Crosswalk.com--The Devotional

[Judy Harder]

Feeding the Fire
by Ryan Duncan, Crosswalk.com Entertainment Editor

Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always. - 1 Chronicles 16:11

Earlier this year I went fishing with my family up in the boundary waters of Minnesota. Ironically, the first day we pushed out onto the lake in are canoes, the weather was ideal. The sun was shining, the sky was clear, and it was warm but with a nice breeze to take the edge off. Then, like something out of a Calvin and Hobbes cartoon, the weather made a sudden shift. The next morning we got up to find a cloud had descended over the lake.

It wasn't raining per say, it was more like all the moisture in the area had gotten together and decided to smother our campsite. It was cold, it was damp, and all we could really do was huddle together for warmth. Finally I couldn't stand it any longer, I was going to build a fire. We had all tried earlier that morning, but the damp wood was nearly impossible to burn. With no lighter fluid and only a couple of matches, I realized I was going to have to do this the hard way.

First I started off with small kindling, pine needles, leaves, twigs. Then I moved on to sticks and paper. It took a long time, but at last I got a decent sized flame that would burn the big logs despite the fact that they were damp. You can be sure, now that we finally had a roaring fire there was no way we were going to let it go out. I bring this up because I believe the concept of building a fire is similar to building a relationship with God.

When a friend of mine recently said he didn't want to lose "the fire" God had given his spirit, I couldn't help but remember that cold morning in Minnesota. The Holy Spirit will give us the passion and endurance to live Godly lives, but like a campfire, it will eventually burn down to embers if not supplemented by our own actions. It can be hard work at times. You'll need to start with kindling like daily prayer and scripture reading, follow up with something bigger like volunteering at Church, and then maybe apply a large commitment like ministry. It won't be easy, and there will be times when it all seems useless, but in the end the Holy Spirit will burn all brighter.

Remember the words of Matthew,   

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." – Matthew 5:14-16

Intersecting Faith and Life: Look for ways to build up your faith in daily life. What actions can you take to make a difference?

Further Reading                           

1 Corinthians 12

[Judy Harder]

Who Wants a Free Gift?
by Ryan Duncan, Crosswalk.com Entertainment Editor

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. – Hebrews 4:16

"Who wants a free gift?" I don't know about you, but that's a statement that often gives me pause. The reason why is because almost every day I'm bombarded with offers to receive a "free gift" that isn't really free. You probably know what I'm talking about. Credit card companies offer me "free rewards" if I spend more that eighteen thousand dollars with one of their cards. Airlines say they'll give me "free miles" if I book a trip to China right now, and then there are those pesky infomercials that offer me "free" steak knives if I buy their grease cooker for only $19.99!

As a Christian living in a world where there's no such thing as a free lunch, it's sometimes hard to understand the meaning of grace, and even harder to teach it to others. So when my father was asked to teach a group of middle school students about grace, I admit I had no idea how he was going to pull it off. But my father is a pretty shrewd guy (you're welcome Dad), and as soon as he got the lesson he went out, bought a Hershey bar the size of a laptop computer and covered it in wrapping paper. On Sunday morning he walked to the front of the room, held up the present, a said "Who wants a free gift?" No one moved.

Finally, one brave kid got up and ran forward to take the present from my father's hand. It's that simple. Every day God calls to us, offering the free gift of his grace, and all we need to do is accept it. Grace doesn't require a down payment, it doesn't ask you to do something first, and it's never a bonus for something you've already accomplished. Grace is a gift, the only thing in this world that is truly free.           

Intersecting Faith and Life: Do you want to receive a free gift? Take a moment during your day to reconnect with Christ.   

Further Reading

Ephesians 2:8

[Judy Harder]

There's a Title for That
by John UpChurch, Senior Editor, BibleStudyTools.com

"He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy." Colossians 1:17-18

Sometimes, we just need to be reminded of who Jesus is:

·         The Word: He pitched His tent with us and put flesh on God's promises (John 1)

·         Son of God: He's got the whole world in His hands (Matthew 16:16)

·         Son of Man: He knows our sorrows up close and personal (Matthew 17:12)

·         Son of David: He loved His people, even if they didn't recognize Him (Matthew 1:1; John 1)

·         Teacher: He tells us exactly what we need, even if it's not what we want to hear (John 3:2)

·         Prophet: He told us what would and will happen (Deuteronomy 18:15; Matthew 13:57)

·         Provider: He can make a little go a long way (Mark 6:30-44)

·         Mediator: He's right in the middle of our struggles and pleading our case (1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 9:15)

