March 31 - The Problem of Prodigals

 Read today’s texts first: Judges 9,10; Psalms 49; 1 Corinthians 16

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

We should spend quality and quantity time with our
children, but ultimately they must choose to
follow Jesus for themselves.

There’s a disturbing trend among great leaders in the Bible. Despite their successes in leading God’s people, they didn’t always have success in raising their own families. Today’s OT reading features Abimilech, who didn’t exactly make his father Gideon proud by killing all his brothers so he could be next in line for the throne. Other leaders coming up soon in our readings had similar problems: Samuel’s sons were too corrupt to follow him (1 Samuel 8:1-5), David’s sons tried to usurp his throne from him (1 Kings 1; 2 Samuel 15-18), Hezekiah’s son Manasseh undid every good thing his father had done (2 Kings 21), and so on and so on.

These illustrations of OT prodigals help me understand two things. First, as leaders, our highest priority is to lead our families in the faith. Paul said that one of the main qualifications to look for in choosing an elder is proven success in managing his own household. If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church? (1 Tim. 3:4,5). I remember one particular pastor’s conference when a pastor stood up and addressed his colleagues with this statement: “my church comes before my wife and my children.” Tragically, his wife had left him before next year’s conference, and a year later he was no longer a pastor. Misplaced priorities are costly. Our Abimilechs and Manassehs can undermine much of the good we spend our whole lives to accomplish.

But I have another observation that may help those of us who are trying to lead our families well and yet still have prodigals at home. Have you noticed that God, our Father, also has a lot of prodigals. Jesus picked Judas. Paul, who likely had no children of his own, struggled with his spiritual children, as we can see throughout his letter to the Corinthians. Pet theologies aside, free will is something we cannot control. We can and should spend quality and quantity time with our kids, model integrity, preach without words, fast, and pray for them, but ultimately our children must choose to follow Jesus for themselves. We cannot make that choice for them.

“Lord, the problem of prodigals will always be with us because You want us to love You of our own free will. I choose to do that today and I pray for my children and grandchildren that they would make that choice too!”

March 30 - Dying to Live

 Read today’s texts first: Judges 8; Psalms 42; 1 Corinthians 15

MAXIMize YOUR DAY
I like growing old! Being over the hill and on the way down is easier than going uphill.  It also means I’m
picking up speed towards a pretty cool final destination.

Today is my wife’s birthday. We won’t mention her age because apparently it’s a sensitive subject. I personally like this stage of life. Being over the hill and on our way down is technically easier than going uphill, so far. But if we are dreading death, the hope of a new life after this one should completely change our perspective.

At a recent family birthday party, we played “Loaded Questions.” One of the questions was, “which invention would you like to dis-invent?” My niece, Beth, answered, “the unflattering lighting in fitting rooms”, I answered “Facebook” (sorry, I prefer face-to-face), but my granddaughter, 7 at the time, had the most profound answer: “I would dis-invent deadness!” Well good news Kaitlyn - Jesus did just that!

Paul is urging the Corinthian church to defend the truth of Christ’s resurrection against those who deny it (15:12-14). His death was crucial in forgiving our past, but His resurrection life is crucial to our hope for the future. Because death is only a doorway to an eternal life without pain and suffering, then heading downhill means we are picking up speed towards a pretty cool final destination. Happy Birthday, Babe! Be encouraged with these words:

When our perishable earthly bodies have been transformed into heavenly bodies that will never die -- then at last the Scriptures will come true: “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” …. So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and steady, always enthusiastic about the Lord’s work, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless (15:54,55,58). 

“Thank You Lord for the life I’m enjoying now, but I can’t wait for the perfect life ahead when I will see You face to face!”

March 29 - Broken Vessels of Light

 Read today’s texts first: Judges 6,7; Psalms 52; 1 Corinthians 14

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

Hey fellow “Crackpots” - we don’t have to pretend
to have it all together.  His light shining through
our brokenness brings Him glory! 

