November 11 – What Jesus Wants Us To Know

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John 14-17

I love reading John’s personal account of his last intimate moments with the Savior. Jesus talked to His disciples around the dinner table about what was ahead, about His suffering and death. He promised them they’d see Him again, that He would be preparing their place in eternity. He assured them of God’s love. He promised the Holy Spirit. And He prayed for them.

As a follower of Jesus myself, I hear Him speak these words to me, too. I am assured that Jesus and the Father are One. That Jesus is the way, the truth, and life, and no one can go to the Father except through Him. I am strengthened when Jesus tells me He has overcome the world.

Do you doubt that Jesus is God? I challenge you to read these chapters today. But before you do, ask God to reveal the Truth as you read His Word. Put aside pre-conceived notions for the ten minutes it will take you, and allow God to show Himself to you, and to introduce you to His Son.

Because you’ll read the words, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father.” (14:9)

Jesus is Who He claims to be. Jesus is God. Jesus is the Savior of the world.

And He wants you to know Him.

November 10 – Love Is Not All We Need

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Luke 22; John 13

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love one for another. John 13:34-45

What does it mean to love one another? Many seem to believe love is the same thing as acceptance, or tolerance. Some think love means giving people hugs, then giving them space to live life anyway they want. I grew up in the 60’s when the word “love” was proclaimed from drug induced songwriters and poets, and touted as “free.” Is that the love Jesus was speaking about here?

Jesus tells us to love others the same way He loved the disciples, loves us. Let’s look at how Jesus loved:

He healed diseases, forgave sin, pointed out hypocrisy, cast out demons, confronted sinners, overturned money tables, and finally and most importantly, suffered and went to the cross to die. There was no acceptance of sin in the way Jesus loved. There was no looking the other way.

Jesus’ love was not the hippie version of love, or even the Hallmark-feel-good version. Jesus loved tough. Jesus’ love was in-your-face. Jesus’ love went beyond this life into eternity.

Personally, I think we need Jesus’ love demonstrated more fully these days. I think the Church has adopted a definition of love that is meaningless in light of God’s Word. If we adopt the world’s view of love, they won’t recognize us as Jesus’ disciples. We’ll look just like them.

They won’t recognize the reality of Jesus’ love that does not want them to die in their sin. That love which sent Him to the cross so they can be forgiven and live with Him forever. We need more than love. We need to put that love into action just like He did.

We need to love one another hard enough to call sin sin, and introduce people to their Savior. Then we will be loving in the same way Jesus loves.

November 9 – Break Me

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Matthew 26; Mark 14

Peter wanted to do it right. He loved Jesus. He believed Jesus. He was a follower, a disciple of Jesus. And if you’d asked Peter, he’d have told you in no uncertain terms that nothing would ever change his devotion to Jesus.

But as determined as Peter was to stay true to the Lord, he failed miserably. Three times.

Sometimes I feel like Peter must have felt when he told Jesus he’d never betray Him. Especially after a Sunday morning sermon that challenges and blesses me, or time in God’s Word when He strengthens me or gives me that spiritual hug. I am as determined as Peter was to stay close to my Savior and never, ever betray Him.

But then I fail miserably like Peter, too.

When Peter realized what he’d done, he didn’t make excuses, or rationalize his behavior. He recognized his sin, and he wept. Bitterly. He was a broken man.

I want to be like Peter in that way, too. When faced with my sin – every sin no matter how small I may want to convince myself – I want to be broken before Jesus. I want to repent, to receive His forgiveness, to be able to fellowship with Him with nothing in between.

So, Lord, point out those sins in my life. Break me. Drive me to my knees so that I will repent and let You cleanse me. Thank You for wanting to.

November 8 – Bridesmaids Unprepared

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Matthew 25

How are you getting ready for Jesus’ return? Have you prepared your heart, used the gifts and abilities He gave you in service to Him, showed His love to others in tangible ways? Jesus is coming again. And whether we meet Him in the air at the sound of the trumpet, or experience death first, we will stand before Him on that day!

My prayer is that, most importantly, God has your heart. I pray that you have asked Him to forgive your sin, to be your Savior. Then I pray that you have nurtured the gifts He’s given you, and used them to win lost souls for His kingdom.

Are you a faithful servant? Do you put His love in action by caring for all people, giving of your time and resources?

I hope you’re not like five of the bridesmaids we read about today who did just enough to be able to say they were part of the company. But that wasn’t enough. And they couldn’t depend on anyone else to get them ready to meet the Bridegroom.

And neither can we. Our relationship with God is personal. Our accountability to Him is dependent on our own actions.

I pray you will not put off getting right with God. When the Bridegroom comes, and He will, it will be too late to put oil in that lamp.

