God’s universal love was for all and not exclusive to Israel. In fact, Jesus continued, God at one point chose to work His mighty acts through two Gentiles, a widow of Zarephath and Naaman the Syrian. Jesus took an unpopular stand with this unpopular statement as he introduced an unpopular walk.

Our walk as disciples of Jesus will sometimes be unpopular. Why? Because in God’s kingdom if you want more, you have to become less, if you want to be great, you have to serve, and if you want to live, you have to die. Popular culture (i.e. the popular walk) says that the more you have the greater you are and then you are really living.

Jesus perhaps could’ve taken a more “popular” approach to his hometown. But he chose the unpopular walk of the kingdom which can be summed up in pleasing and glorifying God, loving God and neighbor, and in serving God as we serve others. The unpopular walk involves a Christ-centered approach to life vs. a self-centered one. It is about asking, how can I be more like Christ? And less like the patterns of popular culture?

Has your journey as Christ’s disciple ever required an “unpopular walk”? If so, know that Jesus has walked that walk and still walks that walk with us.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, to walk with you is not always popular. Help us to walk with you in obedience, always keeping in mind the purpose and ways of your kingdom. In your name I pray. Amen.

By grace alone,
Pastor David

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Are You Ready?

A popular phrase that is heard on Monday night during football season is “Are you ready for some football?” And of course, all of us football fans reply with a resounding “you bet!”

Today’s passage is Jeremiah 1:1-10 in which we find the narration of God’s calling upon the prophet Jeremiah’s life. Essentially, the Lord has called Jeremiah for some pretty scaring scenarios – “to uproot, tear down, destroy, overthrow…” I don’t know that that particular call sounds too appealing. Whatever happened to love, compassion, and kindness? Well, love, compassion, and kindness still remain an integral part of our call as God’s people. However, in the spirit of the writer in Ecclesiastes, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1).

The call to live and serve God may not always be “pleasant”, but it is always necessary. Challenging scenarios are an integral part of the Christian disciple; it is a part of the way of the Cross. One writer responded with this prayer when asked “Are you ready?”: “O Lord, you are always ready, but am I ever ready? O Lord, make me ready, or at least make me more ready to be made ready.”[1]

God has called us to be and do something – to be and do as Christ. He has called us to glorify His name and to edify His church. Are we ready to do our part? James C. Fenhagen challenged me today with these words, “We can’t do everything, but each of us can do something.”[2]

What is that something that God is calling you (us) to be and do? Are you ready? Remember, you and I are not expected to do everything, but we can all do something.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your call upon my life. Help me to make myself ready to be and do as you will. And help me do something that will glorify You and edify your church. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

By grace alone,

Pastor David

[1] From Together in Solitude by Douglas V. Steere
[2] From Invitation to Holiness by James C. Fenhagen

Thursday, January 18, 2007

Be Holy

A good day to everyone! I hope and pray that the New Year continues to be one of Carpe Diem – of seizing the day and moment of God’s opportunities to live a life that is pleasing before Him.

Today’s passage is 1 Peter 1:13-25. This passage is loaded with so many exhorting, encouraging, and edifying words not least of which are the call to “be holy.” Most times when we have heard God telling us through His word that we are to “be holy, because I am holy” we shy away from whatever that might mean for us. After all, “nobody’s perfect”, right?

Obviously, God, the only absolutely holy, perfect, and good God, does not expect us to be absolutely “perfect” in our “performance” in our Christian living. That is, we will always live with “faults” and “shortcomings”. Only God is absolutely perfect. However, a deeper reflection on both the Old and New Testaments points us to a more achievable goal. “Holy” and “perfect” in Scripture can also be understood as “complete”, “mature”, “whole”, “undivided, or “entire”. And many times in the Old Testament these meanings of “holy” are attached to the idea of “heart”. In other words, what God is after in us is a “complete” and “undivided” heart and life that will yield a “complete” and “entire” devotion to Him; a “whole-hearted devotion”, if you will.

What does this mean? At the risk of oversimplifying God’s call for us to be holy, let me sum it up this way: To be “holy” is to strive to have a “whole-hearted” devotion and intention to being and doing the right thing before God. Our “whole-hearted” and “undivided” intent is to always do God’s will. Will we fail? Naturally, but that is not our intent.

To “perform” perfectly in our doing is important, but ultimately it’s not only about that. In fact, it goes deeper than that; it’s about a “perfect” (whole, complete, entire, undivided) heart, a whole-hearted devotion and intention to follow God’s ways.[1]

Holiness understood this way, then, is achievable. John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, believed, lived, taught, and preached it. We would do well to reflect upon it – God will honor our faith as we seek to live with a whole-hearted and undivided devotion for His ways.

Prayer: Lord, the holy way is not easy, but it is not impossible either. Grant me the will and the whole-hearted devotion to seek Your ways in all that I am and do. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

By grace alone,
Pastor David

[1] This idea of “perfect performance” vs. “perfect” (complete, entire, undivided) heart was borrowed from John Oswalt’s book Called to Be Holy, which I highly recommend in order to have a more complete understanding of God’s call upon us to be holy.

