November 11 - Compete to Win

 Read today’s texts first: Psalms 122; 1 Corinthians 9-11

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY

Our desire to compete comes from a competitive God, who called us to a life of overcoming!

It’s November 11 and our attention as a nation is on our armed forces.  WW1, WW2, Korea, Afghanistan – we fought to win, to protect the safety of our children and future generations.

While sports are not comparable to life or death struggles on a battlefield, they do show that even in times of peace we are still competitive.  Around this time every year, I get concerned about my beloved Lions heading into the play-off round. Even after a disappointing season, I’m ever optimistic they can surge ahead to reclaim the Grey Cup! How can watching grown men in tights fighting over a piece of pigskin affect some of us so deeply? I say some - my wife is callously unaffected!

Why do we as humans love to compete?  Is it part of our sin nature or God’s image?  Knowing that the reoccurring theme of the Revelation is “overcoming,” I contend that our desire to compete comes from a competitive God.

Paul’s references to running and boxing (9:24-27) hit home with the Corinthians, who were accustomed to hosting the Isthmian Games.  He reminds us all that we compete to win.  He also clarifies what we are competing for – “what then is my reward?” (9:18). He quickly answers the question: “to win as many as possible” (9:19).

He’s not talking about winning wars, races or boxing matches; he’s solely focused on the task of winning souls, willing to discipline himself and sacrifice his own comforts to reach as many people groups as possible.

“Lord, my prayer is that, even while I am watching hockey or football or playing tennis, help me remember the ultimate competition, to wrestle lost souls out of the clutches of our enemy.”

November 10 - Puff Up or Build Up

 Read today’s texts first: Job 35,36; 1 Corinthians 7,8

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

Just because something is within our rights,
doesn’t make it the right thing to do.

“Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up” (8:1a).  Paul knew that there was nothing wrong with eating meat once offered to idols.  Idols aren’t real gods, so there is nothing sacrilegious or dangerous about eating their leftovers.  But knowledge about our freedom in Christ is not the deciding factor when it comes to conduct – love is.  Paul contends that if someone’s conscience is offended or compromised by our actions, we should refrain.  In other words, just because something is within our rights, doesn’t make it the right thing to do.  Love is the ultimate rule of conduct.

Because I was raised in a Christian home and stayed close to my roots, I arrived at this stage of the journey with a carry-on backpack.  Others around me, though, are lugging around some serious baggage. Some of it they picked up themselves - the consequences of their own bad choices.  But a lot of it has been dumped on them by others.  Because of their wariness of sin and its power to drag them back into bondage, these road warriors set up pretty high guard rails to keep them on the straight and narrow.  In the past I’ve caught myself debating with them over their “legalism,” unaware that they have important personal reasons for their standards.  I often got into discussions with a coworker about which movies are appropriate for Christians (he thinks the Little Mermaid is unacceptable!)

I have set high standards for myself regarding some things, like drinking or gambling, because they can be stumbling blocks for some believers.  But I have often been insensitive in talking about other things, like the movies and TV shows I watch, without first evaluating the standards of those within earshot.

“Lord, may I never be cause for someone to violate their own conscience and fall back into patterns of sin.  Help me be truly sensitive and loving, appreciating where others may be on their journey, bearing as much of their burden as I can rather than adding to it.  May I be aware, before the hot air leaks out, when I’m puffing myself up.  Help me to select loving words that build others up instead!”

November 9 - Judge Dread

 Read today’s texts first: Job 34; 1 Corinthians 4-6

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

An antichrist view of a critical, cynical God leads to
criticism and cynicism in the church.

Again, the reading in Job provided a helpful balance to Paul’s teachings on judging others.  In 1 Corinthians 5 and 6, Paul urges the Corinthian believers to exercise judgment within the church, disciplining the unrepentant sinner and settling disputes among themselves.  He cautions us that we are not to judge those in the world (that’s God’s responsibility), or be judged by them (as in suing each other in civil courts).  Still, I get concerned when I hear only one side of an issue (and Paul’s teachings are a direct response to specific issues).  Too often Christians pick up on these teachings and use them as a license to be judgmental of each other, much like Job’s “comforters.”

I cringe when I read what Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar and Elihu had to say to Job.  They were so critical and so judgmental of Job - while he was down, no less!  They had no evidence of sin with which to accuse him – just the unfortunate circumstances of his life, which they believed were the judgments of God.  Their perception of God was that He was like the sheriff character in God Views – the squinty-eyed lawman, ready to zap us with zits (boils) if we step over the line!

But this is not what God is like – He does not sit in judgment over us.  His justice was exacted on His own Son, Who was judged in our place.  It is this view of a critical, cynical God that inspires criticism and cynicism in the church, which is actually an antichrist spirit.  We know from the context of Job’s life, that what he was experiencing was a test, delivered by Satan and allowed by God, as proof of his right living, not as a judgment for sin.