November 7 – The Many

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Matthew 24

Jesus’ disciples asked Him what the signs would be announcing His second coming, and the “end of the age.” The Lord told them there would be people claiming to be Him, wars, famines, earthquakes.

He said life will be hard for His followers. They will experience tribulation, will be hated and killed because they follow Jesus. Some of His followers will fall away and turn on each other. They’ll be mislead by false teaching, and lawlessness will increase.

Was He describing 2016?

But then He said half of a verse that broke my heart. 24:12b:

most people’s love will grow cold.

The word “most” makes me sad. Makes me wonder how many of the people who attended church yesterday would be able to say their love for God is the burning passion of their lives? Or is their love like that for a buddy? Comfortable, warm, but not consuming?

Also makes me wonder about the temperature of my own love of my Savior. Is it the driving force behind my every thought and action? Is it a passion that burns every minute of every day, that ignites me to serve Him with purposeful enthusiasm?

Jesus said that before He returns, MANY of His people’s hearts will turn cold toward Him. I do not want to be counted among the “many.”

November 6 – 15 Minutes!

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Mark 13

My mom was a stay-at-home mom until I was in the seventh grade. She got a full time job when all of us girls were finally in school. Every day she’d leave us with the expectation that we were not supposed to sit in front of the TV when we got home. Beds were to be made, dishes done, clothes picked up, homework completed, and whatever chores she left for us to do were to be done before she got home from work at 4:20.

I wish I could say we were diligent in our chores. We’d usually find ourselves in front of the TV, or playing Barbies, or reading,  instead of doing what we knew we should be doing. Until one or another of us would notice the time and shout:

“15 minutes!”

On cue, the TV would be turned off, and we’d all go into stealth mode. Dishes would get done, beds made, clothes put away, dusting or sweeping done. We got pretty good at rapid housecleaning.

I thought of that today when I read this chapter in Mark. Jesus tells us to be ready when He returns. We don’t know when that will be. He just wants us to be diligently doing what He’s asked us to.

And we won’t get a fifteen minute warning. Some people act like they’ve got all the time in the world. After all, He hasn’t come back in 2,000 years, they rationalize. The chances are He won’t come back today. So they put off surrendering to Him. They don’t obey His voice to speak to that friend about their need of a Savior. They figure they’ve got time to live like they want to live. They’ll do the “Christian” thing when they get older.

Jesus doesn’t seem to take too well to that idea. He tells us God could come back at any time. Any. Time. The only one who knows when that will be is God Himself. And when He comes, it’ll be too late to obey Him.

Our Savior tells us to live today like this is the day He’s coming back. Live today with the same focus and determination my sisters and I had those 15 minutes before Mom came home. He’s left us with some instructions, some chores to do before He gets back.

Will He find us faithful? Or will we be caught unprepared?

November 5 – All She Had

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Matthew 23; Luke 20-21

Years ago I was at a congregational meeting of the church where I was a member. Among other positions like trustees and Sunday School superintendent, we were going to vote on a new president of our women’s ministry. The dear lady who had held that position for years had felt it was time she stepped down.

We sat there and listened to her give her last yearly report, then read her resignation. It wasn’t a flowery speech. Concise and to the point, she ended with a verse taken from Jesus’ parable about the widow’s gift. I’ll never forget it.

“She gave all she had.”

Whether we are given much or little, God blesses those who give it all back it Him. Whether wealth or talent, compassion or intellect, Christians should hold nothing back in service to our Lord.

Makes me wonder if I’m holding anything back. Family? Health? My time?

At the end of my life, I would like to be able to look into Jesus’ eyes and tell Him honestly that I gave all I had, that I wore myself out serving Him.

Generous Father, You have blessed me so much. I can’t begin to thank You. Forgive me when I take any of it for granted, or hoard it, or squander it. God, I want to hold my hands out to You and ask You to empty me. Whatever I have, I give it to You. Show me those things that I’m holding on to, or misusing. I want to confess, to repent, to give it all back. Not because I want anything in return. You’ve already given me more than I deserve.

November 4 – Warm Fuzzies

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Matthew 22; Mark 14

I love reading the Bible. It can humble me, challenge me, encourage me, or tickle me. Today I was tickled.

Jesus has less than a week to live on planet Earth, as reported in the chapters we read today. He still has a large following, and the Jewish elite are still trying to trap Him: Should we pay taxes? Who is married to whom in the resurrection? What’s the greatest commandment?

They tried hard to get him to say something… anything… that would show Him up in front of his followers, and give them reason to get rid of Him once and for all. So Jesus gave them a bit of their own medicine. He asked them:

How can the Christ be David’s son, if David himself called Him, Lord?

