Category: Daily Thought

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Some Assembly Required

Daily Reading

2Peter 1-3

Daily Thought

There is lots of gift-giving at Christmas, but no one out-gives God, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16), and it doesn’t stop there. When Jesus enters our life, he gives us everything needed to follow him forever, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness” (1Peter 1:3). 

That’s quite a Christmas. 

There are, of course, three words that often come with a gift: “Some Assembly Required.” God gave us everything we need, explains Peter, now start putting it together–“For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love” (2Peter 1:5-7).

“Some Assembly Required” is part of the joy of Christmas as we build our faith and become the person God made us to be.  Fortunately, it comes with instructions–God’s Word–”we have something more sure, the prophetic word, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place” (2Peter 1:19).

And our Father always helps.

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” ~Philippians 1:6

Daily Prayer

Father God, thank You for all You’ve done, and You did everything. You have given me all I need, salvation in Your Son, power to live a godly life through Your Spirit, and You promise to bring Your work in me to completion. Someday, I will live in perfect holiness with You forever. I look forward to that day.

In the meantime, I will follow wherever You lead. Whatever You ask, my answer is Yes. You have my heart, all of it, and my mind and soul and strength. I am Yours. And You are mine!

Amen

Daily Question

What are you working on in your life right now to make yourself more like Christ?

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Tattooed Faith

Daily Reading

1Peter 1-5

Daily Thought

Peter puts a spotlight on those who follow Jesus, “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy’” (1Peter 1:14-16). Holy means to be set apart, to be something other, for all to see, to live on earth and display heaven. 

“Dad, I’m getting a tattoo.”

Adam is a college sophomore; ‘No you are not,’ is no longer an option.

“A cross with 1Peter 1:16 written under it,” Adam described the design, “You shall be holy, for I am holy”

“How big?” asked Dad. Adam stretched his fingers out. “Big. Right here on my arm.”

“Okay, Adam, but you are in college with a lot of people who don’t know Jesus. That tattoo will let everyone know what you believe.”

“Dad, I’m getting the tattoo.”

“That’s great, Son. Just remember, everyone who sees it on your arm will be watching your life to see what it means.”

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” ~1Peter 2:9

Daily Prayer

Father God, You Son came into this world to be a light in a dark place. Thank You for shining that light on me because I was a dark place! I love Your Son.

Now I am a light shining in a dark place. I will not hide the light, but I will hold it up so that people can see. So that they can see Your Son. So that they can receive Your Son and be light, too. So that the world may know that You are God. My God. The only God.

Amen

Daily Question

What would people think it means to be a Christian if they hung around you for a day?

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The Only Easy Way

Daily Reading

James 1-5

Daily Thought

James speaks bluntly, “Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2:17). You may have faith in Jesus, but if you do not put it into practice, if you do not work at it, you will have nothing to show for it. “The one who looks into the perfect law,” James continues, “the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing” (James 1:25). God’s Word is beautiful to hear, but it is meant for action.

I loved hearing Jack play. Jack’s fingers flew on the frets, the guitar sang, and it was beautiful. “Do you want to play like this?” Jack was my guitar teacher and I was 10 years old.

I nodded, “Yes.”

“You’ll need to practice an hour a day, every day.”

“An hour!” An eternity for a 10-year old. “Isn’t there an easier way?”

Jack glared at me, “How would you like to practice?”

I shrugged, “When I feel like it.”

“That’s the hard way, Dave. The easy way is the hard way to do anything well. If you pick up the guitar whenever you feel like it, it will take you years to play. If ever.”

“The testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” ~James 1:3-4

“But an hour a day and soon enough, you’ll be playing like this,” explained Jack. “Practicing hard is the easy way, It’s the only easy way to do anything well.”

Daily Prayer

My God, I trust You with my life. May everything I do display the faith I have in Your wisdom and goodness. Teach me Your ways, O Lord. Test me and try me, so that I may live a life holy set apart to You.

God, thank You for caring for me to develop and strengthen me. I know that nothing will come before me that, in You, I cannot endure and conquer. I can do all things through You because You give me strength. There is a joy I have found in suffering for Your Name’s sake.

Amen

Daily Question

What is more important, that you believe in Jesus or what you do because you believe? 

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I Ran a Marathon

Daily Reading

Hebrews 11-13

Daily Thought

The Greek Games were a spectacular display of the Roman world. Cities had stadiums, and stadiums were filled with spectators cheering the chariots and the runners, the fighters and the tossers of javelins. The writer of Hebrews lifts this familiar Olympic imagery to heavenly heights, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1-2). The spectators, the cloud of witnesses, include Old Testament titans of faith such as Abel and Noah and Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, Moses and Rahab, David and Samuel. They have run their races, inspiring our efforts, and now cheer us on.

But I hate running.