How then do we understand Paul’s encouragement to exercise judgment within the church?  To me there is a clear distinction.  We are to deal with obvious sin and conflicts within the church – they are like a cancer that only spreads if ignored.  What we can’t be doing is judging motives or suspected sins – the law of love (which Paul covers in chapter 8) applies here.

“Lord, give me the discernment to address sin in my own life and the lives of others without being critical, judgmental and divisive.  You showed me how to strike that balance by revealing Your heart in the parable of the prodigal son.  Now Lord, I ask that Your heart of love, acceptance and forgiveness would be evident in everything I do, including exercising judgment where needed.”

November 8 - Hi, my name is Rob, and I’m Weak and Foolish

 Read today’s texts first: Job 33; 1 Corinthians 1-3

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

The church is a spiritual organism that will shrivel and die if only nourished by human strength and wisdom. 

We think our world is as perverse as it can get.  Corinth, however, was a centre of idolatry and perversion.  Of its 12 temples, one was dedicated to Aphrodite, the goddess of “love,” employing 1000 temple prostitutes.  “Corinthianize” referred to sexual immorality and “Corinthian sickness” referred to venereal disease.  And yet out of this corrupt environment, God quickly separated to Himself (sanctified and made holy) a strong, gifted church.  This letter addresses some of the cultural (worldly) baggage they brought into the church.

But who is it that God called.  The Jews typically looked for power, the Greeks, wisdom.  Instead, they were introduced to the cross of Christ, a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Greeks.  Followers of the cross share those same characteristics: we are also weak and foolish.  Our only boast is in the Lord.  It is from this place of dependence on God, Paul first addressed the Corinthians (2:3) and writes to them now.  It is the premise from which he addresses their petty pride, their tendency to compare themselves to each other instead of aligning themselves with the real Source (3:7).

The great preacher I referred to yesterday has since fallen hard.  He was eloquent, successful, and set up to fail.  He might have started to believe his own press.  His story illustrates a letter I read recently from our Foursquare missionary in Cambodia, who learned a valuable lesson in selecting leadership.  We often look to the Sauls, the strong, smart, tall, good-looking standouts.  But this missionary discovered that the Sauls among us can severely undermine the church.  The church is a spiritual organism that will shrivel and die if it is only nourished by human strength and wisdom.  We need to look for the Davids, men and women after God’s own heart.  They are often overlooked in the natural world, but their reliance on God allows them to operate at a supernatural level.

“Lord - that is the genius of the cross.  What looked like the ultimate expression of weakness and foolishness proved to be just the opposite, confounding all the hordes of hell (if they’d only known - 2:8).  What looked like defeat was Your path to exaltation.  And it’s the same pathway for us. “Lord, my name is Rob and I’m weak and foolish.  May I never forget that I am only strong and wise when I die to my own abilities and allow Your resurrection life to flow through me.”

November 7 - Spiritual Gentleness

 Read today’s texts first: Job 31-32; Galatians 5-6

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY

Restore the fallen gently, remembering
 “there but by the grace of God, go I!” 

I remember reading these passages on November 7 several years ago because on the same day an unforgettable news story broke - an event that rocked the evangelical community, particularly in the U.S.  It involved the moral failure of a great leader.  He served as the pastor of an influential church of 14,000 members, and as the president of an association which included more than 60 denominations, 45,000 churches, and 30 million people (that’s equivalent to the entire population of Canada!).

Coincidentally in these readings, Job is warning of the dangers of sin (sexual compromise specifically) and Paul is trying to teach us how we can help restore one who has been caught in a sin.  He explains in chapter 5 how to live by the Spirit, which is the only way to overcome the works of the flesh.  Then he urges those who are spiritual to help bring about the restoration of a fallen brother.  The operative word is “gently,” realizing that “there but by the grace of God, go I!”

The word “restore” is the same word as “equip” or “prepare” from Ephesians 4:12, which is used of a fisherman mending his net or a doctor setting a bone.  The idea is one of restoring to wholeness and usefulness.  It’s a far cry from the standard church practice of “shooting our wounded.”  Perhaps Job would not have suffered so much if his accusers had exercised spiritual gentleness.

“Lord, as we experience failure in our church families or even in our own lives, I pray that those who represent You in restoring the fallen would be both spiritual and gentle.  Help us to remember that this can happen to any one of us when we move out from the protection of spiritual gentleness, an attitudinal antidote for human pride.”

November 6 - From Slaves to Sons to Heirs

 Read today’s texts first: Job 30; Psalms 120; Galatians 3-4

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

Rules are meant to be broken
but relationships are not. 

