June 21 - The Battle is the Lord’s

 Read today’s texts first: 2 Kings 6,7; 2 Chronicles 20; 1 Timothy 3

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY

We are never out-numbered when God is on our side. 

Two of my favourite stories from the Old Testament are found in our readings today. At first I was torn as to which I would write about until I realized how the message from both is the same. The first involves four lepers going out for dinner, the second is a badly outnumbered army led by their worship team.

The Arameans were subjugated under Solomon, but when the kingdom split under his son Rehoboam, they pulled away and became a powerful enemy of Israel. Their language, Aramaic, would become the common language of northern Palestine and surrounding regions, and the language Jesus spoke.

Israel was starving to death because of their oppression, until Elijah asked God to intervene. The Arameans ran for the hills and abandoned their camps when they heard God’s special sound effects of a massive approaching army. Four desperate, almost suicidal lepers strolled into their empty camps and pigged out on Aramean delicacies. It’s a funny story of unlikely heroes who discovered first-hand how we are never out-numbered when God is on our side.

In the second story, Jehoshaphat was also out-numbered trying to protect Judah from a three nation alliance. Unlike most leaders, who abide by the “fake it until you make it” motto, Jehoshaphat was honest and transparent before His people and his God: For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you. In response God spoke through Jahaziel: Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s (20:12,15). Same God, different miracle: musicians instead of lepers, and instead of sound effects, confused allies who killed each other.

“Lord, so often I think I have to fight my own battles, but You challenge me with impossible odds so I learn to rely on You. When I do that, my response will be like Jehoshaphat’s worship team: Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever.”

June 20 - Missionary or Mercenary?

 Read today’s texts first: 2 Kings 4,5; Psalms 83; 1 Timothy 2

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY

If we rely solely on our own resources
we can miss out on the miraculous!

Elisha got what he asked for, a double portion of what God had given his mentor, Elijah. At the time, it may have seemed self-serving, but, as we read about Elisha’s ministry, we know that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Like the widow’s oil, God could pour His blessing into Elisha knowing he would keep pouring it out for others (4:5,6).

The miracles he performed were easily marketable. He could have charged high fees and retired a very wealthy man. But we read of a prophet who relied on the generosity of others for food and shelter (4:8-10), who had to trust God to make a bad pot of stew edible for himself and his fellow prophets (4:38-41), and who took 20 donated barley loaves and miraculously fed 100 men (4:42-44). His life sounded very similar to the One who came to serve and give His life a ransom for all (2:6).

When Elisha healed Namaan he refused his gifts in return, despite having earned them and cultural protocol demanding he graciously accept them. Elisha had no interest in material things. He knew God would provide everything he needed, just as He had done for his mentor, Elijah. If you have your own resources you miss out on ravens delivering your breakfast and dinner (1 Kings 17:2-6), and angel-food cake (okay, bread) made by an actual angel (19:5-8). That’s why Elisha was so upset with his protégé, Gehazi, for going back for Namaan’s gifts, lying about his reasons, keeping them for himself, and then covering it up (5:20-27).

I made the same decision years ago about being a missionary, not a mercenary. I’ve never really been motivated by money and never demanded a higher salary in my 50 plus years of ministry. My wife and children have urged me to, and I know other ministers do, but I want to experience God’s miraculous provision. I haven’t been fed by ravens yet (I did accidentally kill a crow with my car recently – didn’t eat it though), but God has always provided more than I’ve needed. I may not have a big nest egg set aside for my declining years but I serve a big God!

“Lord, this verse and chorus from ‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus’ says what I feel today: I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee, precious Jesus, Saviour, friend; and I know that Thou art with me, wilt be with me to the end. Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him! How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er; Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus! Oh, for grace to trust Him more!”

June 19 - Finishing Well

 Read today’s texts first: 2 Kings 1-3; Psalms 82; 1 Timothy 1

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY

No matter how you may have faltered in your life to
this point, you can and you must finish strong.

It is an ongoing concern in churches and in theological schools. I used to talk about it almost every day when I was a pastor and Bible college president, preparing Christian leaders to “finish well!” The average throughout history tells us that 70% of leaders will not. My role then was preventative, trying to steer young leaders down the road of faithfulness and consistency. 