·         Suffering Servant: He got busted up for us (Isaiah 53)

·         Lamb of God: He put sin in a full-nelson and made death cry uncle (John 1:29)

·         Lion of Judah: He can take care of His enemies with just His roar (Revelation 5:5, 19:21)

·         Counselor: He's the cure for our addictions and struggles (Isaiah 9:6)

·         Prince of Peace: He signed—in blood—the peace treaty between God and us (Isaiah 9:6)

·         Immanuel: He never gets tired of being with us (Isaiah 7:14)

·         King of Kings: He's got the power (Revelation 17:14)

·         The Way: He ain't got no time for wishy-washy "all roads" arguments; He's it (John 14:6)

·         The Truth: He puts the lie in our "true for you" follies (John 14:6)

·         The Life: He resuscitates hearts that were hardened by sin (John 14:6, 20:31)

·         Good Shepherd: He patiently and lovingly tracks down His runaways (Luke 15:4; John 10:11)

·         True Vine: He nurtures us to fruitfulness (John 15:4-5; Romans 7:4)

·         Friend of Sinners: He offers grace to those stumbling around in darkness (Matthew 11:9)

·         Balm of Gilead: He binds up our wounds by the scars on His back (Jeremiah 8:22; Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24)

·         Giver of the Spirit: He sent the One who makes the journey alongside us and leads us into truth (John 14)

·         Light of the World: He sends photons to those who've been blinded by the god of this age (Luke 2:32; Acts 13:47; 2 Corinthians 4:4)

·         Intercessor: He never stops praying for us (Isaiah 53:12; John 17)

·         Great High Priest: He took care of all the Temple work (Hebrews 7)

·         The Bread/Water of Life: He's our daily nutritional requirement for a spiritually balanced life (John 6; Revelation 21:6)

·         Alpha and Omega: He gets the first and last word... always (Revelation 22:13)

·         Lord of Glory: He makes angels belt out never-ending praises (Psalm 24, 103:20; James 2:1)

·         Firstborn among the Dead: He paved the path that leads to His place (Colossians 1:18)

Intersecting Faith and Life: Jesus has so many titles because He fulfills all our needs. Wherever you are in life, whatever you need, He's got it covered. As my father-in-law sometimes says, "Jesus picked up His cross and said, 'Hang on to Me. We're going through.'"

With Him, you will make it out alive.

[Judy Harder]

Theocratic Bilateral Dispensationalism
by Ryan Duncan, Crosswalk.com Entertainment Editor

For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. – 1 Corinthians 3:11

The immortal bard, Dave Barry, once wrote "The problem with writing about religion is that you run the risk of offending sincerely religious people, and then they come after you with machetes."  All humor aside, I can't help but agree with Mr. Barry, especially where Christians are concerned.  You see, we Christians have a habit of tangling our faith in things other than Jesus Christ. As a kid, I can remember my initial confusion when words like "Baptist", "Catholic", or "Calvinist" where added alongside "Christian". This didn't bother me much, they still meant Christian after all, but it surprised me how these words sometimes caused tension between believers.

Soon, other words started finding their way into the term "Christian". Words like Republican, Democrat, Moderate, occasionally Communist, Egalitarian, Complementarian, Theocrat, or Dispensationalist. Aside from being really confusing and hard to spell, these words caused more than one disagreement among Christians. The first disciples saw their fair share of division too. In fact, Paul dedicated most of 1st Corinthians to calling for unity within the Church. 

I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.  My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas "; still another, "I follow Christ." Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul? I am thankful that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, so no one can say that you were baptized into my name. (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don't remember if I baptized anyone else.) For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel--not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. – 1 Corinthians 10 – 17

I can just imagine Paul madly shaking some ancient Christian and yelling "DON'T YOU GET IT! IT DOESN'T MATTER! CHRIST IS ALL THAT MATTERS!" and he's right. As Christians, it is important that we be on our guard against false teachings, but it is equally important that we do not let ourselves become divided. God never meant for his children to become separated, and when we allow issues like denominations or political leanings to cause strife between us, the message of the Cross becomes obscured.       

We were meant to be one body, one family, unified, as brothers and sisters. In his infinite grace, Christ called us to be Christians.   

Intersecting Faith and Life: Are you letting political or personal issue keep you from loving fellow Christians? Read 1 Corinthians and reflect on Paul's words.

