Who am I Hurting?

"'Pray no more for these people, Jeremiah.

Do not weep or pray for them,

and don't beg me to help them,

for I will not listen to you.

Don't you see what they are doing throughout the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem?

No wonder I am so angry!

Watch how the children gather wood

and the fathers build sacrificial fires.

See how the women knead dough

and make cakes to offer to the Queen of Heaven.

And they pour out liquid offerings to their other idol gods!

Am I the one they are hurting?' asks the LORD.

'Most of all, they hurt themselves,

to their own shame.'"

Jeremiah 7:16-19 NLT

I dishonor God by failing to acknowledge Him as sovereign and staying true to Him alone.  But mostly it hurts me as I remove myself from all that is good and right (James 1:17).  How so?

Cultivate.  What seeds am I sowing?  What attitudes do I nurture?  What activities and mindsets do I promote, especially as a parent and a believer who is always watched by those around me?  If I look closely, I discover that I cultivate a spirit of busyness, pride in accomplishments, emphasis on education yet I ignore God, as if He is simply a means to another end.  Instead of looking to Him as the Source, as the Purpose, as my All in all, I use Him as the power to drive my agenda and to make my own selfish plans come to fruition.

While this sort of ungodly focus does fail to show respect and regard for God who is worthy to be praised at all times, it also hurts me.  It is to my own shame that I fail to see the value in connecting with God throughout my day, in teaching my children to look to Him as their source of wisdom, understanding and help, in growing in my bond with Him by trusting Him with every decision that must be made and every insecurity that wears me down.  I am made for relationship with God so when I neglect this higher purpose, I am missing a big chunk of what it is to be human as my Creator intended.

When I commit to cultivating my relationship with God, I am opening myself up to many blessings.

Dedication.  I faithfully attend church every time the doors are open.  I can be counted on to raise my hand whenever help is needed.  I'm devoted to the disciplines of my faith; reading the Bible daily, praying, fasting, discipling others.  I work hard to live a pure and holy life as is expected of me (1 Peter 1:15).  While I know the law doesn't save me, I try hard to adhere to it out of reverence to God.  Yet something is missing.

On the surface, it seems I am living the kind of life that would please God, that would give Him great pleasure, yet I'm missing the point.  You see, I am dedicated to a religion instead of a relationship with God.  I fail to perceive the God who is behind everything I'm doing as a living, breathing God who can be known and who desires that I grow closer to Him each day.  As my bond with Him grows, I'll find I'll want to gather with other believers and serve as He moves me.  As He and I become more intimate, I'll discover that a deep desire for the disciplines will well up inside of me like a hunger that must be satisfied, and a longing will develop to walk according to His indwelling Spirit who leads me in a way that honors His law (Galatians 5:16-18).  I am made for God, so when I dedicate myself to religious activity, I am missing out on the sweet thrill of drawing close to the One who made me and loves me perfectly.

When I dedicate myself to the Lord Himself as a living, breathing God, I am opening myself up to many blessings.

Sacrifice.  There are many gods to whom I can sacrifice.  I give up family time, a social life, and my health in order to taste success.  I surrender free time so that I can build up my bank account as I believe every responsible adult should.  I want a nice house and car so I work hard and reward myself with the finer things.  In order to taste happiness, I go after my dreams.  

This is the way most of us live our lives, willingly giving up lesser things in order to gain what is deemed as more valuable.  Yet in my desire to realize the American dream, I forget about the One who gives me life and breath.  Without Him, I wouldn't even exist let alone be able to run after all that I think will fulfill me.  I can even fool myself into believing that Jesus died so I can taste a rich and meaningful life, so He must want me to live life to the fullest, making the most of every opportunity to reach my full potential.  The problem is, I ignore God Himself, failing to realize the best way I can keep from wasting the one life I've been given is to honor Him by giving myself to Him as a living sacrifice, offering myself up as an instrument of righteousness to be used as He best sees fit (Romans 6:13, 12:1).  This is the kind of sacrifice that He desires.

When I sacrifice myself to the Lord, I am opening myself up to many blessings.

I dishonor God in many ways as I fail to acknowledge that He is at the center of all things.  I nurture the wrong things, commit myself to religion or tradition, and I surrender myself to what is temporary and shallow. When I live in such a way, I do more damage to myself than to God.  I was meant for so much more than all these things.  I was made for Him, and when I cultivate a bond with Him, dedicate myself to Him, and sacrifice my own will for His, I will discover what it is to live the good life.  I am only hurting myself when I live fail to live for Him!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can taste the riches God has in store for me by drawing close to Him.  

