Wednesday Morning Devotion (Can You Overemphasize the Love of God?)

Posted on November 28, 2007 by Henry Neufeld

7Loved ones, let’s love one another, because love is from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. — 1 John 4:7

From time to time I’m told that I emphasize God’s love too much. What many people need, so I’m told, is to hear more about sin, obedience, and the fires of hell that await them if they fail to get right with God.

Now fear is not necessarily a bad motivator. Fear gets people thinking. Fear helps people make appropriate choices. The fear of hell has brought quite a number of people to God, as they think about the possibilities in the next life. So there is some basis for someone to say that we need to hear about fear in the Bible.

But there are also things that fear cannot accomplish. Fear does not build a good relationship between people. Fear does not make people desire to live right, and desire to make good choices, simply because they are good. Fear doesn’t make good people. So while fear has its place, its place is limited.

Let’s let John go on telling us a bit about it:

18There is no fear in love; rather, perfect love throws fear out. For fear has to do with punishment, and anyone who fears has not yet reached complete love. 19We love, because he loved us first. — 1 John 4:18-19

So love does overcome fear, though fear apparently has its place. Think of it this way: Fear drives us to the place of love. When we don’t come to a place of safety, when we insist upon living dangerously, fear will drive us to God who can banish the fear and make us safe.

Because God’s love is complete. He loves us enough to be concerned about what we do to ourselves. Whatever problems you have, he’s waiting with love to help you, whether those problems are big or small. God loves you so much that he’ll even use fear if that’s what it takes to get to you.

When you are sharing the good news to friends, neighbors, and coworkers, think about that. What is it that they need to hear?

We love, because he loved us first. — 1 John 4:19

Yes, I emphasize love, but it’s a balanced love, a love that cares, and that won’t accept anything less than the best for God’s children. Let’s learn to live in that kind of love!

 

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Tuesday Afternoon Devotion (Extreme Unselfishness)

Posted on November 27, 2007 by Henry Neufeld

7For no one lives for himself alone, and no one dies for himself alone. 8For if we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9For this reason Christ died and came to life again, so that he might be Lord both over the dead and the living. 10Now you, who are you to judge your brother or sister? Or who are you to despise your brother or sister? For everyone must stand before God’s judgment seat. — Romans 14:7-10

Have you ever found yourself in difficult circumstances, and suddenly realized you were only thinking about yourself and the impact things had on you? I suspect most of us have at one time or another. I know I have. Perhaps a loved one is very ill, in pain, and about to die, and you cried out to God, “Why are you doing this to me?” Yet the person who is being hurt the most in such a situation is generally the one who is sick, not those who are well.

Certainly, those who love a person who is hurting are also being hurt by what happens to them, but I think it is important to stop and ask ourselves just who is the focus. That’s often hard to do. When you are losing a loved one or watching one suffer, you do feel that very much in terms of how that person impacted you. Please don’t feel guilty for that. That isn’t my point at all.

In our passage Paul is pointing out something very important. There are two extremes here. On the one hand there are people who believe that their life is their own and nobody else truly matters. They live as though they are the only significant person—for themselves alone—but they generally leave a trail of victims along the way.

At the other extreme is the one person, Jesus, who lived completely for others. He came here and lived as we must live. He died as we must die. He did so not to make himself important—he already was—but rather to empty himself and lift us up. He not only didn’t live for himself alone; he didn’t live for himself at all. He lived for us. There was nothing to be gained—other than us humans—by coming here and going through the agony of the cross.

That’s the contrast between the devil’s approach and God’s. The devil is looking out for himself. God is looking out for us. In turn, God asks us to look out for one another.

And this is something unnatural. We really would rather take care of ourselves first, but when we take care of ourselves first, we so often never get around to taking care of others. Paul illustrates this by pointing out that we’re not to be one another’s judges. Instead, we are all on an equal level, standing accused before the judge of the universe.

No matter how hard you try, you cannot live completely for yourself. You’re going to have an impact for better or for worse. If you remember to think of the pain of others, and to truly care about them, bit by bit you’ll be transformed into God’s extreme—the extreme of living for others.