Set in front of a backdrop of legalistic accusations (of Job, the psalmist and Paul), today’s reading from the letter to the Galatians is one of spiritual promise.  The Judaizers are trying to drag Christians (especially the newly-saved Gentiles) back to legalistic conformity to the law.  But Paul contends that the promise of salvation through faith dates back before the law was given.  It was included in the promise to Abraham and his seed.  Abraham looked forward to the coming Messiah by faith; we (his seed) look back on Christ’s completed work.

Paul uses the analogy of Abraham’s two sons as a comparison between slavery under the law (Ishmael) and freedom in Christ (Isaac).  The work of Christ made it possible for Abraham’s spiritual seed, the church, which includes all nations (Abraham was to be the father of many nations), to be promoted from slaves to sons to full-out heirs.

Sonship dramatically changes how we live our lives.  For example, when Christianity is reduced to a set of rules legislated by a Christian school, youth group or parents, it is relatively easy for teenagers of Christian parents to rebel.  But as their parents continue to love them in spite of their wrong choices, the strength of that relationship can eventually draw them back to right living.

This passage says that our relationship with our Father is so intimate and personal, we can cry out to Him Abba, Father, which in our vernacular translates “Daddy.”  When I think of our holy God, the Creator of the universe, as my dad, rebellion is out of the question.  We’re no longer reduced to a set of rules and regulations; we’ve been elevated to a very real relationship with God Himself.  And the inheritance we share includes the promise of His Spirit in us, helping us live holy lives.

“Lord, may I never be drawn back into the paradigm of legalism, where rules are meant to be broken.  I want to obey You because I love you - relationships are not meant to be broken!”

November 5 - Just-if-I’d Never Sinned

 Read today’s texts first: Job 26,27; Galatians 1-2

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY

If you want others to see you as justified,
start seeing them that way! 

Job’s analogy that compares the pursuit of God’s wisdom to mining for jewels, certainly applies to the truth of justification by faith, revealed by Paul in his opening remarks to the churches of Galatia.  It was such a deep concept that many of the early Christians didn’t fathom it.  The legalistic Judaizers saw the conditions of the law (like circumcision) on the surface and thought Paul was ignoring them.  Somehow they must have forgotten the Paul that was at one time, Saul - the most legalistic Pharisee of them all.  But Paul’s subsequent three-year “Bible College” stint in Arabia allowed him to dig deeper, to find the Spirit beneath the law, the hidden wisdom that centered on Christ fulfilling the requirements of the law for us.

I grew up in a church that values holiness.  I remember my mother reacting with horror to a cigarette butt sitting on the top of the church steps.  While that moment helped keep me from smoking later in life it also revealed an attitude that kept smokers from finding Jesus at our church.  In fact, few people were being saved at this time in the life of our church.  We tended to put people through a grid before they could join our “Christian club,” expecting them to clean up their act and put on a nice suit before they could really be accepted (that is overstated to make a point – my parents were extremely hospitable to our unsaved friends and neighbours).

The point is, conformity to the law does not save us.  In fact, it is impossible to conform to the law without the power of God’s Spirit resident within us.  But how can we approach a holy God while still in our sin.  That’s the wisdom of the gospel; Christ died for us while we were yet sinners.  We can come to Him as we are through faith in Christ and experience not only forgiveness but salvation, complete deliverance, from our sin.  In fact, this is the only way we can be saved.

“Lord, sometimes my holiness background kicks in and I find myself trying to disciple others through legalistic conformity instead of spiritual transformation.  Conforming to the law does not bring release from past sins, but Christ on the cross does.  Those who put their faith in Him stand fully justified – “just-if-I’d” never sinned.  That’s the only way I want others to see me so it must become the only way I see others.”

November 4 - Well, Hush My Mouth!

 Read today’s texts first: Job 26,27; Mark 15-16

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

Learn when to hush your mouth & let God, your
Advocate, speak more eloquently than you ever could. 

What a contrast between Job’s verbose protests and the silence of our Saviour as He was led to the cross.  I like Job in much the same way that I love to watch lawyers debate in the courtroom.  I’ve always been enamored with the power of persuasive logic and eloquent speeches.  Just when you are feeling convinced by the prosecution that the defendant is guilty, the defense attorney takes the floor and completely changes your mind.  My love for a good debate has gotten me in and out of trouble on countless occasions.

So I understand why Job, and even his so-called friends, wax eloquent in their collective ignorance.  They are almost convincing until God takes the floor in the final chapters of the book!  What I can’t understand is how Jesus (Who is God, I remind myself) remains silent in the face of unjust accusations.  We know He is a masterful communicator, confounding his critics with His insightful rejoinders throughout His itinerant ministry.  But why now, at this critical juncture, does He choose to hold His tongue.  The only charge against Him, posted on the sign above His head, was that He was Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews - and it was actually true.  He could have wowed us with His brilliant responses to Pilate’s questions, just as Paul did with Felix, but instead He made no reply.  Pilate was amazed by that (15:5) and so am I.