Here’s what tickled me. The large crowd were listening to Jesus answer question after question. They heard Him ask the hard question, too. Their response?

And the large crowd enjoyed listening to Him. (Mark 12:37b)

I’m not a preacher. But I think if, after preparing a sermon and preaching my heart out, someone shook my hand on Sunday morning and said, “Enjoyed your sermon today, Pastor,” I’d go home and throw something. If all you get out of hearing God’s Word proclaimed is a good time, then either your pastor isn’t doing his job, or you aren’t going in there prepared to hear what God has to say to you.

I said this verse tickled me. It did. I even laughed out loud. Until I remembered that these very people, these followers who “enjoyed” listening to the exchange between Jesus and the Jewish leaders, were the same ones who  cried, “Crucify Him,” only days later. I guess they’d stopped enjoying what they were hearing.

Your pastor is preparing a message he’ll give two days from now. Are you preparing, too? God has something to say to you through the words He has given your pastor. I can say with confidence that God isn’t interested in tickling your ears, or giving you warm fuzzies so you go away feeling good about yourself. I’m pretty sure He wants to challenge you to live for Him in a more effective way, He wants to put a finger on sin in your life so you’ll repent of it, He wants to humble you, drive you to your knees, so you’ll admit how much you need Him.

I dare you to prepare your heart to be changed Sunday morning. If your pastor is doing his job, and you are doing yours, you can expect something truly amazing to come out of it.

Father, I want to be ready to hear from you on Sunday. I pray that You will point out sin so that I can ask you to forgive me, and enter Your house with a pure heart. I want you to beat me up, if I need it. I want you to humble me, light a spark within me, draw me closer to you. I pray for my pastor. Thank you so much for this man who is truly a vessel you use to speak to me. God, encourage his heart. Give him clarity, discernment, power. May he continue to allow You to speak through him right to me. Defeat Satan’s attempt to block what You want to do in our church. May my pastor be an instrument in Your hands to help me love You more, and serve You better. Bless my pastor today, Lord. And make him a blessing to your people who are not looking for warm fuzzies on Sunday morning.

November 3 – You Are Not the Judge Of Me. And I Am Not The Judge Of You.

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Mark 11; John 12

The speed limit is clearly marked 70 MPH. If you pass me going 90, do I judge you if I say you’ve broken the law? Do I judge you when I call you a thief, if you break into my home and take my TV? If you have sex with your neighbor’s wife, am I judging you if I tell you you are guilty of adultery?

Jesus says, in John 12:47, “If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.” Does that mean we are not to identify sin in ourselves and others? After all, if Jesus Himself didn’t come to judge them, who do we think we are?

Jesus didn’t stop with verse 47. Verse 48 says, “He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day.”

The reason Jesus didn’t come to judge the world was that He had already laid down the Law, and clearly said Law-breakers are guilty. Their own actions demand a guilty verdict.

As Christians, we should not refrain from identifying sin in ourselves and others. Jesus said He knew that God’s commandment is eternal life. The opposite of that is true, too. Breaking God’s commandment, rejecting Jesus, is eternal hell.

It’s that serious. We who know the truth need to be telling it. When Jesus said people will be judged “at the last day,” He was giving us fair warning. Shouldn’t we be doing the same for our friends and loved ones who are living their lives as though there was no Judge?

God, Your children have buckled under the pressure of Satan’s lies. Your children have all too often adopted the “Don’t judge” mantra as meaning we should step back and let people do what they want. Forgive us. Humble us. Give us courage to stand up for the Truth of Your Word, to recognize sin, to speak up. Otherwise, how will people even know they need a Savior?

November 2 – Not The Same

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Luke 18:15-19:48

Isn’t it amazing how much Zaccheus changed after his encounter with the Savior? Tax collectors weren’t really known for their honesty. And Zaccheus was the chief tax collector. After meeting Jesus, Zaccheus realized his sin and told Jesus he was going straight. He was going to reimburse with interest, the people he had cheated.

Zaccheus was saved that day. Here’s what I love about this account. 19:10 says, “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which is lost.”

Do you know God is actively seeking for you, to save you? If you have yet to accept his salvation, don’t think He’s not paying attention, or that He’s not interested in you. He’s very interested. He’s paying close attention to every thought, every word, every action. He loves you, He calls out to you, He sends signs, performs miracles, nudges you, and pursues you with the intense purpose of breaking you down until you come to Him. He wants to forgive you and lavish you with love, joy, peace… Himself, forever!

To those of you who have gone to Him and received His grace, has that encounter changed you? It ought to. Once you’ve answered His call, like Zaccheus, nothing is the same as before.