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Monday Morning Devotion (Stand Up and Listen!)

Posted on November 26, 2007 by Jody Neufeld

In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, a revelation was given to Daniel (who was called Belteshazzar). Its message was true and it concerned a great war. The understanding of the message came to him in a vision…

I, Daniel, was the only one who saw the vision; the men with me did not see it, but such terror overwhelmed them that they fled and hid themselves. So I was left alone, gazing at this great vision; I had no strength left, my face turned deathly pale and I was helpless. Then I heard him speaking, and as I listened to him, I fell into a deep sleep, my face to the ground. Daniel 10:1, 7-9 (NIV)

God has this unique, God-ability to see and speak to me and yet keep the whole or the all in His vision. I want to see the ‘all’ and then get so focused on this big picture that I miss God’s personal message to me! OR I focus so narrowly on what is happening to me that I miss the extraordinary Kingdom events!

God wants a personal conversation with me. He has ‘stuff’ He wants to give to me. Many of the words that God gives to me are just for me! If I try to explain them or give them to others (even my husband!), I will receive puzzlement, disbelief, and general disinterest back! Too often I want to share more of my personal relationship with others than I should because I want … to brag, prove what an awesome relationship I have with God, or just call attention to myself.

Verses 7-14 of Daniel 10 continue to show me that being in the very presence of God is a scary and overwhelmingly humbling experience. God tells Daniel to stand and receive an important message. Stand because Daniel is His child. Stand, not because he, Daniel, is strong, but because He, God is about to reveal Himself to the one He has chosen as a messenger. God assures Daniel that He has heard his cry and is there in response to the cry.

If you are struggling today, hear this message from God: He hears and He will answer. STAND and receive His message!

How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?

Look on me and answer, O LORD my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death; my enemy will say, “I have over come him,” and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good to me. Psalm 13 (NIV)

Have you ever cried out to God like this? “HOW LONG, GOD?!!” I have. Before you dismiss the words of the psalm writer – look again at verse six: “I trust in your unfailing love”. There it is – the key. I choose – again today – to trust God. As Peter said to Jesus “Who else is there?” (paraphrase John 6:68) Has anything or anyone else worked for me? NO! I trust God’s love for me! Why? Because 1) He has proved faithful over and over even when I am not! And 2) because I spend time with Him every day and keep learning new things about my Lord and its all good!

Pick yourself up or if you feel too weak to even do that – stretch out your hand and God will grab it and lift you up and hear His words for you today!

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Wednesday Morning Devotion (Worrying vs Thanks and Praise)

Posted on November 21, 2007 by Henry Neufeld

4Always rejoice in the Lord! Again, I say, Rejoice! 5Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 6Don’t let anything make you anxious, but make your requests known in prayers and petitions to God in all circumstances with thanksgiving. 7And God’s peace that is beyond all comprehension will guard your minds {lit. hearts} and thoughts in Christ Jesus. — Philippians 4:4-7

The other day our dog Barnabas slipped away. He’s gotten pretty good about hanging around while I sit on the porch, and so I decided to eat my lunch in a chair on the porch and let him walk around. He enjoyed himself for most of my lunch, but right at the last he slipped around the corner. By the time I had gotten myself out of the chair and gone after him, he was gone. Some neighbors brought him back a couple of hours later.

Now I presented prayers and petitions, but I didn’t do it with thanksgiving. I did it with desperation. Barnabas didn’t even have his collar on. After all, he was going to be in my sight the entire time. That dog is very important to me, and the thought of him hurt in the woods, or run over by a car is very, very disturbing.

“Don’t let anything make you anxious?” Yeah right! Fat chance! I was anxious. I was worried. I scoured the neighborhood, but the odds aren’t that good of finding a small dog. I really can’t conceive of not being worried under the circumstances. If Barnabas is in trouble, I’m going to be concerned, at least.

But that’s where God comes in, growing on us, changing the way we think and feel, making us more like him. God doesn’t merely promise peace, he promises peace that is beyond all comprehension. I can’t conceive of being peaceful under certain circumstances. It’s just beyond me. But it isn’t beyond God.

