Crosswalk.com--The Devotional

[Judy Harder]

The Wonderful Gift of... Suffering?
by John UpChurch, Senior Editor, BibleStudyTools.com

"For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have." (Philippians 1:29-30)

Philippians 1:29 is one of those verses that makes me stop and shake my head in disbelief. Paul tells the readers of this letter that suffering has been granted to them. Granted? Really? As in, "Here you go. Here's a big ol' heaping helping of suffering"?

If you dig into the Greek behind that phrase, you'll uncover the word charizomai. This word usually implies something that's freely given for someone else's benefit. In fact, Paul uses this same word to talk about how God forgave our sins (Colossians 2:13; Ephesians 4:32); how we are to forgive others freely (2 Corinthians 2:7, 10); and how God bestows gifts or titles because of His love and power (as in Philippians 2:9). In Luke 7:21, the same word shows how Jesus gave sight to the blind. Free, beneficial gifts.

All those are well and good. So, why would Paul add something crazy like suffering to these other good things? Surely, he has to see that suffering doesn't fit in the same category as healing the blind and forgiving sin. They don't even share the same zip code. Right?

Well, Paul's example shows us that they do. Right near the end of Acts (chapter 27), Paul gets stuck with a stubborn centurion who can't wait to get to Rome and a ship's pilot who's happy to oblige. Paul warns that such a trip will end badly. They ignore him (word to the wise: never ignore Paul). When they run into a storm, things look really, really bad. People are throwing supplies overboard, faces are green, and hope goes buh-bye.

About that time, Paul gets to give his "I told you so" speech, and in that speech, he uses our old friend charizomai. An angel had appeared to Paul and told him, "God has granted you all those who are sailing with you" (Acts 27:24). God had granted him seasick sailors (who wanted to kill the prisoners, mind you) and a stubborn centurion who refused to listen to sense. What kind of gift is that? God could have granted him a miraculous trip to a nearby island—perhaps somewhere warm and not so stormy.

But if that had been the case, Paul wouldn't have done the other part of this verse: "you must stand before Caesar." If Paul had been whisked away, in fact, we wouldn't have the books of Acts or Luke (that chapter is filled with "we" from our good doctor friend who also survived the storm); the sailors and centurion wouldn't have seen God's mighty act to save every single one of them; and Paul wouldn't have taken the gospel to the most important city in the Roman Empire. God gave Paul the gift of their lives so that the gospel would bulldoze on.

And that brings up back to Paul's suggestion that suffering is granted—a gift. Quite likely, Paul wrote his letter to the Philippians not long after being smashed into the rocks. Despite the messy trip (or perhaps precisely because of it), the message of Christ spread throughout the royal guard and people all over Rome. Other Christians got some backbone to speak more boldly (Philippians 1:13-14). Things went boom all over.

Intersecting Faith & Life: The gift of suffering, for Paul and for us, doesn't seem much like a gift—at first. But the vantage point makes all the difference. Suffering that comes for the sake of Christ always produces a harvest of awesome. That's because, in addition to the suffering, God also grants us the strength to endure and the chance to see the gospel take root.

And that's why Paul can truthfully say, "What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things" (Philippians 3:. That's not empty boasting from a beaten down man. That's the triumphant cry of someone who sees what lies ahead.

For Further Reading

Acts 27-28

Philippians 1 (Read the whole thing; it's short and concentrated.)

[Judy Harder]

Words, Words, Words!
by Katherine Britton

In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."
John 3:3

American English uses hundreds of idioms, both helpful and just plain ridiculous. It's entirely possible to slink through a whole day without expressing a single original phrase, if we try hard enough. It's not rocket science, I mean. You can blow your top, or go overboard, or feel like you're an emotional rollercoaster, or wind up between a rock and a hard place, or hit the wall. Maybe it's a cloud nine day, and you're walking on air. And no, I'm not pulling your leg. There's a method to my madness.

