"And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has received him back safe and sound.' "But he became angry and was not willing to go in; and his father came out and began pleading with him.
"But he answered and said to his father, 'Look! For so many years I have been serving you and I have never neglected a command of yours; and yet you have never given me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends;" Luke 15:27-29
You may recognize this interchange as what happens at the end of the story about the prodigal son. The larger context here is that Jesus' adversaries, the scribes and Pharisees, were grumbling against him for receiving and interacting with sinners. Jesus relates three stories featuring different views on recovering that which was lost. In this last rendering, he is specifically referring to the scribes and Pharisees in the person of the son who stayed.
Beloved so often we think of ourselves in situations that involve others. When we are learning lessons that will keep us on the path of righteousness, that is a good thing. When we are providing the lessons through our own failures, well, you get the point. The son in this story was focused on the wrong thing. Though his younger brother displayed incredibly bad judgment, he was returned to the family. His return should have elicited joy. Not only was his flesh and blood sibling with whom he had grown up safe, sound and home, the "loyal" son's standing was not in any way affected. He was more concerned about a party than the weightier matter of a family reunion.
This story was a message to Jesus' adversaries. By entertaining sinners, Jesus was doing what he came to do. He was seeking and saving the lost. In this case, the sinners in question were not Gentiles, but members of the house of Israel. Whereas the scribes and Pharisees should have been rejoicing at the possibility of their brethren being saved (something they should have been pursuing themselves), they were focused on maintaining their own standing and being critical of Jesus, the one whose sacrifice would make salvation possible for even them. Let us learn from their mistakes. Sometimes, it's just not about us.
Loving Like Jesus,
Lee
Monday, September 12, 2011
Friday, September 9, 2011
Proximity Warning-9/9/2011
"Now the men of Sodom were wicked and sinning greatly against the Lord." Gen 13:13
It is now as it was then that we live in a wicked world. One need scarcely cast a glance to see that the effects of sin are all around us. It is piped into our homes via the television and the internet. It is broadcast into our ears via the radio and popular music. Our eyes are assaulted by morally impure billboards and magazine covers. None of us need go looking for its evidences. It is all around us.
So it was in Lot's time. You will recall that at the time it became necessary for he and his uncle Abraham to part ways, Lot was given a choice. He chose the lush and fertile plains and "pitched his tent near Sodom." Chapter 19 finds him sitting at the gates of and ostensibly living in the city itself. It was already well known what type of place this was yet he evidently chose to live there.
Beloved we must be aware of our proximity to wickedness. Often times we watch certain movies or television shows, listen to certain radio programs and read certain books and maintain certain relationships that are not in keeping with what is best for our spiritual development. We tell ourselves that we are mature enough, strong enough and discerning enough to glean from them without becoming subject to them. 2 Cor 6:14 asks, "What fellowship does light have with darkness?" What would we be missing from our lives if we rejected and eliminated the unholy and the impure from our lives?
Lot began his life in close proximity to God. By the end of his life, he had lost his possesions during the destruction of the city, his wife, who could not distance herself from her past and he unknowingly fathered children by his wicked and incestuous daughters. From these children came the Moabites who then became enemies of God's people. These are ample enough reasons to watch your proximity to wickedness.
Loving Like Jesus,
Lee
It is now as it was then that we live in a wicked world. One need scarcely cast a glance to see that the effects of sin are all around us. It is piped into our homes via the television and the internet. It is broadcast into our ears via the radio and popular music. Our eyes are assaulted by morally impure billboards and magazine covers. None of us need go looking for its evidences. It is all around us.
So it was in Lot's time. You will recall that at the time it became necessary for he and his uncle Abraham to part ways, Lot was given a choice. He chose the lush and fertile plains and "pitched his tent near Sodom." Chapter 19 finds him sitting at the gates of and ostensibly living in the city itself. It was already well known what type of place this was yet he evidently chose to live there.
Beloved we must be aware of our proximity to wickedness. Often times we watch certain movies or television shows, listen to certain radio programs and read certain books and maintain certain relationships that are not in keeping with what is best for our spiritual development. We tell ourselves that we are mature enough, strong enough and discerning enough to glean from them without becoming subject to them. 2 Cor 6:14 asks, "What fellowship does light have with darkness?" What would we be missing from our lives if we rejected and eliminated the unholy and the impure from our lives?
Lot began his life in close proximity to God. By the end of his life, he had lost his possesions during the destruction of the city, his wife, who could not distance herself from her past and he unknowingly fathered children by his wicked and incestuous daughters. From these children came the Moabites who then became enemies of God's people. These are ample enough reasons to watch your proximity to wickedness.