But how can I possibly get there? I admitted right at the start that I had what I regard as a perfectly comprehensible lack of peace. How can I have my mind guarded by God’s incomprehensible peace?

It’s only going to come through God’s transforming power. As we behold his likeness, we are transformed into his glory (2 Corinthians 3:18). Now how can I behold his glory? Well, I think our own concerns are like a fog that prevents us from seeing what is really going on. Presenting your petitions with thanksgiving, even when you can’t get hold of the feeling, provides a break in the fog. You have to push back the worry long enough to formulate your thanks and praise.

This thanksgiving, no matter what else I do, I’m going to thank God for his incomprehensible peace, because the type of peace I can comprehend just won’t do.

Open a window of praise so you can see Him better!

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Tuesday Morning Devotion (God’s Christmas Shopping)

Posted on November 20, 2007 by Henry Neufeld

3Let’s bless God who is also the father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the one who blessed us with every spiritual benefit in the realms of heaven by giving us his anointed one. 4He chose us before the foundation of the world to be his people, part of the body of his anointed one, and to be holy and blameless before him, completely loving. 5He decided ahead of time that we would be adopted as his children through Jesus Christ, as he desired and willed. 6He did this to underline the splendor of his grace, that he gave us graciously in his beloved son. 7In him we obtained released from captivity to sin by means of his blood, forgiveness of our transgressions according to the riches of his grace, 8which he lavished on us with all wisdom and insight. 9He made us understand the mystery of his will, according to his desire which he determined ahead of time in Jesus. 10This was all a plan to be put into effect when the time was completely right, bringing everything into unity in Christ, not only everything in heaven but everything on the earth. — Ephesians 1:3-10 (my paraphrase)

You might think I’ve gone over to the dark side and begun all the Christmas music, shopping, decoration, and other activities before Thanksgiving. Of course, we’re very close to that time. As soon as Thursday is over, very early in the morning on Friday, people will definitely be focused on Christmas. So I’m not that early!

When I was young, we’d put all the presents under the tree. Presents came from various relatives, and would vary from envelopes, possibly containing money, to large packages that could barely fit under the tree. I would go look around and find all the packages.

Now there’s a funny thing here, or may not so odd. I didn’t just look until I found one package under the tree for me, and then go away satisfied. I wanted to make sure that I saw everything. Our family opened the presents on Christmas morning rather than Christmas eve, and when it was time to pass out the presents, I would already know which were mine, and I’d wait to see each one and have the chance to open it. I didn’t want to miss anything.

God did his Christmas shopping before there was even a world and before there were any people here to receive the present. He predestined us for adoption. He knew there would be people here that he would choose to make his sons and daughters. In his Christmas shopping for them he planned a complete package.

I think it’s appropriate to think about that package before Thanksgiving, because it is something for which we can be thankful. Now sometimes we look at one thing God has done for us, we thank him for it, and then we run on out and forget about the rest. It’s a bit like grabbing one present from under the tree, and forgetting about all the rest.

Let’s look at some of these gifts from God:

  • Adoption
  • His love for us
  • The opportunity to be full of love
  • Release from captivity to sin
  • Wisdom
  • Insight
  • Understanding of God’s mystery
  • Being part of God’s plan

I’m sure you can find more as you read, study, and listen during this Christmas season. Truly, let’s bless God!

(For those interested, the scripture today came from the lectionary Season of Creation 1C.)

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Monday Morning Devotion (The King Enjoys Your Company)

Posted on November 19, 2007 by Henry Neufeld

1Jesus answered again by speaking to them in parables. He said, 2“The kingdom of heaven is like a king who hosted the wedding feast for his son. 3He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast, but they didn’t want to come. 4He sent other slaves out again, and told them, ‘Tell those who were invited, “Look! My dinner is prepared, my bulls and fatted calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast!”‘ 5But they weren’t interested and went away, one to his farm, one to his place of business. 6The rest seized his slaves, abused them and killed them. 7So the king was angry and sent his troops to kill those murderers and burn their city. 8Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding feast is prepared, but those who were invited weren’t worthy. 9Go then into the main highways and invite as many people as you can find to the wedding feast.’ 10So the slaves went out into the highways and gathered everyone they found, bad and good, and the wedding feast had plenty of guests. — Matthew 22:1-10

We humans are kind of funny from time to time. We can’t imagine how God would have any particular interest in us. Sometimes it’s just our own unworthiness. Who could possibly want to spend time with me? Surely not the infinite God, ruler of the universe! I’m really not all that interesting!