You can probably think of a dozen more idioms that I omitted. Nowadays, we use overuse all those phrases and stick them into our conversation as a substitute for original thought. But once upon a time, all those things we call clichés resonated with meaning. Consider just a few:

That's a load of hogwash – This wholesome little phrase comes straight from the farm, where "hogwash" designates a concrete mess of garbage and refuse that's only fit for the pigs. The good-for-nothing stuff certainly isn't a compliment; in fact, it's downright nasty.

Catch-22 – We use it now for any situation with a lose-lose outcome, but the original phrase actually comes from a 1961 novel by the same name. The plot highlights the result of bureaucratic regulations that take their validity from each other but can't stand alone. The bewildering, circular logic keeps characters from any good outcomes, thanks to the nonsense to which they're subject.

"The lady doth protest too much, methinks." – Shakespeare would probably roll over in his grave if he could hear us butcher this one so royally. The phrase actually comes from the lips of Queen Gertrude, who rather hastily marries her husband's brother after her husband dies. Gertrude was actually sneering at the faithful promises – the protestations – of the queen in a play, who promised eternal love and faith to only one man. And so, her inconstant character announces itself to Hamlet and the audience. 

Your John Hancock – As president of the Continental Congress, Hancock's name appeared before all others on the first copy of the Declaration of Independence. By that action, Hancock marked himself among the primary traitors if the War for Independence failed. He risked his life, his fortune, and indeed, his sacred honor. Is that what you think of every time you sign a credit receipt?

We all use language, and it's a hop, skip, and a jump from a meaningful metaphor for a dull catchphrase. After that, real meaning gets lost in the hubbub of "words, words, words," as Hamlet would say.

I mention these cultural amusements for a simple purpose.

Do you remember how totally radically it is to be "born again"?

Christians – myself included – so easily wear down the language of grace into simple catchphrases. When Jesus told

Nicodemus that he "must be born again," he was conveying a radical idea, and Nicodemus knew that much. "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!" (John 3:4) Jesus goes on to explain the obvious changes that come from being born again of the Spirit, so that a person changes completely. "Born again" meant so much more than a hidden identity. As my pastor pointed out Sunday, you might as well ask, "Is that baby new?" as ask, "Are you born again?" The answer should be obvious to all. Is it?

Intersecting Faith & Life: The slip from authentic faith to rote "Christianese" is sometimes nothing more than a wandering mind, and sometimes as much as complete forgery. As you pray and read the Bible this week, take time to meditate on what simple phrases like "mercy," "born again," "repent," genuinely mean. Find names or attributes of God that you don't usually use and meditate on them. As Jesus said to his disciples (ironically, right before he gave them the Lord's Prayer, which far too many of us utter by rote), "And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words." (Matthew 6:7) The fight against complacent muttering finds success when it's joined by a genuinely appreciative heart, so let's skip the babbling and get down to praising God for the radical way He has saved us!

Further Reading:

Luke 18:9
Zephaniah 3:14-18
Top 10 Irritating Phrases

[Judy Harder]

It Looked Better in My Head
by John UpChurch, Senior Editor, BibleStudyTools.com

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." Philippians 2:3-4

Your calling looks better in your head than in real life. Inside, safely tucked away in your synapses, the visions of what God wants to do through you come with puppies, double rainbows, and guilt-free cheesecake. It's amazing how perfectly our brains can sand down the obstacles ahead, plaster over the voices of dissent, and generally build a future much like the highlights from someone else's life.

With such a build-up, it's easy to see why we get disappointed. After all, stories like these are all over:

·         The country preacher has a vision to reach rural America with the gospel, to burn so brightly that a whole community is changed. But the church never grows. He sees nothing dramatic happen and finally moves on.

·         A woman faithfully loves and serves her unsaved coworkers for years. She pours hours of prayer into the thing, hoping that at least one will really absorb what she's been sharing with them. But all she seems to take with her when she retires are the pictures from her cubicle.