Further Reading

Psalm 133 

[Judy Harder]

God is Not Judge Judy
by Kelly Givens, Editor, iBelieve.com

"But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere." - James 3:17

Last month I found myself in a situation that needed a good dose of wisdom. I had to make a decision and felt unsure what course of action was best, so over those next few days I prayed for wisdom on what I should do.  I also looked for verses in the Bible that talk about wisdom, and was surprised by what I found.

When I think of wisdom, usually the first thing that pops in my head is King Solomon and that poor baby. You probably know the story- God had given Solomon an incredible amount of wisdom, so much so that people from all over were coming to him with their questions and disputes. In this recorded case, two prostitutes came before the king, both claiming to be the mother of the same baby boy, both insisting that the other had stolen the infant after the death of the other's child. This was obviously before DNA testing, so what could be done? Well, Solomon had a sword brought to him and decided to settle things by cutting the baby in half! Now, that doesn't seem like a very compassionate king! It sounds more like something Judge Judy would do.

Judge Judy doesn't want to hear your sob story.  Her Honor gets right to the facts, lays down her decision and moves on to the next case, end of story. I realized I was asking God to be the" Judge Judy" of my life- I would present my problem and "ask for wisdom," but what I really wanted was for God to give me a definite answer that didn't leave any lingering questions. Obviously, God is not Judge Judy, and this is not the kind of wisdom he gives. So how should we think of wisdom? Let's go back to Solomon- who really wasn't like Judge Judy at all.

While it may have seemed bizarre that Solomon was going to cut a baby in half, the king had wisely discerned that the true mother would care more about the safety of the child than her possession of him.  And so it was- the mother cried out for the boy's life to be spared, and Solomon declared her the rightful parent. In doing this, he spared both the child and the women further pain. But this is more than Solomon just being cunning or smart. There's compassion to this decision too- an essential part of wisdom.

When Solomon asked God for wisdom, God didn't just fill his head with the right answer to every problem that would ever come up. No- he filled him with "wisdom" as James describes it- he filled him full of consideration, peacefulness, mercy, goodness, impartiality and sincerity.  King Solomon wasn't wise because he knew the law book forwards and backwards, or because he was particularly clever or a good problem solver.  He was wise because his decisions flowed from a heart and mind focused on values that are essential to the Kingdom of God. He didn't bother punishing the one woman for stealing a baby or stoning both women for being prostitutes (which the law would have demanded). His wisdom was compassionate, merciful, and just: it was true wisdom from above.

Intersecting Faith and Life: What problems in your life are you seeking wisdom in? Approach those problems in light of James 3:17 and trust that God will equip you with the wisdom you need for the challenges you face.

Further Reading:
Psalm 37:30
James 1:5
1 Corinthians 1: 19-29

[Judy Harder]

Wisdom From Above
by Debbie Holloway, Family Editor, Crosswalk.com

Recently I participated in a small group discussion of Christ-like humility. Our discussion leader had pulled up several Scripture passages for us to reflect upon, and one of them has been racing around in my brain ever since:

But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy (James 3:17).

Christ Mark 1:35 and always sought wisdom from above before speaking and acting. Thus, as Christians (Christ-followers) we should be constantly seeking this godly wisdom and applying it to our lives and relationships. But that verse is a big verse. What does it look like to have this wisdom from above?

1.     It is first of all pure. Our motives for doing anything should reflect a desire to live like Christ and be in right relationship with God. If our earthly "wisdom" tells us to approach a situation with impure motives such as greed, selfishness, or pride – that is not wisdom from above.

2.     It is peaceable. Sometimes we get preoccupied with the imagery of Spiritual Armor and treat everyone we meet like an enemy solider. We must remember that Ephesians 6:10 says this battle is "not against flesh and blood." Our Lord is a Prince of Peace, and we have a duty to act as citizens of peace.

3.     It is gentle. Proverbs 15:1. If we speak gently, others are more likely to accept and understand God's work and wisdom. But gentleness is not just about tone of voice. Remember the gentleness and patience with which Jesus dealt with children, sinners, and his apostles. Gentleness is a way of life.

4.     It is reasonable. Another translation of this reads "willing to yield to others" – and both are absolutely crucial elements of wisdom. It may seem impossible to live a pure lifestyle while being reasonable and willing to yield, but the Bible says we must. We were given an astounding level of intellect and reason – let us use it! We mustn't buy in to the lie that "reason is the enemy of faith." It is necessary to yield to God daily with every decision we make. But it is also possible (and necessary, and wise) to yield to others. Whether it's a matter of selfless giving or resisting the urge to have angry, theological debates, we are called to yield.