At other times, our theology get in the way. We have all these big words to describe God—omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, sovereign, holy–and by the time all is said and done we’re not entirely sure just who God actually is. It’s really hard to get cuddly with a whole bunch of theological terms.

Sometimes it’s our own reading of scripture that bothers us. We read stories of judgment on people who have been rebellious, or we read that the way is narrow and only a few people find it. We think that “narrow way” defines God’s interest. He makes the way narrow so that only the very worthy can get in. I have encountered people who were afraid to talk about God’s love and his passion for bringing his people home because they were afraid it would make the way seem too wide. But perhaps when God says that the way is narrow and only a few people find it, he is lamenting the fact that way too few find the way to the kingdom.

This parable, I think, points in that direction. God wants to have his kingdom filled with guests. He invites people, but some of them don’t want to hear or respond to the invitation. Some don’t even appreciate the invitation from the king. But when all else fails he sends out slaves (that’s us!) to find as many people as they can, both bad and good, and bring them into the kingdom.

We might be tempted to say that those early guests were left out because they were bad people, or because they failed some moral test or didn’t understand some fine point of doctrine. After all that’s how we exclude people in our lives.

But notice that God doesn’t say, “Go out and find some good people.” He says to go out and grab everyone. He wants a full feast. He wants lots of people in the kingdom. He wants you in the kingdom. He wants your loved ones in the kingdom. He wants your friends in the kingdom. He wants your enemies in the kingdom.

What is the only reason given in this parable for excluding someone? They didn’t want to come! All the rest were welcome. (Verses 11-14 add another dimension, but that’s another devotional.)

The invitation is open to be a guest at God’s party. Enjoy it!

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Friday Morning Devotion (Being Weak)

Posted on November 16, 2007 by Henry Neufeld

1Receive into your circle of fellowship one who is weak in faith. And don’t do it to dissect his viewpoint. 2For one person believes he can eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. — Romans 14:1-2

I have had a lot of fun with this text. You see, I’m a vegetarian, out of preference, not out of religious conviction, yet I love to read verse 2, and see people react. It’s always good for a laugh.

Part of the laugh is because they know I’m a vegetarian, but the other part of it is because I’m identifying myself, even in jest, as weak in faith, or perhaps just weak. Somehow we have the feeling that this is not the way to do it. I’m supposed to be doing the receiving into my circle, and some other, unidentified brother or sister is the weak one. Calling oneself weak sounds like a sort of self-deprecating humor.

Why is it that we always identify ourselves with the strong ones? Well, in many ways it’s a very good thing that we do, because if most of us saw ourselves as the weaker brother or sister here, who would be doing the receiving? Now I translated Paul’s Greek idiom into “dissecting his viewpoint.” You could also translate “niggling and nitpicking.”

You see, Paul is trying to get at all of us and the way we receive people that we think need to be corrected and fixed. The guy who eats only vegetables could quite easily take the role of the strong in the faith. In the Seventh-day Adventist Church, in which I grew up, most people are vegetarians. It’s not a rule, but at least in the United States it’s a very strong custom. The person who eats meat is often looked upon as “not quite there yet.” We could reverse the text for their fellowships, and one would say to accept the person who just has to eat some meat, and do so without picking his viewpoint apart. They would claim that the strong have the courage and will power to be vegetarians, while the weak go ahead and eat some meat.

I reversed that to help us break free from the specific issue Paul was addressing—eating meat offered to idols. When I pick up a steak for Jody at the store, I don’t have to check the label to see if a portion has been offered to idols in the local temple. That’s not my issue.