·         A Christian missionary community, after years of serving the poorest in their adopted country, finally has a breakthrough when a local leader professes faith in Jesus. Days later, militants attack the area and murder the new convert, his family, and many of the missionaries.

And maybe something like that has hijacked your calling, too. You started out strong, pushing forward even when turbulence hit. You just knew God would work all things together for your good, and you had that verse, Romans 8:28, firmly planted in your noggin (and maybe scribbled on a Post-It Note on your mirror—just to be sure).

But along the way, the future you had imagined became more and more distant from the slog-it-out reality. You doubt that God was ever really in the thing to begin with, and, so, you try to forget that something ever happened, that something got you excited and charged up in the first place.

Don't write off your calling just yet.

The thing about God is that He's big, really big. And He sees much farther, clearer, and better than us. From our perspective, we can't always see progress. But usually that's because we're trying to see the land ahead from a valley.

Intersecting Faith & Life: The truth is that we may not see progress in the short-term, maybe not even in our lifetime. But we've been called to faithfully serve where Christ puts us. We get bogged down when we imagine that all our service and work should produce results that we can experience. Our joy comes from seeing things happen, and not so much the serving.

But God never promises that we'll see what He's up to—at least, not while we're camping here on earth. He's called us to look out "for the interest of others," both believers and the unchurched. Whether we see something happen or not.

For Further Reading

1 Corinthians 12

Ephesians 4

[Judy Harder]

Yard Sale Christianity
by Stephen Sanders, A/V Editor for Salem Web Network

As many of you know, summer is prime time yard sale time and you can't drive anywhere in the south on a Saturday without passing at least a few. This past Saturday, we stopped at one not far from our house.

In the past when I've been with my wife to these things, I seldom find anything that I get REALLY excited about. I usually just look for old books because that's the only thing I can find for a buck that I might actually use. But this past Saturday, as I dug through a box of old CDs, I found something that I couldn't pass up.

When I look back at my childhood and think about music, two names come to mind: Michael Jackson and the Beastie Boys. The very 1st album that my mom ever bought me was "Thriller." The first album that I ever bought with my own money was "Licensed to Ill" at a Kmart in Mason, Ohio with my cousin Mark. I can still vividly remember driving home that weekend with my parents in our '78 Chrysler New Yorker bumping "Fight For Your Right To Party." We had the cassette adapter for the 8-track player that was in there. I guess this was probably about 1986-87. This tape stayed in my silver boom box until it broke a couple years later.

During my middle school years, I developed a second wind of musical enlightenment. This was when hip-hop was at its peak in the early 90's. I'd picked up this interest from my good friend Chad, who bought me an NWA tape in 1992. This was, of course, followed by Dr. Dre's "The Chronic" in 1993...then "Enter the 36 Chambers" by Wu-Tang Clan later that year...

The Beastie Boys released "Check Your Head" in 1993 also. They were still just as relevant then as they had been in the 80's even though the style had changed a bit. They'd evolved from a party rap trio to a 3-piece jam band in what seemed like no time...but it had been 7 years. I loved this CD.

My love for hip-hop slowly but surely vanished as grunge slowly gained my affection and carried me through my high school years. The Nu Metal genre developed as I entered my college years; a movement that was pretty much over almost as soon as it started. I picked up a bass guitar my freshman year at SECC and my love for hip-hop officially died. But my love for the Beastie's never did...

In 2002, on a couch at a friend's house, I discovered "Paul's Boutique" by the Beastie Boys. This album was released in 1989; many consider this to be their finest work. This album soon became my "favorite album to listen to while I played video games with Eddie." And even still, the Beastie's were just as relevant in 2002 as they were in 1986... and 1989... and 1993...

Now, flash-forward to 2011... I look into a box of CDs at a yard sale and find "Check Your Head" and "Paul's Boutique" in perfect condition... for $5. SOLD! As I walked away, all I could think about were the good times I'd had with my cousin Mark, Chad, Eddie; some of the best times of my life. I couldn't wait to listen to them when I got home.