5.     It is full of mercy. That parent who abused their authority? That government leader who makes you cringe? That blogger who sounds heretical? Wisdom from above tells us to look on them with mercy. After all, has not God shown us the greatest mercy of all?

6.     It is full of good fruits. I'm sure many of us can list Galatians 5:22 of the Lord's Spirit. When we use godly wisdom to discern what we should do, we will consider the fruits of our choices. Do we strive to make choices that result in the fruits of the Spirit manifested in our lives?

7.     It is unwavering. Perhaps it might be strange to think that wisdom from above can be both "willing to yield" and "unwavering." But don't think of them as opposites. Perhaps think of it like a marriage or a friendship. Each person in the relationship must listen to reason and be willing to yield to the other. But the relationship itself must be unwavering. We must be bold enough to live unwaveringly as followers of Christ and good stewards of the earth, no matter the opposition.

8.     It is without hypocrisy. If something seems like wisdom to you but causes you to be double-minded or deceitful, it cannot be wisdom from above. What we believe must match what we say. What we say must match how we behave. Otherwise, we misrepresent Jesus and the lifestyle we claim to live.

Intersecting Faith and Life: The next time you're faced with a decision, take a moment to match up your actions with "wisdom from above."

Further Reading

Ephesians 6:10

Galatians 5:22

Psalms 111:10

[Judy Harder]

The Failure of History
John UpChurch, Senior Editor of BibleStudyTools.com

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:6)

To their credit, my two little girls sat patiently as the Cherokee peace chief explained his slit ears, metal breastplate, and high-heeled shoes. On the table in front of him sat a rifle, swan feathers, a clay mug, and other shards of the past. This is exactly what I love to do on a Saturday morning.

You see, I love the way history feels because I'm something of a nostalgia junky. The narratives that draw together people, locations, and wars latch onto me. The connections that run through mountains, rivers, and small towns dig under my skin. The history of grace absorbs me.

I have to be careful, though. Otherwise, I'd spend too much time living back there and not paying attention to grace here and now.

There's something in history that we often overlook. Sure, learning about the past supposedly keeps people from repeating mistakes (though I've yet to see that be the case). And we need to see where we've come from, to understand the ebbs and cycles in the story of civilization. But it's more than that.

History—much more than just a learning tool—is the story of human failure. If that sounds morbid, it is. The big picture of our history is how humans have failed to love, failed to live up to God's standards. There are tiny currents that push back against the raging waters of failure (and those are some great stories to focus on), but the overall direction has been clear.

What we learn, if we care to glance back, is that humanity has no chance—that is, no chance apart from grace. Our history lays bare the need for a raw, relentless love. We've stumbled and scrambled, fought and exiled. And yet no amount of human effort has ever satisfied the searching, the wanderlust. We've pushed on, pressed on, killed on. And never reached our goal.

But always there is God. The history we have points to the sparks He created in the darkness, the fires He kindled in the tragedies. Always there is God, appearing where you least expect. Always there is God, breaking through.

I love history because God's there in the midst of our failures. He never lets go; He never disappears.

Intersecting Faith & Life: One reason I always challenge others to keep a journal or a blog is because it gives us all a place to record our own histories. It's a place where we can see the pursuing love of God as He picks us up from our failures and loves us anyway. It's a place to learn from past mistakes. Take a moment today to capture your own story and keep at it. You'll always be amazed at the grace that shimmers through.

Further Reading

Romans 5

[Judy Harder]

Cold Soup
by Ryan Duncan, Crosswalk.com Entertainment Editor

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. – Mark 12:30

A while back, some friends and I went out to lunch at a nearby restaurant. Now, I'm not much of an adventurous eater, but that day I decided to try something new and ordered a soup called, "Vichyssoise." I now know that Vichyssoise is a thick soup made of puréed leeks, onions, potatoes, cream, and chicken stock. Also, it's traditionally served cold. Maybe I'm just not cultured enough to appreciate this unique delicacy, but in my opinion cold soup tastes horrible.

After one spoonful I was trying to find a creative way to spit it out without my friends noticing. The meal did make me think though, about what the Bible says about cold and lukewarm Christians. 

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth. - Revelation 3:15-16

It's funny how a bowl of soup can make you reflect on your life as a Christian. As I mulled over my actions in the past year, I realized how far away from God I had really moved. I had let my faith become a daily routine, like brushing my teeth or doing laundry, I had let my passion grow cold. God wants us to change the world, if only in our own small ways. Keep your heart and mind centered on Christ, don't let yourself grow cold.         