When do I focus on doing for God instead of getting to know Him?

How much do I know God for myself?

     

Religion is Not the Answer

"But I will be merciful only if you stop your evil thoughts and deeds and start treating each other with justice;

only if you stop exploiting foreigners, orphans, and widows;

only if you stop your murdering;

and only if you stop harming yourselves by worshiping idols.

Then I will let you stay in this land

that I gave to your ancestors to keep forever."

Jeremiah 7:5-7 NLT

I live in a land that values freedom.  As a result, according to the Bill of Rights, I have the liberty to live as I see fit, to live out my faith, to live according to God's moral standard.  Yet I fail to take advantage of this freedom and begin to coast along, veering away from God's intended purpose for His people.  Many hearts have likewise turned away from Him.  

I see how far removed from God we've become as a nation, but I can't imagine He would take His hand of mercy away from America because of our forefather's acknowledgement of Him.  But I'm wrong.  We are not special because of our heritage or our freedom.  And just because religion is everywhere and I'm free to believe whatever I want does not mean God looks the other way when it comes to the hearts of His people.  What then must I do to turn this country around?

Repent.  Soup kitchens.  Charity.  Volunteerism.  Elderly visitation.  Shut-in ministries. Prison outreach. There is a myriad of opportunities for believers to invest in the community, to get involved with the good God is doing, to shine their light.  As I see the world become darker, it's my tendency to amp up my efforts as a way to counteract the evil, to overwhelm the bad, to outshine the darkness.  But does all my hard work do any good?  Does it make a difference in the eternal scheme of things?  Does it make a dent in the change that must come?

I'd like to think my commitment to giving back to my community will help combat all that's wrong in this country, but the real problem has already been solved by a Savior who gave His life in order to make a way for mankind to be reconciled with God and thus find a better way to live (2 Corinthians 5:17-18).  Jesus is the key that opens the door to right living, and only by turning away from my old ways and committing to Him by faith can I follow His indwelling Spirit and do what pleases God in order to accomplish that which makes an eternal difference (John 15:5, Galatians 5:16-17, 22-23).  If even a third of Americans repented of their sins, wrong living, and harmful attitudes and actions, turning to Jesus by faith, think what a difference it would make in the atmosphere, in the direction we are headed as a nation, in the tone of politics.  The Light would shine into the darkness and the darkness would not be able to put it out (John 1:5, Psalm 18:28).

The answer is not a commitment to a tradition of doing good but in an intimate relationship with a living God through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.  

Exploitation.  A heavy burden is placed on many shoulders.  Much is expected of even the weak among us.  The vulnerable are oppressed, held back by the overwhelming load adding to their already uphill battle.  Instead of feeling hope and support from those who call themselves church family, the poor, the orphan, the widow, and the unbeliever feel discouraged and ostracized, shamed by their position and circumstances, crushed by the weight of their helplessness.  Some are even pushed into unthinkable solutions to unbearable problems as the life of the innocent growing inside her young womb is snuffed out in an effort to give her a future.  Those in charge call it a necessary evil in order to bring about the greater good.  The church often gets the cart before the horse and fails to follow the leading of the Spirit of God in ministering to the needy.  Thus, man messes up what God intended.  

Much exploitation occurs within the walls of the church when the helpless and hopeless come to her for assistance.  Instead of offering true Life, healing, purpose and an eternal future through repentance and faith in the Christ, programs are presented, forms are filled out, inconceivable resolutions are offered, unreasonable expectations are required.  If all who came to the Body of Christ for help became part of His family by faith, they would receive all they ever needed from their Father above (Matthew 6:33, Philippians 4:19), and He would often use His people to give what is necessary.  Then the kingdom of God would grow and His culture of perfect provision would prevail.

The answer is not an investment in the religion of following rules made by man but in an intimate relationship with a living God through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.

Deceit.  Many popular teachers speak words that sound good, tell me what I want to hear, give me a feeling of well-being that serves as a pick-me-up (2 Timothy 4:3).  Their ratings soar as their books fly off the shelf.  As a result of their fame, I buy into their brand of religion, believing the deceptive teachings that make me the center, the focus, the emphasis.  Instead of mankind's purpose being to bring glory to God and enjoy a close bond with Him, the reason for living that comes from their mouths is all about my fulfillment, my happiness, my success.  I begin to fashion my own god based on what I hear and he takes on a life of his own as I cuddle up to this soft and comfortable idol who resembles little of what makes the One True God magnificent and worthy of praise.  