I got home, went upstairs, turned on my computer to do my homework and hit play...and immediately realized how much Christ has changed me as an individual. It's not so much the music itself, because it is still just as creative and impressive as it ever was. It's the message behind the music that causes a separation. It's just not the same anymore.

Jesus and Paul talked a lot about this sort of thing in the Bible. You know, the difference between who we were before accepting Christ into our hearts versus the new man who has surrendered his life to Jesus. I don't think I've ever seen this played out in my life in such a real way until this episode. There is simply nothing I can gain from this music at this point in my life without turning my back on Christ.

Now let me make a bit of a clarification before I go any further. I'm not talking about legalism here.  I'm not saying that, "Christians cannot listen to secular music because it is sinful." If that had been the case, I never would have bought these CDs to begin with. Now, the Stephen from 5 years ago with his sheltered, legalistic, judgmental Christian mindset would have been outraged at the idea of a believer being excited about a secular CD or movie or anything else that wasn't "Christian." I'd been taught that everything was a black or white issue. If it wasn't "Christian" then it was sin.

But in recent years, with a change of logic and a new church environment, I've realized that my old mindset was a very self-serving mindset to have. In reality, not everything in the real world is a black or white issue. Not all "Christian music" is godly and not all "secular music" is sinful. When I used to believe this way, I would make my walk with God a lot easier, while making it more difficult for everyone else I came in contact with.

What I'm talking about is true relationship with Christ where He deals with me personally while I only focus on how God views me, not those around me.

Believe me when I say that I really wanted to enjoy these CDs when I got home. But there was something inside of me that no longer desired or could allow me to digest them. I fully believe that this is what Christ does to our lives. He draws us close to Him by his Spirit and these desires just naturally fall off. They happen in His timing, not our timing and not in the timing that other believers feel they should happen in our lives.

It's experiences like these that let me know that I am certainly not who I used to be. Fleshly desires that I used to have simply do not exist anymore. I don't have to beat down my flesh and force myself to exhibit Christian behavior anymore. Christ's desires just naturally become mine. True freedom in Christ started when I stopped trying to achieve the unachievable: being a perfect Christian.

Intersecting Faith and Life: We all have our individual walks with God that we have to experience. So many of us try so hard to make things automatically sinful for the sake of comfort. We attempt to force our religion on others around us, instead of simply sharing the Gospel. But that's not what we, as Christians, are called to do. We are simply called to love God and love others. Love doesn't cause me to push myself on anyone. It subtracts from me and adds to the world around me.

For Further Study

1 Corinthians 10:13-33

[Judy Harder]

That Boy Dating Your Daughter is More Than a Nuisance
by Shawn McEvoy, Managing Editor, Crosswalk.com

Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts...
Psalms 95:7-8

My little girl will turn eight in a week, and believe it or not... I'm looking forward to the day she starts bringing boys home.

Oh, believe me, there's no rush. I'm happy to remain Numero Uno in little Lauren's eyes as long as possible. All I'm really saying here is that I believe in her, in how she's being raised, in how she's taking after her mother. Whoever she brings home - I'm confident saying - is not going to be a person without redeeming qualities.

So what has me so primed for this experience that I don't sound like the typical dad at the door with a sneer and a shotgun? What else? The experience of having been valued and trusted myself.

Twenty-three years ago I didn't know it, but I became part of a family. The McGriffs were a very unique family. When I met their eldest daughter, Dick and Susan had just remarried each other after having divorced each other. I never knew all the details, only that this was their first example to me of it never being too late, of recognizing wrongs and repenting.

They took to me right away, but don't get the impression that they didn't lay down the law or have rules. It was the way they imposed them - agreeably, fairly, seriously - that made so much of a difference. It's not even that they didn't try to "change" me - to be perfectly honest they did try: suggesting Christian alternatives to my secular music, suggesting viewed-at-their-home Cary Grant movies to the ones I would have preferred taking their daughter to the theater to see, giving us five minutes after a date to say goodnight before the front lights would be flicked on and off signaling that, okay, that's enough now.