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Carpe Diem - Part II

Good morning to everyone. To the brothers and sisters from Agape UMC, I was sorry we missed our Sunday worship service due to inclement weather, but I have included in this week's post a summary of what was to be preached on Sunday (following our preaching calendar).

The text for this sermon was 1 Samuel 17:32-50.

Last week the call was to Carpe Diem, to “Seize the Day!” To seize the day (or moment) of God’s salvation and opportunity to be and do all that God wills of us. And in the words of Mr. Keating (Dead Poets Society English teacher), “Carpe Diem, seize the day boys, make your lives extraordinary!” Usually when we think of an “extraordinary” life we think of some great, awesome, and impressive achievement that someone has accomplished. Breaking a long-standing sports record, inventing a successful product, becoming an executive of a large corporation, etc., are all examples of great achievements. But what was “extraordinary” to Jesus? After he had described the “greatness” of the Gentiles, Jesus reminded his disciples, “Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant” (Matthew 20:26). James took it a step further and wrote, “Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will lift you up (or exalt you)” (James 4:10).

These two verses to hand in hand – a servant must be humble before the Lord, and the Lord will do the exalting. A humble servant dependent on God’s promises and grace will yield “greatness” in God’s kingdom. When greatness ultimately depends on us, then it ceases to be Christ-like. Why? Because to be a humble servant in God’s hands means we align ourselves with God’s agenda whereas following our own agenda will yield a “distorted” greatness – one most likely aligned to self-centered ambition. In other words, just the way Jesus was and did what he heard and saw in the Father, so we must be about being and doing what Jesus has taught us to be and do – a humble servant dependent on God’s grace working for His purposes.

I. 1 Samuel 17:32-50
A. This passage of 1 Samuel narrated the awesome and unbelievable victory of an apparently insignificant shepherd boy, David, over a Philistine “giant”, Goliath.
B. This is the ultimate underdog triumph in Scripture. This story has all the elements of a classic moment in history – a sling and stones versus sword, spear, and javelin; defiant military aggression versus purity and faith; of right versus might; of tall versus short; and of youth versus maturity.[1]
C. Regardless of how we might understand Goliath’s size, he was nevertheless and without a doubt a “giant” obstacle and source of fear for King Saul’s army. An often overlooked question is: Why was not the mighty King Saul not trusting in God and motivating and leading his army against Goliath? After all, he had been described as one who himself was of good size. King Saul seemed to be the obvious match for Goliath.[2]
D. The truth is that a less than qualified “soldier”, a shepherd to be exact, placed his sight not on the might of the armies but on the living God who leads the army! A humble servant who trusted and placed his life in God’s hands to fulfill his purpose was ultimately victorious over Goliath and the “giant” obstacle and trial before him.
E. David Carpe Diem, seized the day, and trusted God to lead him to victory.

II. Application/Conclusion
A. We can identify with David’s story in many ways. Who of us can remember a “bully” situation that we had to overcome? Or a “giant” obstacle, trial, or life situation where we needed a “miracle victory”? David’s trust in the living God set the pace for us to also trust in God.
B. As David did, we can seize the day/moment of our faith and set our eyes on the God of all power and love instead on the “giant” source of our fears.

[1] Arnold, Bill T. The NIV Application Commentary: 1 and 2 Samuel, 2003.
[2] Ibid.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for being at my side when I have faced my most "giant" of all problems and trials. Help me to be faithful to You in all of my ways. And grant me the faith to seize the day of being a humble servant in your hands. In your Name I pray. Amen.

By grace alone,
Pastor David

Thursday, January 11, 2007

Carpe Diem (Seize the Day)

Greetings to all of you and the best of a Happy New Year! I know, it’s been too long and I apologize for the extended hiatus. Thank you for your patience. The holiday season just swept me over. This year I will try to be more consistent and post a devotional thought at least twice a week.

Today’s text is 2 Corinthians 5:17-6:2 in which the Apostle Paul declared that “Today is the time of God’s favor, today is the day of salvation.” Sunday I preached from this text and used the phrase “Carpe Diem” to convey the opportunity we have to make a difference in our walk with Christ this year. Carpe Diem is Latin for “Seize the day.” It became somewhat famous when Mr. Keating, an English teacher in the movie Dead Poets Society, challenged his students to capture the moments of opportunity that life presented and to make the most out of them. They were challenged to “seize the day” or “seize the moment.”

This is still a new year that we have before us. The beginning of a new year somehow “feels” like a new page in life. All we have to do is look at the amount of resolutions that will be made; resolutions that range from weight and financial management to family and conflict management. As believers who seek to be disciples of the Lord, we must make it a priority to Carpe Diem of our faith – “seize the day” of opportunity and seek to be and do God’s will; to not conform ourselves to the pattern of this world but to conform ourselves to Christ.

What will be your response to this New Year? Will it be Carpe Diem? Let us seize the day of the God’s salvation as we walk closer to him this year.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for this New Year. Thank you for your faithfulness throughout 2006; and now be my daily guide as I seek to seize every opportunity that You give me to live for you. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Happy New Year!

By grace alone,
Pastor David