I loved this song, “Broken Vessels of Light” (1986, Reba Rambo - yeah, I know I’m old!). The tune was cool, Reba was ultra-cool, but it was more than that. The lyrics spoke to me. We are broken, imperfect, clay vessels, yet God chooses to live inside us (2 Cor. 4:7). We don’t have to pretend to have it all together - His light shining through our brokenness brings Him glory.

The story of Gideon is the perfect illustration, or should I say “imperfect” illustration! Here was the youngest of the poorest family in their tribe, hiding from the Midianites. Jesus shows up (the “Angel of The Lord” in the story is likely another Christophany) and calls Gideon a “mighty man of valour.” God always sees us for what we can become in Him! Then, shocker, He asks Gideon to lead Israel against the Midianites and Gideon is sure He’s got the wrong man (6:14,15).

But the best part comes later when he hears about God’s brilliant military strategy. First, reduce your troops from 32,000 to 300. Then, when you are outnumbered 450 to one (8:10 - 135,000 to 300), go to battle carrying the following lethal weapons: a trumpet and a clay pitcher with a lit torch inside. Yeah, right! Those clay pots represented Gideon, his tiny army and the rest of the bedraggled Israelites. When they were broken and dependent on God, His light shone through and their enemies were scattered. That'll preach!

“Lord, I’ve been called a crackpot before, but I’m okay with that if people see Your light shining through those cracks.”

March 28 - Women Leaders

 Read today’s texts first: Judges 4,5; Psalms 39,41; 1 Corinthians 13

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

I don’t defend women in spiritual leadership because
of political correctness or feminist pressure.
I defend it because the Bible does!

This journal entry may tick off some people but, I’m sorry - we shouldn’t make the Bible say what we want it to. In every new school year at PLBC, some of our first-year male students questioned our female students, asking them why they were there. PLBC is committed to “training leaders to make a world of difference” – you’re a woman (they would say), and God says you can’t be a leader!

One of the passages they use to proof-text that view is coming up tomorrow, which was specific instruction to women who were interrupting a church service (1 Cor. 14:33-35). But fortunately our reading today gives us some wider context. That’s why we should study the entire Bible and always remember that God doesn’t contradict Himself!  I don’t defend women in spiritual leadership because of political correctness or feminist pressure. I defend it because the Bible does, in a day when those liberal views were not prevalent. In fact, the Bible was written in a time and place when women were generally diminished and devalued by everyone but God.

Deborah was a woman, a submissive Jewish wife even, yet she was also an anointed prophet and a God-appointed leader of Israel (4:4,5). As Judge, Deborah led Israel to victory over Jabin, King of the Canaanites, bringing peace to Israel for 40 years (5:31). Some say she was only a co-leader with Barak, but that’s not what the Bible says. Barak took orders from Deborah (4:6-9).

“Lord, what I’ve told my students I vow to you: I will never tell someone - male, female, or child - they can’t lead when You may have clearly called them to do just that!”

March 27 - Psst… Pass It On

 Read today’s texts first: Judges 1,3; 1 Corinthians 12

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

Bob Dylan said it well, “you gotta serve somebody.”
If we don’t teach our children to serve God, they will serve themselves and eventually the god of this world.

There are parallels between Israel’s compromises with their heathen neighbours and the church struggling with the revived paganism of our day. I was a youth pastor over 30 years ago and I am shocked at how much more difficult it is now to keep our youth connected to church. They are being bombarded from all sides by sexual images, corrupt lyrics, and an overt celebration of sin once shunned.

Israel went through a similar culture shock. They came from a nomadic, introverted, family-centered society into a very different world. Like today, Canaanite culture was steeped in sexual perversion and violence. That is why God commanded Israel to drive them from their land. He warned Israel about entering into agreements, intermarrying, worshipping other gods, and exposing their children to such flagrant sin. But as Joshua’s generation died out, the next one did all of those things. After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel. Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord and served the Baals (2:10,11).

Somehow the Israeli parents failed in passing their faith on to their children, and it is a repeated pattern throughout the book of Judges. Every successive generation seemed to drift from their faith, suffer the consequences from their sin, and cry out to God for help. God would hear their prayers, send a judge to deliver them from their enemies, only to see the cycle continue. The theme of that day (and ours) was every man did that which is right in their own eyes (21:25). 