I dated Malia for four-and-a-half years, off and on. During that time I built memories, house-sat for their family, came to cherish younger sisters Michelle and Amy like they were my own. Oh, like most young couples our relationship wasn't perfect; we would fight and make things more difficult than they had to be, just as I continue to do. But from her folks there was always instruction, encouragement, solidity. Laughs and firm handshakes. Always trust regardless.

Thanks to Facebook, I've regained contact with these three sisters, observed how their family has grown, and chuckled at the way they continue to interact despite living all over the country (Malia in particular had the most amazing talent for taking tense situations and making them laughable, one I'm told she still has, one that is a story for another time). I sent them the following email:

Just wanna say... You three are still some of my favorite people I've ever met, especially for a trio of sisters. I love how life has worked out for all of you, and how large that family has grown, and how involved your folks are in visiting. You have fantastic men who seem to get you and treat you well.

You're all three beautiful examples of Christian motherhood and of being distinctly individual yet connected. It was transformative to grow up as a semi-adopted part of your clan, and it's a blessing to see your joy - and how you've dealt with the pains - today.

You gals rock!

And from each I received back a distinctive, meaningful, heartfelt response. And I traced it all to the commitments, re-commitments, and never-give-up attitudes their parents made so obvious without being annoying. And shoot, even if they were ever annoying, I love them the more for it now.

There are opportunities everywhere. And yes, there are dangers. And times are different, and believe me - I know guys and what is on their minds. But I was politely welcomed and discipled as more than the sum of my convertible sportscar + raging hormones, and in so many ways, that made as much difference as several lessons my own parents modeled for me.

Thanks again, McGriff family.

Intersecting Faith and Life: Are you nervous about your daughter starting to date? Why or why not? Have you taken an active role in helping her decide in advance what choices are better than others? Will you be able to understand or tolerate failings? Are you able to be firm while smiling and maintaining a sense of humor or gentility? Willing to be labeled as old-fashioned but resolute in knowing your ways are good ways? You never know who or what that boy is going to become, but you have a chance to help ensure it's something good.

Further Reading

Proverbs 22:6

1 Corinthians 2:5

Raise a Godly Daughter in an Ungodly World

[Judy Harder]

Freedom from the Bonds of Sin
by Alex Crain, Editor, Christianity.com

"...if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live." Romans 8:13

While reading this week in chapter eight of Francis Schaeffer's True Spirituality where he is speaking about freedom from the bonds of sin, I was reminded of the story of an experienced, 27 year-old rock climber named Aron Ralston. One beautiful spring morning in 2003, he jumped into his truck with just enough food and water for the day. He took off by himself and drove a hundred and fifty miles south of Salt Lake City to his favorite spot—a remote canyon area that used to be the hideout for wild-west outlaws Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

By afternoon, he was suspended seventy-five feet high off the canyon floor—climbing in a crevice that was just a few feet wide. It was a perfect day. But then without warning, a boulder suddenly broke loose from the rock wall above him, hurtled down and trapped Ralston's right arm against the wall, completely crushing his hand. At that instant, Aron's hand—one of his greatest assets—had now become his greatest liability.

Five whole days passed as he tried various ways to free himself—all to no avail. His efforts to chip away at the boulder with a pocket knife only made a small dent. Rigging up a pulley system to move the boulder proved fruitless.

Finally, a moment of decisive clarity came. The thoughts came fast and furious: he could break his forearm, cut through the muscle with his dirty pocket knife, detach his arm, and use a piece of rope as a tourniquet.

Aron explains that he was driven by "some sort of autopilot" as he went about the gruesome task of amputating his own right arm just below the elbow. After he was finished, Aron lowered himself down and began trudging slowly in the direction of his truck. Later, he stumbled across two hikers who used a mobile phone to call in a rescue helicopter. Amputating his right arm was a radical act, but it was one that saved his life and reunited him with his family.