When my wife turned 40, she decided running a marathon would be a good idea. I already told you I hate running, but I love Debbie, so we bought a book–The Non-Runner’s Marathon Trainer–and did what it said. A 16-week training guide to run 26.2 miles, but the book said before we could even begin we had to run 3 miles. I couldn’t run 3 blocks. Took me a month to get to the point where I could start the training.

During the next 16 weeks, we worked our way up until we were taking 18 mile runs, but the week before the marathon, our bodies need to rest. The book says to take it easy, only 3 mile runs. 

“For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” ~Hebrews 12:11

Run 3 miles? Piece of cake! 

Daily Prayer

Lord God, You began a work in me that You promise to complete. Do whatever it takes. I will, too. I’m not saying I will like it, but I want it. There is this joy in front of me, and I will endure whatever it takes to reach it.

Right now it seems like a lot of work to live rightly. Someday, it will come naturally. God, I will continue to throw off whatever is holding me back and keep my eyes on Your Son Jesus Christ. He is my goal. I want to look like Him.

Amen

Daily Question

How easy is it for you to live a godly life?

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Knotholes

Daily Reading

Hebrews 7-10

Daily Thought

Brubaker is a crazy, brilliant, amazing guy I served with in youth ministry. Whenever Bru meets you, he spells your name backward in his head, just to see if it does something interesting. He’s fun like that, so when we put him in charge of introducing first-time visitors to the youth group, we never knew what was going to happen. One week he handed out a piece of paper and scissors to each new person. He instructed them to cut a hole in the paper, hold the paper up to their face and peer through it. “You are looking through a knothole,” Bru explained, “because we are glad each of you are here, and we consider ourselves not whole without you.”

I cringe at the pun, but admire the point, and still remember it. We often choose to come to church because we love God or it’s the right thing to do or it will be good for us or we enjoy seeing others or something like that. But Bru reminded each of us of a very important truth. When you’re not here, you may lose out, but so does everyone. You are robbing others of something very important. You are robbing us of you. We are not whole without you.

“Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” ~Hebrews 10:24-25

Daily Prayer

My God, the only God, God of all things, there is no question that You are worthy of my worship and trust. I place my life in Your hands. You are my Lord and Savior, and all that I am, all that I do, I give to You.

You have changed my life, and have placed me into a community of others that You have touched as well. May we grow close, learning to love unselfishly, sacrificially, like You, and may our love escape the walls of our church buildings and flood into the streets and neighborhoods of our towns and cities.

Amen

Daily Question

What does your presence add to the church you attend?

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The Grilled Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich

Daily Reading

Hebrews 1-6

Daily Thought

“For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt” (Hebrews 6:4-6). This passage describes lovers of legalism who nibble at the edges of grace, but the freedom frightens them. The problem with grace is it requires absolutely nothing from us. It offends the pride of the religious who insist on contributing to their own salvation. One sacrifice is not enough for their sin, so they go back to the safety of rules and religion, do’s and don’ts. 

Lovers of religion who delight in legalism harken back to the Law of Moses which taught the Israelites to offer repeated sacrifices for every sin, but Jesus offers one sacrifice, himself, and “we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews 10:10). The writer of Hebrews compares the new to the old, the cross of Christ to the Law of Moses, and it is not even close, “Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses” (Hebrews 3:3). 

Ask any kid, “What is the best sandwich ever made?” It is Peanut Butter and Jelly, no competition. Unless you met a kid from my youth group, a kid who was served my wife’s Grilled Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich. I run into these kids, 5, 10, 20 years after graduating. You know what they remember? The Grilled Peanut Butter and Jelly. They liked the old PB&J, but they had tasted the new. One kid summed it up: there’s no going back.

There are not enough rules to cover all my sins, but one sacrifice did. It is no longer what we must do to be forgiven, but what Christ has done to save us, once for all forever. This is the grace of God and once you bite deeply into grace, you will never again be satisfied by the Law. There is no going back.

Daily Prayer

God, You are so good. To be welcomed into Your family, to experience Your warmth and love, to understand what life is all about, to really live, what more could I ever want? (The answer is nothing more. You are above and beyond my deepest desires.)

Thank You for the blessings of heaven, of Your Kingdom. There is a better life than the one this world offers. Your Kingdom come, Your will be done. I look forward to the day when Your Son reigns over the heavens and the earth in perfect peace and righteousness. There is nothing better, not even close.

Amen

Daily Question

Have you accepted God’s forgiveness if you have not forgiven yourself?

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The Character of a Leader

Daily Reading

Titus 1-3; Philemon

Daily Thought

Paul reminds Titus of the task left to him in Crete, a large island off the coast of Greece, “that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you” (Titus 1:5). The way to choose a leader is to first look at their home. Look for a one-woman kind of man, devoted to his wife, with children who believe and behave. If someone cannot care for their own household, do not give them charge over God’s!

