April 30, 2022

Acts 19: 13-15 (NIV)

Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. . . . One day, the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?”

The most dangerous counterfeit bills are those that most closely resemble the authentic ones.*

Who would ever think that being recognized by an evil spirit is a good thing?

In Matthew chapter seven, Jesus warns us to watch out for false prophets. There will be many who claim to prophesy in Jesus’ name, to drive out demons and perform miracles in his name, but he will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!”

In the Stephen King story, Salem’s Lot, one of the characters is horrified to learn that waving a cross in the face of a vampire does not protect him. The vampire advises him that the cross has no power unless you believe in the true power of the cross – “Without faith, the cross is only wood . . .” It’s sadly ironic that demons (and vampires!) are better-equipped to distinguish between genuine and counterfeit than we are.

How can we tell if someone is claiming the name of Jesus falsely? Jesus said, “By their fruit you will recognize them.” (Matthew 7: 20) A tree may appear to be good and healthy until it bears fruit. In the same way, a false prophet may seem to be doing good things – preaching, healing, charitable works – but watch for his fruit. Is he true to the gospel or does he dilute it to make it easier to swallow? Does he claim Jesus as the only Son of God and the only way to salvation?  Who gets the glory? Does his personal life reflect a relationship with Jesus? How does he treat other people? How does he hold up under pressure?

As someone has stated, “The presentation of that which is genuine is the only antidote to the counterfeit.”* Know the truth so you can recognize the fakes.

Zeal and sincerity cannot substitute for truth.*

April 29, 2022

John 9: 31 (NIV)

“We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will.” 

Surprisingly, seeing supernatural miracles didn’t lead people to repent and follow Jesus’ teaching.*

Rather than rejoicing with the man who was healed from a lifetime of blindness, the Pharisees dragged him out as a witness against Jesus. He didn’t help their cause because, instead, he testified on Jesus’ behalf. He tried to get them to understand that Jesus was a good man (if nothing else), otherwise God would not have listened to his prayers to heal the man’s blindness. The Pharisees, who didn’t deny that Jesus had performed a miracle, went ballistic and "threw him out."

But was the man right? Is it true that God does not listen to sinners? Aren’t we all sinners? One Bible commentary states that “God does not listen to any but those who call upon him with truth and sincerity.”* Another offers that “God is under no obligation to hear sinners.”* A third disagrees, saying that the man’s statement implies that “God never answers the prayers of men.”* So, what does the Bible say?

God doesn’t hear us if we: 

· Cherish sin in our hearts (Psalm 66: 18) 

· Have blood on our hands (Isaiah 1: 15) 

· Follow other gods (Jeremiah 11: 9-11) 

· Do evil (Micah 3: 4) 

· Don’t listen to him (Zechariah 7: 13) 

· Have a rebellious heart (I Samuel 8)

Who does God listen to?

· He hears the cry of the righteous (Psalm 34: 15) 

· If we ask in his name, he will do what we ask (John 14: 13) 

· If we ask according to his will, he hears us (I John 4: 14) 

· If we have faith in God, we will receive what we ask for (Mark 11: 22-25)

Hebrews 5: 7, says, “During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.” It doesn’t say that Jesus’ prayers were answered because of his sincerity and great emotion. We also know that he didn’t receive exactly what he asked for because he wasn’t saved from death. But we know that his prayers were heard because of his reverent submission. If that’s what it takes for the Son of God to be heard, it ought to work for us.

Imitating Jesus requires giving attention to the things he gave attention to, caring about the things he cared about, and doing them the way he did them to the best of our ability.*

April 28, 2022

John 17: 1 (NIV)

After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed.

Prayer is relevant in every situation.*

If you knew you had only one year left to live, what would you do? How would you fill your time if you were down to only one day? I have no idea what I would do – just pondering the question causes me to feel anxious so I’m thinking that if I really had to face the decision I would succumb to a full-blown panic attack.

Perhaps, after I took a deep breath, I might consider what Jesus did. He knew all along that his days were numbered so it’s certain that he used every moment wisely. But when the clock ticked down to the final twelve hours, what did Jesus do? I like what John Maxwell says about Jesus’ last moments of freedom: “He didn’t start big campaigns. He didn’t try to change laws. He didn’t even do any more public ministry. He spent the time praying.”*

Admit it. You secretly think that there had to be something more dramatic that he could have been doing. Admit it. You say you believe in the power of prayer but you still think of it as a last resort. It’s what you do when you can’t think of anything else to do. How did this happen? When did we start thinking that we are smarter than God? How can we believe that we can face troubles or make decisions without seeking God’s face?

We often hear that we should live every day as if it’s our last one. I suggest we live every day as Jesus lived his last one: make prayer our priority.