God calls us to deal with sin in our life in a way that is surprisingly similar. The Bible doesn't offer a laid-back, live-and-let-live approach at all. It's so radical, that we don't really like hearing about it or talking about it. Recall what Jesus said in Matthew 5:30, "If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell." While Jesus was not literally talking about physical amputation, He was saying that sin's deadly effects call for extreme measures. Even though it hurts, we must rid sin from our lives. In fact, our eternal destiny hinges on how we deal with sin.

Really? Well, why else would Jesus talk about hell in the same breath that He talks about how we are to deal with sin if He didn't mean to teach that our eternal destiny hangs in the balance? Clearly, it's a matter of preferring one destiny over the other. Outward behavior indicates what the heart primarily loves. If Aron Ralston had stayed there on the canyon wall with his hand pinned down by the boulder, he would have died. But because he was willing to kill his hand, his life was saved.

The same goes with us as we deal with sin. It really comes down to what we value most. Colossians 3:5 says, "Put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry." The world may tell us to laugh about sin, to lighten up about it, to tolerate it, and just let it be... that it's not idolatry; it's not an issue of worship. God says the opposite is true.

Intersecting Faith & Life: What is robbing you of the blessings of peace with God?

What is keeping you from treasuring the Lord Jesus Christ above all other things?

Pray for grace to heed God's radical call to amputate sin from your life in His strength.

Further Reading
Romans 8:10

"Is Christianity Just a Bunch of Rules for How to Live?" (by John Piper, desiringgod.org)

Between a Rock and a Hard Place (by Aron Ralston, © 2004 Simon & Schuster)

[Judy Harder]

Sick on the Scenic Route
by John UpChurch, Senior Editor, BibleStudyTools.com

"Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own." Philippians 3:12

On my way home from North Carolina, I followed my impulse to jump on the Blue Ridge Parkway that meanders along the spine of the Appalachian Mountains. Late spring had hit, and the trees on that slithering byway had burst into color. And if you know me, you know I can't resist a scenic detour in spring... or summer...  or anytime I'm sure my car won't get stuck for some reason.

If you've ever had the chance to sling along the Blue Ridge, you'll find it hard to keep your eyes on the road. Gasp-worthy valley vistas pretty much assault you wherever you turn with their seductive greens and purples and blues. The only problem with a wandering gaze, however, is that many of the turns on that road completely bend back on themselves. So, you're constantly looking out in awe—and then whipping the car back on the road before you become part of that valley view.

In fact, those stomach-churning curves nearly got the better of me. Never before or since have I suffered from motion sickness while driving. But that road, with all its flipping and flopping, beat me up. By the time I finally escaped that tangled beast of a road, I was actually happy to see the interstate and all its rush-hour traffic (well, for the most part). At least those bumper-to-bumper shenanigans meant I'd be going straight.

For many of us, our pursuit of Christ swings us around in much the same way. We whip around curves that seem to take us the long way round, nearly bumble off the road because something shiny catches our eyes, and let the cares along the way nauseate us. It's a circuitous route, this Christian life, and one that doesn't move us from start to finish quickly.

But it's a path paved by the One who made us His own.

Each bend, each switchback curve, brings us closer to the goal He made possible. His mountain climbing 2000 years ago means we can follow Him all the way, no matter how far away the goal may seem. We're His, and He's calling us home.

Intersecting Faith & Life: We belong to Christ. He made us His own by dying on a tree. That's not some partial investment or a half-hearted venture; that's some serious business. He paid our price in full.

He intends to lead you around the bends, past the vistas, through the gulches, by still waters, and, finally, home. He'll calm you, guard you, and shield you. But what He won't do is leave you stranded. (There are no guarantees against nausea, though.)

For Further Reading

Just go ahead and read (or reread) Philippians.

Psalm 119

[Judy Harder]

A Hedge of Clichés
by Katherine Britton

And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. - Matthew 6:7

A Bible study friend recently encouraged me to rewrite the famous passage on Proverbs 31 woman in my own words, with application to my own life. I took her up on the challenge, thinking the task wouldn't be too hard for someone who writes for a career.