What I learned from reading this story again is the importance of listening to the Father.  It would have been very natural for Jesus to defend Himself, but it wasn’t what He was supposed to do at this time.  It was planned long before this moment that He would be led like a silent lamb to the slaughter (Isaiah 53:7).  His protests were already answered in His conversation with the Father in the Gethsemane Garden, which ended with Jesus saying, “not my will but Thine be done”!  I remember a time early in my ministry when I too was being falsely accused.  I came to the point of crafting a letter of defense when I heard the Lord tell me to keep silent and let Him defend me.  I discovered in the process that He is the ultimate Advocate!

“Lord, in these quiet times with You, forewarn me when I should hush my mouth.  I so often speak first and regret later.  Help me to learn the power of silence and trust in your ability to speak far more eloquently than I ever could.”

November 3 - The Cost of Discipleship

 Read today’s texts first: Job 25; Mark 13,14

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY

The dividends from serving God are out of this world! 

I remember a message by Barry McGaffin, my brother-in-law, to PLBC students about the greatest job in the world – being a pastor.  He didn’t hide the fact that the job doesn’t usually pay that well, at least not in material rewards.  He did say, however, that the benefits are out-of-this-world!  Candidates for church leadership must settle the God vs. mammon issue.

These conflicting values are illustrated by two back-to-back stories in Mark 14: Mary anointing Christ’s feet and Judas betraying Him.   I never related these stories before, but they are both about money, one about lavish giving and the other about greed.

We know the woman mentioned in Mark is Mary of Bethany because of the account in John 12.  We also know from the same source that the one complaining about the cost of the perfume was Judas Iscariot.  The reason he gives is that this perfume was worth almost a year’s worth of wages and that she could have given this to help the poor.  John points out that Judas was trying to justify his outrage with righteous indignation, but he was really only concerned for himself.  He loved money more than Jesus, and that’s why he was willing to kiss Jesus good-by for thirty pieces of silver.

Jesus had commended this same Mary earlier for knowing the “one thing” that was needed:  loving God is the first and greatest commandment.  Money, mammon, material things must take a back-seat if Jesus is in the driver’s seat.  Since I said yes to a life devoted to ministry over fifty years ago, I’ve never lacked for anything.  I could have had more money if I had become a business owner, as originally planned, but I wouldn’t have been happier.  I have had the greatest job in the world, and my job satisfaction has nothing to do with financial remuneration.  Loving God and obeying His call is the one thing, the only thing I need to care about!

“Lord, remind me to keep your resources flowing through me, not to me.  The costs of following You are high, but worth every denarii!”

November 2 - Who Gave You the Right?!

 Read today’s texts first: Job 23,24; Mark 11,12

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

You can only have real authority when you
come under authority. 

Today’s readings involve questions about God’s actions from two different sources.  Job is ‘boil’ing mad about God’s silence during his painful test.  The religious rulers are uptight about what Jesus has been up to, which just in the last few hours has included parading as king through Jerusalem, overturning tables in the temple, and cursing unfruitful fig trees.  They ask point-blank, “who gave you the authority to do these things?”

Jesus often answers a question by asking another question, probing for motive.  When He uncovered the fact that they were more concerned with pleasing people than God, He dismissed them.  Mark 12 relates several subsequent attempts by the Pharisees, Herodians, Sadducees and scribes to trap Jesus with their questions, always challenging His authority.  Jesus finally contrasts their pretext of spirituality with the real thing – the poor widow giving secretly and sacrificially at the temple treasury.

You can only have real authority when you come under authority.  It’s one of the many paradox principles in Scripture, like dying before living, giving before receiving, serving before leading.  Before we can command authority, we must first quietly submit to God’s authority.  Jesus modeled that for us right up to His death on the cross: “not my will but Thine be done.”  The widow got it – the religious leaders didn’t!

Job figured it out slowly, over the course of his affliction:  He is unique, and who can turn Him?  And what His soul desires, that He does.  For He performs what is appointed for me, and many such decrees are with Him (23:13,14).  Job gradually resigned himself to God’s will, finally realizing that as Creator, He can do whatever He wants.  Fortunately, He also happens to be a loving Father and Father knows best!

“Lord, may I learn this lesson the easy way.  If I expect to have the kind of authority that moves mountains (Mark 11:23,24), then I had better settle the question of Who is in charge.  Jesus, You have the rights to all of my life, bought and paid for by your own act of submission to Your Father on the cross.  I get it!”