We may speak about the importance of prayer, but it seldom becomes our actual practice.*

April 27, 2022

Ephesians 6: 13-17 (NIV)

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

The Bible is replete with weapons through which we can defeat our common enemy.*

This passage reminds me of my husband’s ritual as he prepared to go play hockey. He taped his ankles, donned padded pants, elbow pads, and a helmet, all to protect himself from injury. Just like the armor of God, all his equipment was for defensive purposes – until he picked up his stick.  Like that hockey stick, the sword of the Spirit is the only offensive device in our arsenal.

As Christians, we are constantly under attack. We stand our ground, armed with truth, righteousness, readiness, faith, and salvation. When it comes time to attack we wield the sword of the Spirit. This is a magical sword because it is empowered by the Spirit of God. We must train with it, just as the ancient soldiers prepared for battle with rigorous practice in the proper use of the weapon. It is important for us to be insulated from Satan’s attacks but we must be ready to fight back. Know the word of God, know the God of the word, and let the Spirit of God guide your sword.

If you want to motivate Christians to learn to use their weapons of warfare, put them on the front lines.*

April 26, 2022

Hebrews 12: 1 (NIV)

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

A race has been set before me; and it is my duty to find out what that race is, and run it, and not waste life in regrets that I cannot run a different one, or life's energies in unsuccessful attempts to do so.*

I was never one of those girls who dreamed of being a cheerleader. Perhaps, even as a small child, I knew instinctively that I didn’t have the perky personality or the physical coordination required to join their ranks. Often it is obvious that those bouncy girls are just there to be seen but we have all witnessed those rousing moments when the enthusiastic roar of the crowd made a difference in the outcome of the sport.

As Christians, we are surrounded by a crowd of cheerleaders – the saints who have gone on ahead of us who would like us to know that it is all worth it. We may not be able to hear their voices but their stories cheer us on as we run our own race of faith. In Hebrews chapter eleven, the writer reminds us of these heroes who demonstrated the faith without which it is impossible to please God. Characters such as Abel, who offered a better sacrifice (4: 2-5); Enoch, who was commended as one who pleased God before he was “taken away” without experiencing death (Genesis 5: 21-24); the Israelites who crossed the Red Sea on dry land (Exodus 14); and those not named who were tortured for their faith “so that they might gain a better resurrection;” and so many more, remind us that God honors our faithfulness with his own.

The writer of Hebrews says that the race is already marked out for us. Let go of the cares of life that slow you down. It turns out that those things we carry around are not so important after all. Run the race with the confidence of a sure winner. And listen to the roar of the crowd!

Our choices are not always between right and wrong, but between something that may hinder us and something else that may not.*

April 25, 2022

Revelation 3: 19, 20 (NIV)

“Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So . . . repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him . . .”

Failing to connect with God cuts us off from our most basic and necessary source of strength.*

We’ve all seen the painting of Jesus, standing at the door with his hand raised to knock on it. I’m certain I’m not the only one who pairs the picture with this verse and thinks about all the lost people on the other side of the door. Except he isn’t knocking at the heart’s door of the lost; this passage was written to the church – the people who have already accepted Jesus as their Savior.*

These verses are part of the message John delivered to the church in Laodicea who are infamous for being lukewarm. They were in danger of being spit out of God’s mouth because they behaved as if they didn’t need him. Now he tells them of their opportunity to repent and re-establish a close relationship with Jesus. Open the door, he says, and I will come in and eat with you.

Have you wandered away from your relationship with the Lord? Have you neglected him because your life is going smoothly, leaving you to think that you don’t need him right now? Maybe you still identify yourself as a Christian while nothing in your walk provides evidence of it. Perhaps you’re still a “good person” but you are too busy right now to be involved with your church family. Jesus is knocking on the door of your heart. Let him back in before your lukewarm temperature causes God to gag and spit you out. Repent while he is still knocking.

The same one who saved your soul longs to remake your heart.*

April 24, 2022

I Kings 9: 11-13 (NIV)

King Solomon gave twenty towns in Galilee to Hiram king of Tyre, because Hiram had supplied him with all the cedar and pine and gold he wanted. But when Hiram went . . . to see the towns . . . he was not pleased with them. “What kind of towns are these you have given me, my brother?” he asked. And he called them the Land of Cabul . . .

Could it be that we define the value of someone’s life in terms of that which is useful to me or to society rather than to God?*

Who hasn’t bought something only to find that it was not the high-quality product you were expecting? In this story, King Solomon gives twenty towns to Hiram, king of Tyre, because Hiram had been so generous with the cedar, pine, and gold that Solomon wanted. When Hiram went to inspect the towns, he found them to be of inferior quality. I don’t know what he was expecting but he renamed the area and called it Cabul – which means “good for nothing.”