Crafting a modern application took an hour—much longer than I figured. Getting away from verbatim repetition to explore specific application required much more of my time and energy than I would typically spend journaling on a passage. Stepping back from the verse-by-verse analysis, though, I thought I saw the Proverbs 31 woman's characteristics a bit more clearly. Rewriting the passage didn't destroy the original language for me—on the contrary. The "words, words, words" seemed fresh and clear from my new vantage point.

Unfortunately, reading and "hiding Scripture in our hearts" quickly slips into rote recitation for me. It's like Tim Hawkin's hedge of protection comedy sketch; the words have power, but we start spouting them off without much thought. Pretty soon, I'm sitting in church and halfway through a hymn before I realize that I'm singing. My heart gets left behind too when my mind is disengaged. Pretty soon, I'm praying a "hedge of protection" for somebody, partially because the phrase sounds good without making me think too carefully about their specific needs. 

The Pharisee Jesus described in Luke 18:9-13 had mastered the art of hiding insincerity behind the right phrases. He knew the turn of phrase that would convey holy devotion, regardless of the filth in his heart. "Words, words, words" became meaningless, as Hamlet saw them in the dead books - they became a socially acceptable key to avoid the real attitudes.

Contrast this to the tax collector. He understood that social niceties wouldn't veil his sins before God, and he didn't continue with a recitation the way the Pharisee did. His simple prayer was, "God, have mercy on me, a sinner." That was it. He knew the impact of his simple phrase far better than the Pharisee did. He didn't need to "babble" to impress God or those around him; he simply spoke his heart, knowing that ability to pray is itself a mercy.

The beautiful language of Scripture is best adorned with sincerity of heart, not how many words we can string together in holy sentences. After all, consider how simple the Lord's Prayer is written - and how difficult and miraculous it is to proclaim "Your will be done."

Intersecting Faith and Life: There's not a "holy attitude" that we put on at "holy times" - we are called to be holy all the time, in our joking with friends as well as our prayers. We need to speak simply, truly, and to God's glory all the time. This week, practice this by eliminating Christian catch phrases from your prayers, instead journaling your prayers to bring a fresh application.

[Judy Harder]

What are You Drunk On?
Shawn McEvoy, Crosswalk.com Managing Editor

And they all continued in amazement and great perplexity, saying to one another, "What does this mean?" But others were mocking and saying, "They are full of sweet wine."
Acts 2:12-13

"These men are not drunk, as you suppose," Peter told the bewildered crowd at Pentecost. "This is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel." The Holy Spirit had been poured out, and I've always found it fascinating that its effects could be mistaken for the pouring out of, shall we say, less holier spirits.

To be sure, the Bible instructs Christ-followers to be "sober-minded" (Titus 2:6, 1 Corinthians 15:34). And there's honor and maturity in a steadfast, stoic reaction to life's trials. But then there's this fantastic scene in Acts that just fills me with tiny bubbles of delight. There's so much joy and power and overflowing involved with the Holy Spirit that, sometimes, well, we Christians just seem a little bit crazy. Flipped-out. Punch-drunk. Downright giddy.

And who wouldn't like to see more of that side of us these days?

Reflecting on this kind of Spirit-trusting, God-leaning fun reminds me of my three summers as a Christian youth camp counselor. The labor was hard but not in vain. The purpose was evident. The craziness was everywhere. "Go nutso-picasso," our Director would say, and show these kids that being a Christian isn't some droll, fun-killing existence, but something real, life-giving, sustaining, and joyous.

And indeed it was, and is. My closest friends and I had an odd high school experience, in that we had a hard time understanding why our peers found it so fun and/or necessary to involve alcohol - illegally - in their weekend plans. We were having more laughs and fun than we could imagine without any drugs. What were we filled with? Why didn't we need anything else?