November 1 - Childlike, not Childish!

 Read today’s texts first: Psalms 121; Mark 9,10

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

There’s a big difference between the beauty of
childlikeness and the beast of childishness.

The older I get, the more fun I have, especially now as a grandpa.  I love kids.  I love their open-eyed innocence and ready willingness to do whatever they can to help.  I remember my own daughter, Carissa, at age 3, trying to help me baby-sit her little brother, Greg, by washing his hair... in the toilet.  She really was just trying to help!

Of course, I also remember the other times when Carissa and Greg battled over who was in charge of the playroom.  There’s a big difference between the beauty of childlikeness and the beast of childishness.

Mark 9 and 10 illustrate that contrast.  Jesus encouraged His disciples, who often let adult reasoning overpower their belief (10:19), to simply believe Him with child-like faith (9:36,37; 10:14,15).  Wide-eyed wonder and pure acceptance of God’s Word is actually the height of spiritual maturity.  Unfortunately, His disciples often exhibited childish immaturity.  Twice, right after Jesus relayed the sobering news of His impending death and resurrection, the disciples began arguing about which one of them will be in charge of the playroom (9:31-34; 10:32-37).

“Lord, my prayer is that as I grow old, I will also grow up, losing my tendencies to be self-centered and childish, but never losing touch with that innocent and pure faith in my Father.  Remind me of this prayer each time I hold Gracie, my youngest granddaughter.  May I learn to say with David, who managed to preserve that childlike awe and dependence on God, I lift up my eyes to the hills-- where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth (121:1).”

Nov Devotional - Smart Investment

At some point in life we may want to think about our investment strategies. Although we never know how long our life on earth will be, we could live 3 or 4 more decades after our retirement from the work force.  With interest rates dropping again, the advantage goes to the young and in-debt. But for those of us who are old and sitting on an underdeveloped nest egg, there is a decided disadvantage!

That being said, I’ve always believed what Jesus said about our future. He felt it was more important to focus on eternal life because the brief time we have here on earth is but a drop in the proverbial bucket.  Better to invest now in the things that will last into the life to come (Matthew 6:19-21).

It’s worth remembering this oft-told true story.  Charles Adams, grandson of John Adams and son of John Quincy Adams, served as a Massachusetts state senator, a US Congressman, and an ambassador to Great Britain under Abraham Lincoln.  He was also very conscientious about keeping a daily journal and encouraged his children to do the same.

Henry Brooks, the fourth of his seven children, followed his advice and began journaling at a young age.  A particular entry written when Brooks was eight has continued to catch our attention.  Following a day spent with his father, he wrote: Went fishing with my father today, the most glorious day of my life.  In fact that day was so glorious, he talked about it for the next thirty years, which is when he thought to compare journal entries with his father.  For that day’s entry, Charles had written: Went fishing with my son - a day wasted.

Now it’s possible that Charles was upset because they came home empty-handed, but he, like us, forgot for a moment the importance of a life invested in the future.  On November 11 we will remember those who invested their lives, some making the ultimate sacrifice, for our futures. The upfront costs of a life devoted to giving to others can be high, but the interest rate, the dividends, the future rewards, are quite literally “out of this world!”

October 31 - Traditions of Men

 Read today’s texts first: Job 22; Mark 7,8

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

God’s law of love must be the foundation
of our lives and our traditions. 

When I hear the word “tradition” I think of that famous song from Fiddler on the Roof.  Tevye is singing his lament over his five daughters defying Jewish traditions and his right to choose their husbands. The Jewish faith is loaded with traditions that go far beyond the laws God gave them. Jesus pointed that out to the Pharisees who criticized Him and His disciples for ignoring their traditions. He countered by calling them hypocrites for emphasizing traditions that actually undermine God’s laws and the Spirit behind them (7:6-13).

We do that in our churches and homes today. I just watched a TV show about how children are shunned by their families for not complying with their Amish traditions. I actually cried when I saw a young man returning from his experiment with the “English” lifestyle, standing at his childhood home, saying to his parents “it’s your son”, and hearing back, “you are not our son anymore!” I wondered how this tradition of shunning fits with the father’s love taught by Jesus in His parable of the prodigal son.

Even our more progressive churches have traditions and rules that undermine the heart of God to reach the lost. We are upset when homeless people, recovering addicts, and common-law couples come through our hallowed doors and don’t dress right, sit in our personal “pew” or go out for a smoke on the front steps. We call it “church protocol” instead of tradition but the effect is the same.

These people honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules (7:6b,7).

“Lord, may I never forget Your law of love that must be the foundation of my life and my traditions. Tonight, as children come to my door in search of Halloween treats, may I show them the love of God instead of the rejection some church traditions require.”