I'm seeing a trend in "Christianity" today where beliefs are based not on God's Word, but have been adjusted to accommodate the culture, the flesh, and is based on man's own understanding.  Not comfortable with the exclusive nature of marriage?  Man's solution is to expand it's parameters and include all who claim to love each other truly.  Not sure if a loving God would really judge His image bearers based on their sin?  Man's solution is to deny the coming judgment and fashion a god who is not offended by sin (1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Hebrews 9:6, Psalm 51:4).  Don't like the idea that we must give up our independence, our bent toward the flesh in order to follow Jesus?  Man's solution is to present a God who accepts us as we are, sin and all and gives us a life that is easy, where all our dreams come true (Matthew 16:24-25, Romans 3:23, 6:23).  If all who sought God accepted Him as He is through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, our culture would become more pleasing to God and pleasant for mankind.

The answer is not adherence to a set of comfortable beliefs created by man to suit his needs, but in an intimate relationship with a living God through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.

When times get tough, people often go to church.  But religion will not save us from the direction our country is now headed, or from the consequences of our actions. We need a more permanent solution that is offered to those who let go of their own desire to control and do things their own way and surrender by faith to Jesus Christ.  He is the answer because faith in Jesus reconciles man with God, connecting believers to the One who can set all things right again.  Let us not wait.  May many turn to Jesus now, for He is the answer!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God enough to accept the solution He offers.

When do I try to solve problems my way?

How have I drifted away from the reality of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and bought into something else altogether?

     

Our Advantage

Today's devotional comes from my book, 52 Days of Grace, available now on Amazon.

“What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision?  Much in every way! First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God.    What if some were unfaithful? Will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness?  Not at all! Let God be true, and every human being a liar. As it is written:

‘So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge.’”

                                                                                                                                                   Romans 3:1-4

There are many religions man uses to try to get to God.   Each has its own list of requirements to fulfill in order for a follower to climb closer to the ultimate goal.  Each uses a standard set by man to measure a disciple’s progress and many followers claim to have found peace and meaning in this process.

So what advantage do we, as disciples of Christ, hold?  We have the very words of God to use as our blueprint for building a meaningful life and to employ as a standard with which to measure our hearts.  Many times we fail to use God’s Word in this way, but simply read it as part of a ritual or as a daily habit.  The amazing thing about God is that this lack of faith on our part does not at all change His character.   If I claim that the maple tree in my front yard does not exist, that does not make it true, as evidenced by the shade I enjoy in the summer or the leaves I rake up each fall.  The tree is there no matter what I believe in my heart about it or how many times I ignore it as I walk past it on the way to the car.  In the same way, God’s faithfulness to fulfill his promises and to love us as only He can is not invalidated by my “lukewarmness.”    If I simply go through the motions of doing “religious things”, but make no real investment in my relationship with my Father, it does not diminish one iota His character.  He is still the same today as He was when He created all things. (Psalm 102:25-27)

Knowing that God is there waiting for me to place Him in the center of my life, and that He won’t be a different God once I finally appreciate and acknowledge Him, is comforting and inspiring.  I want to know a God who doesn’t change!  Everything else around me is constantly changing: My relationships, my family, my garden, my home, my job.  Nothing stays the same.  Nothing, that is, except God.  That is our advantage as the people of the One True God.       

When all else is shifting, I can stand firmly on the Solid Rock.

How have you fallen into the beliefs of this world regarding “religion” and character of God?

How much time do you spend in learning more about the One True God by reading His Word, meeting with His people and talking to Him?

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for being a God who does not change like shifting shadows.  I can always count on you.  I want to make You and Your law my foundation through faith in Jesus, giving me a solid rock to stand on during life’s storms.  I ask for strength and faith to make this commitment.  Thank you for your faithfulness to stay the same even when everything else around me is changing.  Help me to trust in your never-changing character.

I pray these things in Jesus Name,

Amen

If you were challenged by today's reading and would like to own a copy of 52 Days of Grace, click here to order 

Religion vs. Relationship

"Religion that God our Father accepts as

pure and faultless is this:

to look after orphans and widows

in their distress and to keep oneself

from being polluted by the world."