Paul then provides a checklist of virtues: “He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined” (Titus 1:7-8). These qualities must not only be present, but public, evident to others.

Finally, a leader must be mighty with sword, meaning “he must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it” (Titus 1:9). The sword is double-edged, it teaches truth, it exposes lies.

Take care in choosing, warns Paul, because the conduct of a community will be a reflection of the character of its leaders.

Daily Prayer

My God, raise up godly men and women to lead well. Keep them holy and true, devoted to Your Word, sharing its wisdom with Your church, so that Your people will be equipped to live rightly and well, and do good to all they meet.

May I be constant in prayer for our leaders, that they will be on guard against the schemes of Satan. May they stand, and may I stand with them, as we all hold fast to what is true and godly and good, in a world that desperately needs to know God.

Amen

Daily Question

What do you look for most in your church leaders?

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Something Old

Daily Reading

2Timothy 1-4

Daily Thought

Seinfeld, Season 9, Episode 10: Frank Costanza, father of George, explains the holiday of Festivus to Kramer. “Many Christmases ago, I went to buy a doll for my son. I reached for the last one they had, but so did another man. As I rained blows upon him, I realized there had to be another way.”

“What happened to the doll,” asked Kramer.

“It was destroyed… but out of that,” Frank’s face lit up, “a new holiday was born. A Festivus for the rest of us!”

The teacher Paul is approaching the end of his life, and warns the student Timothy, “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths” (2Timothy 4:3-4).

Festivus is a myth, but so is a holiday about iPads and X-boxes and Batmans and Barbies. Because of the madness Christmas has become, Frank Costanza invented something new, but would have been better off celebrating something old.

“Behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” ~Luke 2:10-11

Daily Prayer

Wonderful God, Savior of the World, You are King of kings, Lord of lords, born in a manger, died on a cross, raised on the third day, coming again to bring Your Kingdom of peace and righteousness.

You are the reason for the season. May every knee bow and every tongue confess that You are God, Savior and Lord.

Amen

Daily Question

How do you keep Christmas about Christ?

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Dig Deep

Daily Reading

1Timothy 1-6

Daily Thought

Paul prepared Timothy to lead the church in Ephesus, even though Timothy was younger than many of the people. Paul challenged him, “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity” (1Timothy 4:12). Paul knew if Timothy took the time to dig deep into God’s Word and paid close attention to his character, he would build a solid foundation for a godly life and a strong church. “Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers” (1Timothy 4:16).

It is not unlike the retaining wall I built in my backyard, 40 feet long, 36 inches high was my first measurement. Each block weighed 50 pounds and each block was surprisingly expensive, and I did the math. Then my landscaper explained, “You’ll need to put one row below ground as a foundation.” 40 feet long, 36 inches high, and 6 inches deep.

“I have to spend money and effort on a row of blocks that will never be seen?” I complained.

“Oh, you will know they are there–ten years from now, when the wall is still standing.”

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” ~2Timothy 4:7

Our strength is measured not by the height we attain, but the depth of our character. 

Daily Prayer

Almighty God, You won. You beat Satan on the cross and removed the sting of death. You rose from the dead and now You bring life, a full life that will stand on the firm foundation of the work of Your Son.

I place my trust in Your foundation, knowing that nothing can move me as long as I depend fully and solely on You. Not by my strength, but by Yours will I live victoriously in this world.

And the next.

Amen

Daily Question

How is good godly character developed in a person?

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The Sin of Sloth

Daily Reading

2Thessalonians 1-3

Daily Thought

The Seven Deadly Sins listed in Christian tradition are pride, greed, lust, gluttony, wrath, envy, and sloth. Sloth, the sin of laziness, is possibly the least noticed, but the most insidious. Paul warns the church at Thessalonica, “We hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies” (2Thessalonians 3:11). When people are not busy doing what they should, they are often busy doing what they shouldn’t, or at least dreaming about it. This sin of doing nothing becomes a breeding ground for all the other sins.

So Paul advises, “If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat” (2Thessalonians 3:11), a punishment connecting behavior to consequences–always a good idea. “As for you, brothers and sisters, do not grow weary in doing good” (2Thessalonians 3:13). 

The best antidote to laziness is love, serving others. Love is a verb, an action verb. There is no laziness in love.

Daily Prayer

My God, may I live life fully, actively, passionately serving others in the Name and to the glory of Your Son, Jesus Christ. May love drive me toward people, toward forgiveness and reconciliation when called for, toward charity to those in need, toward encouragement to the discouraged.

May I have no time for gossip, may there be no room for bitterness, may my life be too full to allow for either idolatry or idleness. May I stay single-focused on love, toward you with all my heart and soul and mind and strength, and toward others seeking their best.

Amen

Daily Question

In what kind of actions does love show up in your life?