October 30 - What Do You Have?

 Read today’s texts first: Job 21; Mark 5,6

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY

When small things, like a little boy’s lunch, are surrendered
to a big God, thousands of hungry souls can be fed. 

What was the lesson of the fives loaves of bread? Apparently the disciples didn’t get it, at least not at first, but perhaps we can see it better from our vantage point (6:51,52). Mark, inspired by the Holy Spirit, gives us a clue when he writes, “how many loaves do you have?” (6:37). A miracle often begins with what we have and what we are willing to give up. And it doesn’t take much!

Sometimes we bemoan how little we have. Certainly Job is troubled by his losses while wicked people around him seemed to have so much (21:7). But he will learn, as will the disciples, the truth in the words of that old hymn “little is much when God is in it!”  Whether it’s the staff of Moses, a widow’s two mites or a little boy’s lunch, when these small things are surrendered to a big God, thousands of hungry souls can be fed.

Jesus was now trying to teach His disciples how to multiply ministry (6:7). If one man tried to divide a lunch to feed 5,000 plus (the men numbered 5,000, plus all the women and children - 6:44), it would take him well past supper and probably closer to breakfast the next day. But He divided the small lunch to His 12 disciples who took it to each group seated on the ground, who may have continued to divide it from there.

As I looked up the words to the “Little Is Much” hymn, I noticed the writers, Kittie and Frederick Suffield, were from Sunnyside Wesleyan Methodist Church in Ottawa, Canada. Coincidentally, the pastor’s son was George Beverley Shea, whom they worked with as evangelists and whom later became the main soloist for Billy Graham. What a wonderful illustration of that song, as this simple man from a small church in our nation’s capital, eventually sang live in front of more people than anyone else in history (that includes Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson). It helped that George lived to the ripe age of 104  (Check out his duet with Guy Penrod when George was still a young 102 year old: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSIZTXHy7PQ).

“Lord, may I learn and live out the lesson of the five loaves:”

Little is much when God is in it!
Labour not for wealth or fame.
There’s a crown and you can win it,
If you go in Jesus’ name.

October 29 - Religion or Relationship?

 Read today’s texts first: Job 20; Mark 3,4

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

Rather than just abiding by the letter of the law,
let the Spirit of the law abide in you!

Sometimes we miss the relational nature of God when we read the Old Testament. Before Immanuel, “God with us,” He seemed like the “God out there.” Job felt that distance. He lacked a sense of God’s abiding presence, and for good reason.  It’s understandable how religious leaders from the time B.C., Before Christ, may have thought God cared more about rules, regulations and rituals than He did about relationship. That may have been one of the reasons they did not recognize Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God.

At times, He seemed to minimize the Law they loved. Our readings in Mark, segued from yesterday over the issue of the Sabbath. After reminding them that the Sabbath was made for man and not the other way around (2:27), Jesus watched their reaction as He healed the man with the withered arm on, gasp, the Sabbath. He was grieved, actually angry, that they still missed the point - they cared more about the letter of the Law than the Spirit behind it.

My Mom and Dad taught me this so well. Any rules they had for me were for my good, for my protection, because they loved me so much. When I had to be disciplined, it was their love for me that left a greater impression than the bruise on my derrière. Jesus lived in such a way that there was no mistaking the heart of God. He loved everyone, especially those who thought they were outside of God’s circle of love. Then He taught us that all the OT laws can be summed up in two: love God and love each other (Matthew 22:36-40).

“Lord, not only do I see and experience legalism in the church, I see it at times in my own heart. Fill me with Your Spirit, the Spirit behind the law, so I can care more about the things You do and the people You love.”

October 28 - Real Authority

 Read today’s texts first: Job 19; Mark 1,2

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY

You can’t make an arrest by reading a policing manual -
real authority is conferred. 

Real authority is conferred. We could study and even memorize a policing manual but still not be able to make an arrest. We could do the same with law books and never be able to enter a courtroom to pass judgment. Real authority isn’t transferred from writings; it is conferred in person from a recognized authority.

Job knew that, which is why he could dismiss the judgments of his so-called friends. The only one he feared was God, because He is the Source of all authority (19:1-6). Even in the soliloquy of complaints that follow, Job prophetically promised his redemption: As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth. Even after my skin is destroyed, yet from my flesh I shall see God (19:25,26). Job, inspired by the Spirit of God, predicted the coming Messiah and the hope of the resurrection He will bring to all of us!

Fast forward to our Mark readings, which coincidentally connect to this theme of Divine authority (1:7,8,11,22,27,34; 2:10,28). Jesus, the Redeemer Job prophesied about, had real authority; the book-smart scribes didn’t, for the reasons stated above (1:22). We know now that Jesus set aside His innate rights as God when he became a man (Philippians 2:7), but then He modeled for all of us what we can do to have real authority: He humbled Himself and became obedient to His Father who conferred that authority back to Him.