Intersecting Faith and Life: Have you let your passion for Christ grow cold? Take some time to consider.

Further Reading

Habakkuk 3:19

[Judy Harder]

Maybe Those Words Mattered
by Debbie Holloway, Crosswalk.com Family Editor

"Maybe those words never really mattered at all/
But lately those words run with me wherever I go..."

Those lyrics are from a Keane song that I'm currently listening to as I write. Do you ever reflect on the power of words? Words have so much influence, even when we don't intend for them to. I'm currently dealing with a rocky relationship, and words have played a key role in the hurt and confusion. "Rocky" probably isn't the best description...frayed, torn, broken, sporadic, and unraveling might be more accurate – but you get the idea.

The worst part honestly just might be that I have no idea how to deal with it.

I don't envy people who've always had to deal with crazy drama, but I envy their preparation and their ability to keep it together after years of practice. I don't have a background in Dealing With Crazy. I don't think I've ever had a heated, angry, yelling-type fight with anyone outside my immediate family. And in dealing with family, all arguments have always ended with jam sessions or forgiveness or just a resolve to move on.

So when a relationship I thought was secure starts pumping venom in my direction, I sort of lose it. I'm an ugly crier, too. And my times of panic are bewildered, because I'm not usually a panicked person. To boot, I was often told growing up "you should be a lawyer" because of my passion for rightness and justice. So when my sense of "how the world is meant to work" gets thrown back at me in a situation I can't control.... well... it's hard. I have a soft and fierce heart.

This season has helped me grow in ways, though. It's helped me think twice about judgments I make on people when I don't know their story. It's helped me remember to measure my own words. It's helped me realize that I have no control over what someone will do with my words once they leave my lips. It's helped me remember that love and loyalty must be kept up like a well-trimmed garden. Leaving relationships to take care of themselves sometimes results in a beautiful, out-of-control wisteria vine... but too often, it results in chaos, decay, and weeds choking out the flowers.

James writes,

"No human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison" (3:.

No human can tame the tongue. But God can. Give your words over to God before they pass through your lips, and let God reign in taming your tongue. It's a daily struggle for me, but even in my weakness, he is perfectly strong.

Intersecting Faith and Life: Do rash words get you in trouble? Start meditating on the Word, and give your impulses to God. Are rash words from others hurting your heart? Remember, you are only master of your own tongue. Behave as one bearing the standard of Christ.

Further Reading

James 3

Say It Ain't So: The Power of Words

[Judy Harder]

The First Fruit of the Gospel
by Alex Crain, Editor, Christianity.com

"For whosoever shall be ashamed of Me and My words, of him shall the Son of Man
be ashamed, when He shall come in His own glory..."
Luke 9:26 NASB

Nothing—not good works, religious rituals, not anything can add merit to Christ's perfect work of atonement.

Still, virtue does flow from the work of Christ in our lives.

One virtue that is the necessary result of the gospel in our lives is the habit of dying daily. Francis Schaeffer, in his book True Spirituality, insightfully takes us to Luke 9:22 about this where Christ is telling His disciples the certain order of events that would soon occur to Him... that He would be rejected, slain, then raised.

Jesus immediately relates this order—rejected, slain, raised—to the christian life as well.

In Luke 9:23-24, Jesus says, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it." 

Schaeffer points out that,

"Jesus is talking here about our death by choice in the present life. He applies it to a specific situation to make it more concrete. "For whosoever shall be ashamed of Me and My words, of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed, when He shall come in His own glory..." (Luke 9:26)

"The Bible is not speaking of some romantic feeling, some idealization, some abstraction. Jesus carries this concept of facing the rejection, being slain, down to a very practical situation: facing an alien world. It is the saying "no" to self when our natural selves would desire acceptance by the alien world—a world in revolt against its Creator and our Lord.

"...this command of Christ is not limited to one situation; it is that which is to be the whole mentality and outlook of the Christian's life.

"As Christ's rejection and death are the first steps in the order of redemption, so our rejection and death are the first steps in the order of true and growing spirituality.

"As there could be no next step in the order of Christ's redemption until the step was taken, so in the Christian there can be no further step until these first two steps—rejected, slain—are faced; not in theory only, but at least in some partial practice."

Intersecting Faith & Life: Is the gospel bearing fruit in your life in this way? Put another way, do you increasingly treasure Christ so that things and self receive less and less of your time, attention and resources?

Ask God for grace to live before the watching world in a way that others would see the blessings of a resurrected life in you.

Further Reading:
Philippians 1:1
The Expulsive Power of a New Affection