Sin is simply selfishness or self-centeredness. The antidote, once you have asked God for forgiveness, is becoming outwardly focused, to loving and serving God and other people. The secret is revealed in our NT reading today: discovering the gifts of God’s Spirit within each believer and putting them to work. As our children begin to see what God has given them to give away to others, the grip of selfishness is broken. The children’s ministry at our home church does this so well. At every age level, children are given opportunity to put what they are learning about God to work, in serving and ultimately leading younger children. This is modeled by adults throughout the church and hopefully in every home. 

Bob Dylan said it well, “you gotta serve somebody.” If we don’t teach our children how to serve God, they will live to serve themselves, and eventually the god of this world. “Lord, thank you for a family and a home church that showed me how to serve You. Help me continue to pass that on to my children and grandchildren!”

March 26 - I Will Serve the Lord

 Read today’s texts first: Joshua 23,24; Psalms 44; 1 Corinthians 11

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ (1 Cor. 11:1). Our choices not only affect us and our future, but they
influence those who are walking behind us.

Who in the Bible was born without any parents? The answer - Joshua, the son of none (Nun). Sorry ‘bout that, but as a kid I loved Bible jokes. Joshua did have parents, probably good ones from the way he turned out. He also had an excellent mentor, most likely shadowing Moses from the moment they left Egypt. And Joshua was definitely a son of God, one of only a few leaders in the Bible who finished well. We all remember his parting words to Israel. If you grew up in a Christian home you may have had them displayed on a plaque: Choose you this day whom you will serve ... but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord (24:15).

You most likely heard your parents say this to you often: “make good choices!” We all have choices to make every day. Unlike animals (in God’s creation, humans are not animals so don’t believe those who tell you differently), we do not live our lives by programmed instincts. We were created in God’s image, and one of the characteristics we inherited from Him is the ability to choose how we live our lives on this earth and where we will spend eternity. But the choice to serve God is more than a one-time decision. We are saved, or become a child of God, with one decision, but we work out our salvation (Phil. 2:12) by making godly choices every day.

Joshua stands out as an example of a man who did just that. What is even more remarkable is the legacy he left behind:  Israel served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had experienced everything the Lord had done for Israel (24:30). Like his mentor, Moses, Joshua left Israel in good hands. Paul, the apostle, made the same kind of choices and was able to say to his followers and successors: Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ (1 Cor. 11:1). Our choices not only affect us and our future, but they influence those who are walking behind us.

“Lord, my prayer is the same as Joshua: I choose to serve You this day and every day; as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

March 25 - Distance Learning

 Read today’s texts first: Joshua 21,22; Psalm 47; 1 Corinthians 10

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

It is best to study at SHK, the School of Hard Knocks,  through Distance Learning.

I’m a big proponent of hands-on training. It has been the guiding value behind the Bible college and the church institutes I’ve led. Every student applies what they are learning immediately within the real-life world of a local church. But there is one school, from which we all need to graduate, where I would recommend completing each course by “distance learning.” The school is SHK, better known as the School of Hard Knocks!

Have you ever wondered why there are so many stories of failure in the Bible, especially within the history of Israel? Most other ancient documents, like those chronicling the Pharaohs or Caesars, often minimize or omit their leaders’ missteps and exaggerate their accomplishments. But the Bible is all about real people in real life making real mistakes. Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did….These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come (1 Cor. 10:6,11).

For the most part, I grew up learning from the mistakes of others. Avoiding the traps of adolescence was worth the labels of “nerd” or “goody two shoes” (what does that mean anyways?). When I did persist in learning the wrong things the wrong way, I would look back later, shake my head, and wonder why I didn’t keep my distance. I could have - God always provides an escape route every time we are tempted (10:13).

“Lord, I am so grateful that Your Word helped me learn most of the hard lessons of life without the hard knocks. But when I failed some of those lessons, I am also grateful that You never kept Your distance from me.”