But accepting a brother or sister who differs with me is very much my issue, and I think it’s an issue in the many churches. There’s a key element to Paul’s command to accept. He tells us to do it without picking the person’s views apart. Very often we accept someone because we believe that they will become acceptable to us over time. We accept them into fellowship, but only on the basis that they become more and more like us. We accept, with a side order of criticism.

If we could just see ourselves in the place of the weaker brother or sister—and I suspect we are all there from time to time—perhaps we would learn to be more gentle. We would know that our own views and our own behavior are not always better than everyone else’s.

Read the story of the woman who was taken in adultery (John 7:53-8:11), then ask, “Do I see myself in the crowd standing around? Am I holding a stone? Or am I on the ground, looking up into the face of Jesus and hearing, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and sin no more!”

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Thursday Morning Devotion (The Right Season)

Posted on November 15, 2007 by Henry Neufeld

11And knowing that this is the right time, because it is already time to wake up. For our rescue (salvation) is closer now than it was when we first believed. 12The night is nearly over; day is near. So let’s lay aside the works of darkness and equip ourselves with the tools of light. 13Let’s behave in a way that’s presentable in daylight, not in orgies or drunkenness, not in sexual immorality or vice, not in rivalry or jealousy. 14But clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ and don’t provide an inroad for the desires of your sinful nature. — Romans 13:11-14

What’s the right season for straightening out your life?

Some people complain about Christianity because we talk about the return of Jesus, and we often say it is “soon.” But many centuries have past since the first Christians said that Jesus was coming soon, and still he has not returned. Why worry? It doesn’t seem like “soon” is all that soon after all!

But I think this is one of the least valid complaints against Christianity. For each and every person since Jesus was first proclaimed up to the present day, a day has come “soon” in their lives when the trial period is over, their record is complete, and they have to face God. Whether Jesus comes and interrupts my life through his second coming, or whether I go to my rest, I still have come to that moment when I can no longer change who I am or what the record is.

Paul tells us one thing that is certain to be true: The time of our rescue, or salvation, is closer now than it was when we first believed. It’s closer now than when I started to write this devotional. The clock is ticking day by day.

It’s time to equip ourselves with the tools of the light—that means the methods and approaches that are suitable to daylight. It means that we need to become kingdom people, people who live in God’s kingdom even while we must live in this foreign land under enemy control. We’re supposed to be different, living in the light.

Notice that in verse 12 we’re told to “equip ourselves” with the tools of light. In verse 14, to “clothe ourselves” with Jesus. I translated the same Greek word in two ways, because we don’t “dress” in our tools in the modern world. But the Greek word covers dressing and putting on equipment. The metaphor is a soldier putting on armor and weapons.

You see, those “tools of light” are actually just one thing—Christ Jesus. The way we prepare for the light, the way we prepare for that final moment, whether it comes at the end of our earthly life, or because Jesus has returned, is to let Jesus show through us and from us.

This passage can be a serious stresser. How am I supposed to become this good “light” person? How am I supposed to be ready? What if the sun rises and I’m not ready for the day.

Don’t worry. Jesus is there. That’s what he’s for. Let him shine from all around you.

One final note, notice that chapter 14:1 immediately follows us and reminds us not to be critical of those weaker in the faith. It’s not about human perfection, or even human accomplishment. It’s about Jesus.

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Wednesday Morning Devotion (Two Testimonies of Faith)

Posted on November 14, 2007 by Henry Neufeld

Note: Today’s devotional is cross-posted with today’s Running Toward the Goal.

I like to call the Bible a book of experience. This title comes from my own experience. Over the years I have learned that when I am in difficulty in my own experience with God or when I wonder what God is doing, that I can find answers in the past experience of people with God recorded in the Bible. It’s not just history—it’s a living reality of how God works with people today.

If you are alone and afraid, think of Jacob running from the anger of Esau, and how God gave him a vision of angels ascending and descending a ladder. If you feel like arguing with God, you might consider the experience of Moses when he was called to the ministry. If you are going through trials and tribulations, you might consider Paul and everything he did in spite of the attacks of the enemy. And there are many, many more.