Well, it is even more of a concern in a seniors facility. Now, as a chaplain at Buchanan, my role is more redemptive, trying to help older leaders make needed adjustments in their final days on earth. My goal is to reassure these dear saints (the sinners too) that, no matter how they may have faltered during their life, they can still finish strong. It is the theme emerging from our readings today and it will be my message for an upcoming chapel service!

Contrast the kings of Israel with the prophets God sent to help them. Ahab’s life ended badly because he failed to listen to God. Then his son, Ahaziah, did the same thing. In today’s reading, he’s fallen and he can’t get up, literally, so he consults the non-god of Ekron. Word comes to him from Elijah that he will never get up again (his dad and the prophet Micaiah all over again!). “So he died” is his sad legacy (1:17). Compare his ignominious end with Elijah’s big finish. He ended his time on earth literally in a blaze of glory, or more specifically, in a chariot of fire!

Paul’s words to his young protégé sums it up well: Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith (1:18,19). May we all learn from the examples in Scripture, both good and bad, how to fight the good fight, holding on to our faith right to the end.

“Lord, my prayer in this assignment as chaplain is that I will become a model for others on how to finish well!”

June 18 - No Yes Men!

 Read today’s texts first: 1 Kings 22; 2 Chronicles 18,19; Colossians 4

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

Surround yourself with godly people who speak the truth even when you may not want to hear it.

I learned this lesson early on in my ministry and it has served me well: “say no to yes men!” (or “yes women” for that matter). Foursquare polity allows for leaders to lead, but that can be dangerous if we surround ourselves with people who always agree just to be agreeable. Leaders who look for those people are often insecure, arrogant, or, as in Ahab’s case, intractable.

Now on the flipside, I don’t look for disagreeable people, because I like to make decisions with full consensus. Making good group decisions requires servant-hearted leaders who have no personal agenda, care more for the good of others, and can clearly hear from God. Micaiah was just such a man, and Ahab wanted nothing to do with him: Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not still a prophet of the Lord here, that we may inquire of Him?” So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the Lord; but I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.” And Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say such things!”  (22:7,8).

It’s a funny story, if you don’t mind a violent ending - all the “yes men” prophets lining up to encourage the king, the prepping of Micaiah to make sure he doesn’t spoil the roll they’re on, Micaiah’s tongue-in-cheek prophesy, Ahab asking for the real truth, getting it and not liking it, ignoring him and going to war, disguising himself to avoid being a target, then getting shot by a random arrow between the plates of his armour, and, oh yeah, the dogs licking up his blood just like Elijah prophesied (another prophet Ahab hated!).

“Lord, it’s really not that funny when we become so afraid of the truth that we hide from it and from people who speak it. Help me to always surround myself with godly people who will tell me the truth even when I may not want to hear it.”

June 17 - Set Your Minds

 Read today’s texts first: 1 Kings 20,21; 2 Chronicles 17; Colossians 3

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY

Know God’s Word inside out
because that’s the way we are meant to live! 

As mentioned in yesterday’s journal, God now leads us from the inside out. Our spirit is filled with His Spirit and He shows us how to live. He directs our steps by His Word, which we have hidden in our hearts, and by the nudgings of His Spirit, a.k.a. His still, small voice. So then our spirit dictates how our mind thinks, what attitudes we assume, what words we speak, and what actions we perform with our bodies. We live in this order: spirit, soul, body. But when we lived for ourselves, we tended to live the other way: our body and its appetites dictated what our mind thought and how our heart felt. We lived from the outside in.

Paul is describing that contrast with the image of taking off our old self and putting on our new self (3:9,10). The renewing process involves setting our minds (3:3) or, more accurately, resetting our minds. When I have trouble with my computer, or any electronic device for that matter, my go-to problem-solving technique is pushing the reset button (or the good old “control, alt, delete” on my computer). My time in prayer and in reading God’s Word every day is my spiritual reboot.