Loving Like Jesus,
Lee
Thursday, September 8, 2011
One With Another-9/8/2011
"Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep." Rom 12:15
As a Christian body, we are part of one another. We are affected and afflicted by those things which affect and afflict others in the body. As a Christian family, we are to sympathize with our brothers and sisters in the Lord, sharing in their emotions under the best and worst circumstances. After all of the calamities that Job endured, his close friends sat with him and wept with him. Likewise, at the return of the prodigal son, his friends and family celebrated,
Beloved, sharing a common eternity begins with sharing a common Father and a common Savior, then a common life. The New Testament is replete with advisements of how we are to encourage, support, edify and bear each other's burdens. We are to be kind, to be at peace and to love one another fervently. It is only through developing strong spiritual and familial bonds that these things are possible. The fact is, we need each other to gain heaven. How can we love the Father whom we have not seen and not love His other children, our brothers and sisters whom we have?
Loving Like Jesus,
Lee
As a Christian body, we are part of one another. We are affected and afflicted by those things which affect and afflict others in the body. As a Christian family, we are to sympathize with our brothers and sisters in the Lord, sharing in their emotions under the best and worst circumstances. After all of the calamities that Job endured, his close friends sat with him and wept with him. Likewise, at the return of the prodigal son, his friends and family celebrated,
Beloved, sharing a common eternity begins with sharing a common Father and a common Savior, then a common life. The New Testament is replete with advisements of how we are to encourage, support, edify and bear each other's burdens. We are to be kind, to be at peace and to love one another fervently. It is only through developing strong spiritual and familial bonds that these things are possible. The fact is, we need each other to gain heaven. How can we love the Father whom we have not seen and not love His other children, our brothers and sisters whom we have?
Loving Like Jesus,
Lee
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
If the Lord Wills-9/7/2011
"Come now, you who say, " Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit." Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, " If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that." James 4:13-15
In this day and age, we busy ourselves with all kinds of pursuits. They are many and varied in their content and scope. These activities often involve setting goals, creating action steps and measuring impact or results. This is what every job teaches us to do. That training filters into our family life and becomes who we are.
I submit to you that there is a missing component in all of our grand planning. Too often, we fail to consult God. Surely he has equipped us with ability, however, the greater gift is His ability. The scriptures are replete with examples of times and events where God's direction was sought in prayer and times when it was not.
To be clear, prayer does not guarantee the success of our plans. The point is that He may have other plans for us or the situation. We are but a small component of the His grand plan and we do not often see or understand our place in it. This is where faith comes in. We must rely upon our Father to know what is best and to do what is best.
When you plan pray. When you pray always pray that your righteous desires will fit within the will of the Almighty.
[Memory verse of the week: Revelation 3:20-21]
Loving Like Jesus,
In this day and age, we busy ourselves with all kinds of pursuits. They are many and varied in their content and scope. These activities often involve setting goals, creating action steps and measuring impact or results. This is what every job teaches us to do. That training filters into our family life and becomes who we are.
I submit to you that there is a missing component in all of our grand planning. Too often, we fail to consult God. Surely he has equipped us with ability, however, the greater gift is His ability. The scriptures are replete with examples of times and events where God's direction was sought in prayer and times when it was not.
To be clear, prayer does not guarantee the success of our plans. The point is that He may have other plans for us or the situation. We are but a small component of the His grand plan and we do not often see or understand our place in it. This is where faith comes in. We must rely upon our Father to know what is best and to do what is best.
When you plan pray. When you pray always pray that your righteous desires will fit within the will of the Almighty.
[Memory verse of the week: Revelation 3:20-21]
Loving Like Jesus,
Lee
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Trust Him-9/6/11
"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Rom 8:28
There are times when we all look to the heavens and cry "Why me Lord?" Whether medical malady, financial challenges, matters of the heart or just some perceived unfortunate happenstance, we wonder why bad things happen to good people...to us.
The reality is that both good and bad happen to both "good" and "bad". For some reason, we as Christians feel as though bad should not happen to us, particularly if we are doing the best we can to lead upright lives. Christ clearly told us to expect adversity, if nothing else, because of our Christianity. As long as we live on this earth, we will be subject to what we consider happenstance and perhaps more importantly, consequences for our actions (a topic for another devotional).
While we are thinking, have we ever take time to look back over our lives, particularly the difficult times and seen the good that has come of it? Did losing one job pave the way for a better one? Did being sick in the hospital allow you to share the gospel with someone that needed it? Did experiencing the lowest of lows teach you that God is all you need?
There is ample scriptural evidence to support that God is in control and that he knows what He is doing. Do we ever stop to think about why Jesus had to endure what he did even though he lived a perfect life? More importantly, when we look at our own lives, we can see that we should trust Him.
[Memory verse of the week: Prov 3:5-6]
Loving Like Jesus,
Lee
There are times when we all look to the heavens and cry "Why me Lord?" Whether medical malady, financial challenges, matters of the heart or just some perceived unfortunate happenstance, we wonder why bad things happen to good people...to us.