In case you didn’t realize it: these towns were located in the Promised Land. What Hiram regarded as worthless was actually part of the land that God had given to the Children of Israel and for which they had fought and died. Maybe the towns themselves were not strategically placed or prosperous but it was this area which Jesus later chose as the early focal point of his ministry,* proving it was good for something!

The Bible contains many examples of how God’s idea of value differs from man’s. These twenty towns may not have been worth much by human standards, but things that men look down on can be made valuable by Jesus – because he values them. And there is nothing that Jesus values more than human souls. All of them. Not just the productive, attractive, or creative ones.

If you find yourself questioning your worth, remember that Jesus died for you. You were bought at the price of Jesus’ blood and your price-tag reflects your value. 

We must derive our sense of self-worth from Biblical values.*

April 23, 2022

I Samuel 3: 19 (NIV)

The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of his words fall to the ground.

The king’s herald is to deliver the king’s message as clearly as possible without altering it.*

“Don’t waste your breath,” they say when your words are about to be ignored. If I could take all those wasted breaths and tag them on at the end of my life, I could increase my lifespan by several more years. There are few things that I dislike more than talking to the air.

When the Bible says that God let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground, it probably doesn’t mean that everyone listened to everything he said. As a matter of fact, we know that even his own sons didn’t pay much attention to what he said. In First Samuel 8: 3, is reported the sad news that they “turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice.” But God spoke through Samuel, whether anyone listened or not. He gave him words of power and truth.

We should seek this same blessing for our own words. Ask God to speak through you. Ask to speak the truth boldly. As a writer and a group leader, I often pray that my words will be God’s words and that they will change lives. And even though we may never know if what we say makes any difference in the world, we should desire that God bless us as he did Samuel and allow none of our words to fall to the ground.

Our responsibility is not to convert the world. Our responsibility is simply to hold out the message of the kingdom.*

April 22, 2022

Mark 10: 17-22 (NIV)

As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. . . . “You know the commandments . . .” “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.” Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go sell everything you have and give to the poor . . . then come follow me.” At this, the man’s face fell. He went away sad because he had great wealth.

If you’re trying to prove your heart is in the right place, it isn’t.*

We aren’t given much information about this man who has waylaid Jesus. Besides not providing us with his name, Mark doesn’t even tell us he was young; we learn that from Matthew and Luke. But besides his personal data, there are other things I would like to know about him:

· Did he believe that Jesus was who he said he was? 

· What did he really want from Jesus? Was he truly seeking answers or did he just want a pat on the back for his years of being a law-abiding citizen?

This story has always left me wondering, too: if he had kept all the commandments, wouldn’t he already qualify for eternal life? Why was he even asking?

What we do learn from Mark is that Jesus looked at the man and loved him. He knew him, he knew his motives, and he knew if he was really as good as he said he was. With this in mind, we can make some fairly safe assumptions about him. First: If he kept the commandments but wasn’t willing to do what Jesus asked, his obedience was like that of the Pharisees. His heart wasn’t engaged. Second: His focus was on what he should do. He thought eternal life was something he could earn or deserve.* When Jesus’ answer didn’t meet his expectations, Mark says that the man went away sad; and as someone else has observed: “Jesus didn’t chase him down and hound him; he let him go.”*

We can find plenty of personal applications in this story, some of which are: 1) Jesus looks at us and loves us even though he also knows us – and our true motives; 2) we can’t earn our salvation; 3) when Jesus offers us salvation, it is up to us to accept it – he won’t force himself on us.

Don’t walk away from Jesus. He might not ask you to give up your wealth but he will ask you to give up something. If you aren’t willing to surrender the things that keep you from him, you will walk away sad and he will let you go.

Since we are rebels, God makes one offer of peace. . . We can take it or leave it, but we can never change it.*

“All religions of the world except Christianity use the works of men to secure salvation.”*

April 21, 2022

Matthew 12: 30 (NIV)

“He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters.”

When the crowd got too large, [Jesus] would inevitably sharpen the blade of his teaching.*

Sometimes Jesus spoke in parables to weed out the merely curious from the seekers. At other times, he cleared the room by issuing challenging statements such as this one. There was no allowance for wafflers. Indifference was not an option.

It was true then and it is true now: You can’t be just “not with” Jesus. If you aren’t with him, you are against him, actively or passively. If you are not working for the kingdom, you are working against the kingdom, even while doing nothing overtly to affect it adversely. Not to choose is to fall back to the default position: against Jesus, for Satan. There is no such thing as a neutral party.

If you think that being a good person is enough, you are wrong. Jesus calls us to be more than good enough; he calls us to be like him. On our own, we can never be that good but when we choose him, his grace becomes the sign that we are on the winning side.

He saves us not because we are good enough, but because Christ was.*