Again, today’s parallel readings in the Old Testament illustrate the advantages of letting God direct our steps. Compare Jehoshaphat’s steady and peaceful reign with Ahab’s series of debacles. What a mess! When people ask you how the God of the Old Testament can be so ruthless, have them consider the culture of the day. Corruption, violence, and war was so ingrained that God’s justice required a heavy hand - an eye for an eye. Still His mercy shows up in astounding ways, most notably when Ahab repented (21:27-29). I was thinking, Ahab, really, you actually believe his sackcloth and ashes show. Well God did and God withheld the discipline he most definitely deserved. These moments hint at the merciful nature of God that we read about more often in the New Testament.

The point of these stories is the same as Paul’s message to the Colossians and to us: whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality (3:23-25). “Lord, message received. Today, I reset my mind on the things above - Your agenda is mine!”

June 16 - The Peace of Christ Rules

 Read today’s texts first: 1 Kings 17-19; Colossians 2

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY

God’s still, small voice is better
than a concert with Earth, Wind & Fire! 

Again we see our NT reading illustrated by our OT reading. Paul is warning the Colossian church to ignore “unspiritual” false teachers who try to change behaviour from the outside in, rather than from the inside out (2:16-23). Adding human rules, or enforcing external disciplines, may modify our actions for the short term, but for the long-term, we must change the heart (parents often learn this the hard way). It’s the difference between being “conformed” and being “transformed” (Rom. 12:1). 

Paul is clear: Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence (2:23). If we sneak ahead to tomorrow’s reading (sorry, I’ve read ahead in the past so I know what’s coming), we’ll discover what does work: Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts .... Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly (3:15,16). Tuning in to God’s Spirit brings about transformation and lasting change.

Elijah learned this, even before it was possible for God’s Spirit to live inside of us. I love these stories of Elijah, the power prophet. He specialized in the spectacular, endless food during droughts, raising a widow’s son from the dead, taking on and taunting the 450 prophets of Baal, calling down fire from heaven, then making rain fall on command.

But when things didn’t go his way, Elijah, like Moses, was given to extremes, “Kill me now!” (Actually Moses said that; Elijah said “take my life” - 19:4). So because Elijah was like Moses (they have since become buddies - check out the transfiguration - Matt. 17:3), God told him to climb Mt. Horeb, which is the same as Mt. Sinai, where Moses had his power encounter with God.

But in this moment, God decides to give us a foreshadowing of the way He will eventually lead His people, from the inside out, through His still, small voice. For contrast, He starts with a concert of “Earth, Wind, and Fire:” the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice (19:11,12).

"Lord, while I sometimes wish for a power encounter with You, I know that I learn more about intimacy, trust, and lasting change by listening to Your still, small voice, whispering within my spirit.”

June 15 - If We Continue

 Read today’s texts first: 1 Kings 16; 2 Chronicles 15,16; Colossians 1

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY

“The Lord is with you when you are with Him.” 

As we begin Paul’s letter to the church of Colossae, we are reminded of the power of Christ’s completed work, but also of the importance of our free will. Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation - if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel (1:21-23). The words “if you continue” are determinative.

Our parallel readings in the Old Testament vividly illustrate this dichotomy. The Kings account gives us insight into Israel’s history with all its instability, king after king, each worse than the one before, from Basha, to Elah, to Zimri, to Omri, to Ahab, all within one chapter, just 12 years (from the end of Basha’s reign to the beginning of Ahab’s, with some overlap).  The catch phrase we see after each one is he did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him did (16:30).

Meanwhile, in 2 Chronicles, we read about Judah’s history during this upheaval in Israel. One king, Asa, who followed God closely for most of his life, ruled peacefully for 36 years. Azariah the prophet told Asa, The Lord is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you (15:2). True to his promise, God blessed Asa and all of Judah for the full 36 years he sought God’s will.

But for the last five years of his reign he ignored God, turning instead to a heathen king for protection (16:7,8). He didn’t even turn back to God when he contracted a severe foot disease (16:12). Asa is a classic example of a man who was godly for most of his life, but in the later stages did not finish well. 

“Lord, Your Word says that the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him (16:9). I want that to be said of me right up to the end of my life here on earth!”