That is why His water baptism by John, His subsequent baptism in the Spirit, and the acknowledgement of His Sonship by the Father preceded His public ministry (1:9-11). That authority was challenged and proven in His battle with Satan in the wilderness (12,13) and then witnessed by the people through His teachings, healings and deliverance (27). The scribes and other religious leaders lacked this authority, not because they didn’t know the letter of the law, but because they didn’t personally know the Author, the Authority behind the law!

“Lord, as I study Your Word each day, it is not just because I just want to know what You’ve said – I want to know You, the Source of all authority!”

October 27 - Circumstantial Evidence

 Read today’s texts first: Job 18; Psalms 114; Acts 27,28

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

We should never convict ourselves or others
based on  “circumstantial” evidence! 

We do it all the time. We make judgments of our own life and the lives of others based on circumstances. If we go through difficult times, we think God has abandoned us or is punishing us for some unconfessed sin. In Job’s case, he felt abandoned, but his “friends” thought God was punishing him because of his own wickedness (18:5-21).

Notice the contrast in the way Paul looks at his circumstances. Paul’s life was a roller coaster of ups and downs, but he learned that his circumstances have little to do with his relationship with God or his attitude (Philippians 4:11-13). That’s why he wasn’t concerned about going to Jerusalem, getting arrested, being held in custody in Caesarea, appealing to Rome, experiencing a shipwreck en route, or being bitten by a poisonous snake.

Those who saw the snake hanging from his hand thought he must be a murderer and God was judging him. When he didn’t die, well then, he must be a god (28:4-6). There we go again - judgment based on circumstantial evidence! Paul knew God had called him and was with him, no matter what his circumstances. In fact, he thanked God for every phase of his life, appreciating how God could use him in those moments to point more people to Jesus (28:30,31).

“Lord, thank You for the unusual change of circumstances in my own life. I embrace what You have given me to do today and look forward to each new day filled with new opportunities to serve You!”

October 26 - Down Time

 Read today’s texts first: Job 17; Acts 24-26

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY

It’s always best to look up during down times. What comes down must go up through prayers and thanksgiving.

Both Job and Paul in our readings today are experiencing some unusual down time. Job is incapacitated through severe sickness; Paul is in custody in Caesarea. Both were highly active and excited about their lives before this. Now they are both sitting, suffering and possibly awaiting death - definitely “down” times!

I don’t want to be critical of Job (his three friends did enough of that). I can’t even imagine what he went through or how I would respond in that situation. It would be hard not to feel sorry for yourself and spend your down time complaining, which is essentially what Job did.

Paul, on the other hand, went from a busy life of travelling and teaching to forced confinement and the constant threat of execution. This would be his life for the next several years, custody in Caesarea and Rome, occasional appearances to offer a defense, interspersed with a whole lot of down time. He too must have been tempted to feel sorry for himself and complain about a life of suffering he certainly didn’t deserve.

And yet, from what we can piece together from what he wrote and what others wrote about him, this didn’t happen. He seized every opportunity to testify about Jesus to those in authority and seemed to enjoy those moments (24:10-21; 24-26; 25:8-11; 26:2-29). Later, he would use his down time to write letters (the Prison Epistles) and encourage the churches he had planted. Whenever he referred to his imprisonment he seemed to be thankful (Philippians 1:12-18).

Paul recognized that even in the down times, God was there and He had a plan. “Lord, I pray that I would learn to have that kind of attitude whenever I experience some down time. Instead of complaining, I will thank You for the opportunity to spend more time with my wife, with my family, and with You in Your Word.”

October 25 - Follow the Leader

 Read today’s texts first: Job 16; Acts 21-23

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

“My sheep know my voice!” (John 10:14–16).
Personal prophecies from others should only
confirm what God has said directly to us. 

I’ve always believed in having mentors and being a mentor to others, but ultimately we are accountable to God. Fortunately we can hear directly from Him (John 10:4). He is our Good Shepherd and He should be the only One we follow.

As we read through Job, it’s easy to sense his frustration with his three friends, whom he now refers to as his “miserable comforters” (16:2). I know what is coming later in the story and sometimes I find myself skipping ahead just so I can hear from God Himself!  And yet, each of Job’s friends love him (why else would they sit with him for days on end?) and they sincerely believe they are speaking for God.

Paul is experiencing similar help from his friends. The disciples in Tyre advised Paul “through the Spirit,” not to go to Jerusalem (21:4). When he stopped in Caesarea, reputable leaders like Phillip, his four prophesying daughters, Agabus, and others (Luke, the author of Acts, included himself with the pronoun “we” – v.12) all tried to stop Paul from going to Jerusalem, saying “this is what the Holy Spirit says” (11).