The reality is that both good and bad happen to both "good" and "bad". For some reason, we as Christians feel as though bad should not happen to us, particularly if we are doing the best we can to lead upright lives. Christ clearly told us to expect adversity, if nothing else, because of our Christianity. As long as we live on this earth, we will be subject to what we consider happenstance and perhaps more importantly, consequences for our actions (a topic for another devotional).
While we are thinking, have we ever take time to look back over our lives, particularly the difficult times and seen the good that has come of it? Did losing one job pave the way for a better one? Did being sick in the hospital allow you to share the gospel with someone that needed it? Did experiencing the lowest of lows teach you that God is all you need?
There is ample scriptural evidence to support that God is in control and that he knows what He is doing. Do we ever stop to think about why Jesus had to endure what he did even though he lived a perfect life? More importantly, when we look at our own lives, we can see that we should trust Him.
[Memory verse of the week: Prov 3:5-6]
Loving Like Jesus,
Lee
Friday, September 2, 2011
Faith Works-9/2/2011
"Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it. Do not say to your neighbor, "Go, and come back, and tomorrow I will give it," when you have it with you." Prov 3:27-28
So often we tell our brothers and sisters in need that we will pray for them. We, in all of our faithful piety trust that God will work a miracle in their lives. We'll start prayer chains, mention them to the church secretary to put in the bulletin and share the request with all the faithful people that we know.
While prayer is a wonderful and necessary thing, there is nothing like action. We are called upon to put our faith to work. James captures this thought beautifully in 2:14-15 of his eponymous epistle: "Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."
Further, we may be completely magnanimous toward people we know or those who are members of our congregation, but what about he beggar on the street? What about the enclave of the homeless? What about those who are not friendly or loving toward us? What about our enemies? Matt 5:44-45 contains the very instructions of Jesus in these matters and reveals that God blesses all, regardless of station or status.
Beloved, when someone prays to God, it should be we, His earthen vessels, that show up, and that quickly.
Loving Like Jesus,
Lee
So often we tell our brothers and sisters in need that we will pray for them. We, in all of our faithful piety trust that God will work a miracle in their lives. We'll start prayer chains, mention them to the church secretary to put in the bulletin and share the request with all the faithful people that we know.
While prayer is a wonderful and necessary thing, there is nothing like action. We are called upon to put our faith to work. James captures this thought beautifully in 2:14-15 of his eponymous epistle: "Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."
Further, we may be completely magnanimous toward people we know or those who are members of our congregation, but what about he beggar on the street? What about the enclave of the homeless? What about those who are not friendly or loving toward us? What about our enemies? Matt 5:44-45 contains the very instructions of Jesus in these matters and reveals that God blesses all, regardless of station or status.
Beloved, when someone prays to God, it should be we, His earthen vessels, that show up, and that quickly.
Loving Like Jesus,
Lee
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Are You Ready-9/1/2011
"And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut." Matt 27:10
Foundational to our Christian belief is that we serve a risen Lord who has promised to come back for us one day, John 14:2-3. What has not been promised is that we would know when. According to Mark 13:32, this information is given neither to man, angels or even the Son, but remains with the Father.
There are numerous scriptures that discuss the return of Christ. Many of them feature phrases like, "in the twinkling of an eye," "as a thief in the night," and "suddenly." Since no one knows neither the date nor the time, the very best thing we can do is to be ready for his return at all times. As outlined in the parable of the 10 virgins, 5 were properly prepared and 5 were not. They who find themselves scrambling to get ready and get right when the Lord arrives will find that it will be too late. Those who are leading faithful lives, Rev 2:10, will find themselves recipients of the promises of the Lord.
We all understand the challenges to leading righteous lives in these perilous times however; we must cast our eyes back to all that has been suffered on our behalf and forward to all that has been prepared. Our present sufferings are not worthy to be compared with the glory which will be revealed in us.
Jesus said, "Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh." Matt 24:44. Are you ready?
Loving Like Jesus,
Lee
Foundational to our Christian belief is that we serve a risen Lord who has promised to come back for us one day, John 14:2-3. What has not been promised is that we would know when. According to Mark 13:32, this information is given neither to man, angels or even the Son, but remains with the Father.
There are numerous scriptures that discuss the return of Christ. Many of them feature phrases like, "in the twinkling of an eye," "as a thief in the night," and "suddenly." Since no one knows neither the date nor the time, the very best thing we can do is to be ready for his return at all times. As outlined in the parable of the 10 virgins, 5 were properly prepared and 5 were not. They who find themselves scrambling to get ready and get right when the Lord arrives will find that it will be too late. Those who are leading faithful lives, Rev 2:10, will find themselves recipients of the promises of the Lord.
We all understand the challenges to leading righteous lives in these perilous times however; we must cast our eyes back to all that has been suffered on our behalf and forward to all that has been prepared. Our present sufferings are not worthy to be compared with the glory which will be revealed in us.
Jesus said, "Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh." Matt 24:44. Are you ready?
Loving Like Jesus,
Lee
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