James 1:27

Religion carries a negative connotation in our world. Wars are fought in the name of religion.  Hurting souls stay far away from God because of the pain experienced at the hand of religious people.  Innocent bystanders die at the hand of religious zealots.  Entire segments of society are ostracized by the judgment of religiously pious individuals.  

John Lennon wrote a song about imagining a world without religion. . . and how we could live in peace as a result.  He might have had something there. . .

Religion is defined as a group of people who adhere to an agreed upon set of beliefs and practices. Religion can easily become something hurtful and ugly when man adds to the law instituted by God and puts himself in the position of judgement and of wielding power over others.  Religion then becomes a tool used to control the lives of others.

The First Century believers must have experienced these same kind of issues as demonstrated by today's verse.

What is the difference between following a religion and cultivating a relationship with Jesus? 

Heart

God is all about my heart.  David was considered to be a man after God's own heart due to his desire to please God in all things.  Even though he failed miserably in many ways, and committed horrific sins, his heart was focused on following and obeying God for most of his life. 

A heart inclined toward God desires to obey God and God alone.  After being exposed of his sin, David repented and asked God to, " Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." (Psalm 51:10)

My heart can get me in trouble.  When I am focused more on the law and how it applies to others, my relationship with a living God is replaced with religion.  If, however, I seek to please God above all things, my devotion to a set of beliefs and practices turns into a devotion to God. This is why David knew a pure heart was essential to his ability to please the God he loved.

Just as the Lord told the nation of Israel how he tired of their meaningless offerings and adherence to rituals, He gives me the same message of real worship.  God desires not a religious follower, but a child who's heart is inclined toward Him and who's greatest desire is to obey Him. 

As a follower of Jesus, my heart must be fully devoted to Him as my Lord and Savior.

Actions

While my heart is the center of God's focus, my actions betray the condition of my heart.  Anyone who has studied the book of James knows that I can't get away with just reading and knowing God's Word, but I must also put it into action.  God reminds me in James 1:22 to, ". . .not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says."

If my heart is wholly devoted to obeying God, I will act in a way that is in tune with His law, loving God and others.  Simply following the law, however, as a code of conduct outside of a committed relationship to God, leads to a brand of religion in the ugliest form.  The Bible then becomes a weapon used to cut others down and keep them away from God.

I recently met a young man who had, "religion shoved down my throat," as a youth.  Now, as a self-professed gay man, he is struggling to find his own spirituality.  Out of fear of the way his lifestyle conflicted with God's law, many well-intentioned religious people drove this image bearer from the very God whose love he craves.  

In order for my actions to line up with God's Word, my heart must be wholly devoted to God.  

Shield

As a believer who is living in a fallen world, I am constantly bombarded with worldly viewpoints and beliefs.  In order to keep from becoming just like the culture in which I live, I must guard myself intentionally against the thought patterns that so easily creep into my consciousness.

When presented with a crisis or an issue of some kind, what is my first reaction?  Do I immediately go before the Lord for comfort and guidance, or do I talk to others and get their advice and counsel?

While consulting with trusted friends and family is not wrong, this should not be my first response.  I have to admit, I desire to hash things out with someone who is right in front of me and whose voice I can clearly hear.  When I talk to God, I don't always get an answer right away and I certainly don't hold an audible conversation with Him! 

Taking in lots of advice from others, though, poses a threat.  I am flooded with all kinds of beliefs and ideas and I must then wade through it all to find the truth.  I am susceptible to falling for a worldly viewpoint which may make complete sense to my own understanding, disregarding God's plan. 

It is important that I go to God first to in order to find my grounding before sharing the problem with others.  Even though I can't audibly hear His voice, He supernaturally guides my thought patterns toward the truth.  Then I will be putting into action Proverbs 3:5-6.  "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."

In order for my heart to stay committed to God, I must shield myself from the principles of this world.

I am not a religious person.  I do, however, claim to follow Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.  As a believer, it is important that I devote my heart to pleasing God which will lead to actions that line up with His Word.  It is also vital that I protect my heart from the thought patterns of this world in order to stay committed to God. 

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that my only concern will be to please God.

How do I try to lean on my own understanding instead of trusting God in all things?

When do I run to people with my problems instead of falling on my knees before my Lord and Savior?