But today I want to call your attention to two testimonies of faith contained in the Psalm, just a few chapters apart. We don’t know the precise occasion that produced these testimonies, but I think most of us can think of times in our lives that fit them.

First, from Psalm 27:

1You, LORD, are the light that keeps me safe.
I am not afraid of anyone.
You protect me, and I have no fears.
2Brutal people may attack and try to kill me,
but they will stumble.
Fierce enemies may attack, but they will fall.
3Armies may surround me, but I won’t be afraid;
war may break out, but I will trust you.

Psalm 27:1-3 (CEV)

This is an expression of complete trust and confidence. We need to notice that the psalmist doesn’t tell us that nobody will attack him that no armies will surround him, or that war won’t break out. Rather, he says it doesn’t matter if all these things happen. Even if he’s surrounded, he will trust in God.

I like to think of this as the ideal expression of faith. But is there an expression that works for those of us who are still trying for that first mustard seed worth of faith?

Listen to Psalm 30, starting with verse 6:

6I was carefree and thought, “I’ll never be shaken!”
7You, LORD, were my friend,
and you made me strong as a mighty mountain.
But when you hid your face, I was crushed.

Let’s pause there a moment. Doesn’t that sound like many of us? When trials and tribulation comes, we are crushed. We wonder why God has let all these things happen to us. We imagine that we are abandoned, alone, unprotected. We think we’re about to be destroyed.

Is God still there? Is this the end?

Let’s continue with verse 8:

8I prayed to you, LORD, and in my prayer I said,
9“What good will it do you if I am in the grave?
Once I have turned to dust,
how can I praise you or tell how loyal you are?
10Have pity, LORD! Help!”

11You have turned my sorrow into joyful dancing.
No longer am I sad and wearing sackcloth.
12I thank you from my heart, and I will never stop
singing your praises, my LORD and my God.

Psalm 30:6-12 (CEV)

I see two clear lessons here. First, no matter how far God seems we still have the privilege of prayer and communion with God. We can still take our troubles to him. Even when we fail of the faith-filled ideal, when we don’t stand without trembling and say, “I have nothing to fear” God is still ready to listen.

He can and will turn our sorrow into joy.

Let’s praise him!!

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Tuesday Morning Devotion (Criticism)

Posted on November 13, 2007 by Henry Neufeld

We’re not in charge of how you live out the faith, looking over your shoulders, suspiciously critical. We’re partners, working alongside you, joyfully expectant. I know that you stand by your own faith, not by ours. — 2 Corinthians 1:24 (The Message)

This morning my shower was rudely interrupted by a smoke alarm. Now there was no smoke. It’s done this before, but generally on a very cold morning when there is a great deal of steam. But this morning, there was no such thing—just clear air.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

I got out, dried off enough to cross the hall, and punched the little button that says, “I heard you. Shut up!” But the machine wasn’t interested in shutting up. So I punched the button again, and it finally did.

Now I should let you know here that Jody was still asleep. Otherwise I probably would have simply endured the noise of the smoke alarm and finished my shower. But I’d rather she get whatever sleep she can.

I got back in the shower to wash my hair, and just as I had the shampoo properly lathered up, guess what?

Beep! Beep! Beep!

Quick rinse, grab a towel, run to the alarm, punch the button.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

Punch it again!

Beep! Beep! Beep!

Again!

Beep! Beep! Beep!

Finally I pulled the machine off the wall, unplugged it’s power, and removed its battery.

Have you experienced someone who is much like my smoke alarm? You think you’re doing well, and they jump into your work, your fun, or your life. Beep! Beep! Beep!

You aren’t sure just what’s wrong, and you say so. But: Beep! Beep! Beep!

You do your best to fix things, but it doesn’t matter: Beep! Beep! Beep!

Finally, you just mentally turn off what they say completely. You don’t associate with them any more. Generally they believe they are just trying to help you, but by the way they do it, and by being overcritical, they have closed your ears to their correction. That’s the difference between correction in love and a critical attitude.

Now, there’s a more important question: Have you been the person going Beep! Beep! Beep!

Prayerfully look for the balance between “speaking the truth in love” and being a critic.

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