And yet Paul was convinced by that same Holy Spirit that he needed to go to Jerusalem (20:22,23). We learn later in the story that there was no real conflict – the Spirit was both warning Paul of his impending arrest and urging him to go. His friends heard the same message but, because of their concern for Paul’s life, interpreted the message differently.

That’s why we must hear from God directly before we make a decision. I reread an obscure story from 1 Kings 13 today on my own, just for fun, about a man of God who learned the hard way about following God directly (check it out). I’ve told that story to young students who would come to our Bible College because someone else prophesied over their lives. My question to them was always “what has God said to you directly,” because we are all accountable directly to Him for what we do with our lives.

What Job, Paul and the man of God learned about following the Leader, I need to hear. “Lord, whenever I receive advice or offers of ministry opportunities from others, help me remember to only follow Your lead.”

October 24 - Peter, Paul and Barney

 Read today’s texts first: Job 15; Acts 19,20

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY

Every believer has something unique to contribute and every spiritual gift is needed to grow the church. 

My title may sound like a folk-singing trio, but if it were, Barney probably wouldn’t be headlining – he’d be singing back-up! I can relate.

The first part of Acts features Peter as the early leader of the first church; the second half, which we are reading now, emphasizes Paul. Between and among these two dominant leaders are brief references to a man named Joseph, nicknamed Barnabas or “Son of Encouragement” by the Christians who recognized his spiritual gift of encouraging and developing leaders. While he doesn’t get a lot of attention in the pages of the New Testament, most of it may not have been written without him. He was the one who recommended Paul to the other church leaders and mentored John Mark when Paul lost patience with him (they wrote at least 14 of the 27 books of the NT).

When I read about the miracles (19:11,12), sermons , and converts (20) that happened through Paul’s ministry, I unfortunately tend to compare my life and ministry with his. If I lived at that time, not much of what I’ve done would be worthy of a write up in Acts, unless it was the times I messed up. But every believer has something unique to contribute and every spiritual gift is needed to grow the church (Ephesians 4:16). Without Barney backing Paul, much of the history of the church and the record of Scripture would be missing.

We all know and appreciate what Billy Graham has done, but how many of us know about Albert McMakin?  He was the son of a sharecropper living on the Graham’s farm, who promised the rebellious 16 year old Billy Graham he could drive his truck if he came with him to hear Mordecai Ham.  It was at that meeting Billy committed his life to Christ and eventually went on to preach in front of 2 billion people.

“Lord, I’m okay devoting my life, especially in my senior years, to encouraging and mentoring other leaders. I will never be like Paul, but it is enough to minister like Barnabas, or better yet, to be exactly who You created me to be!”

October 23 - Women’s Liberation

 Read today’s texts first: Job 13,14; Acts 17,18

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

You shouldn’t text while you drive
and you shouldn’t prooftext while you preach. 

Poor Job not only has to deal with his personal loss and pain, he now has to endure the attacks of his so-called friends.  Fortunately he has enough sense to dismiss their words: “will you speak falsely for God and speak deceitfully for Him” (13:7).

Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar prove that it is possible to take Scripture out of context, misapply it, and in doing so, misrepresent God.  In my Acts readings I noticed a theme in Paul’s ministry that becomes distorted by those who later misapply some of his teachings. We now know you shouldn’t text while you drive; may I suggest you also shouldn’t prooftext while you preach.

Paul addresses two issues in the churches of Corinth and Ephesus that required the silencing of disruptive women.  In Corinth they were disturbing the church services; in Ephesus they were relaying false teachings (1 Corinthians 14:34,35; 1 Timothy 2:11-15).  Some have taught from these two passages that women should be restricted from positions of church leadership.  However, assuming the integrity and consistency of the author is a basic rule of hermeneutics.  Paul would not teach something that is contradictory to his own practice.

We see in our Acts readings today that Paul evangelized the way Jesus did.  He discovered that women often responded to the gospel first (17:4,12,34) and they sometimes helped him plant churches and disciple other believers  (18:26).  Priscilla at first was named after her husband Aquila (18:2) but soon she was listed first (Romans 16:3,4), apparently because she became such an effective teacher and church leader, ironically in both Corinth and Ephesus.

From a day when women were marginalized up to today when the pendulum has swung too far the other way, we need to rediscover the balanced view of God’s Word.  We must not misrepresent the Holy Spirit who empowers boys and girls, men and women, for shared ministry and leadership (Acts 2:17,18).  “Lord, whenever I consider what’s next for me in ministry, help me to remember what might be next for my wife in ministry as well!”