Later, when I worked at camp, one of the things we would do is create a video of each week for the students to take home with them. One of the features on each week's video was a "blurb" from one of the counselors, an off-the-cuff, from-the-heart snippet of encouragement. I recently found the videotape from the week I was interviewed, and my response reminded me so much of what today's verse means to me, what real life under the guidance and excitement of the Holy Spirit is about. Here's what I said:

I think so many times in our youth groups back home we get tired of hearing the same things: don't drink, don't do drugs, don't have sex. And that's good advice to be sure, but why? So many kids here at camp and the ones I knew growing up weren't doing these things anyway; don't we have any more to offer them? Do we have any explanation for what is filling them, and what they can do with it? It just seems to me that those I've come across who are involved in these so-called "greater sins" are often engaging in them just to fill a void caused by, maybe, disobedience to parents, rebellion, lying, or a poor self-image. So what I like to do is show them that Jesus has given them everything they need to be content, secure, high on real life. And it takes a lot of energy to do that, but I find that the energy is there when I need it, and anyway, if it means leading a young person to the Lord or just reconciling someone to their parents, hey, that's worth it.

That's healing through a Holy infectiousness. Won't you take a sip and pass it on?

Intersecting Faith & Life:  Are you in a prolonged stupor, or are you tipsy on the outpourings of the Holy Spirit in your life? What's holding this back? Is there a dam keeping the river from flowing forth out of you, keeping it fresh and alive? Take the first step to remove it by looking back to a time when you were first saved or relying entirely on God to do work in His Kingdom.

Further Reading

1 Corinthians 14:23
Acts 7:51
Expect the Holy Spirit to Work in Your Life

7 Lessons from Summer Camp

[Judy Harder]

I Want Answers Now!
by Laura MacCorkle

In his heart, a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps. Proverbs 16:9, NIV

Living in the Information Age, we're so used to getting what we want as soon as we want it.

We're becoming more and more accustomed to not having to wait for anything, as instant gratification is the norm in many areas of our lives.

A gourmet, meat-and-three meal ready in less than three minutes from the microwave. Check. 
Instant text messages sent directly to our handheld communication devices. Check.
Mobile phone reception and extensive coverage wherever we may travel. Check. 
Wireless Internet access so we can log on whenever and wherever we want. Check.
A new group of "friends" in an online social network who we don't have to spend face-time with in order to call friends. Check.
Can you relate? God forbid that we should ever have to wait on something, because that's when the real whining and the complaining kick in. I should know.

I've been struggling with an ongoing life situation that has got me journaling and praying and reading and discussing up a storm. I don't understand what God is doing, and I want answers and a flowchart of how this will all be worked out. Right now.

I want to plan my course and make something happen—move the situation along, if I can, and get the results that I think should be had and on my time schedule.

Not long after I have a mental outburst such as this, I am immediately convicted. And I know that this is not the right way to respond. How must God interpret this type of thinking? Does he lovingly shake his head and murmur, "Oh, sweet child. Someday she'll learn." Or perhaps I disappoint him because I cannot trust in him without struggling with my desire to first know all the steps he's planning for me to get from Point A to Point Z.

While flipping through my Bible this week, I found that the words of Psalm 145: 3-7 have helped me to see this struggle in a different light:

Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
His greatness no one can fathom.
One generation will commend your works to another;
They will tell of your mighty acts.
They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty,
and I will meditate on your wonderful works,
and I will proclaim your great deeds.
They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.

After reading this passage, I was reminded that it doesn't matter that I understand what is going on in the world. It doesn't matter that I can't control what is or isn't happening. What matters is that I know and profess that God is great, and that he is good. Period.

Why even struggle with trying to understand the ways of a sovereign God? He alone is worthy of our praise and adoration. Why not just immediately respond with celebration for who he is? Why not just surrender and rest in him? For his answers for our lives are never late and always arrive at just the right time.

Intersecting Faith & Life: Are you wrestling with God, as Jacob did at Peniel (Gen. 32)? It is God—not you—who holds your destiny in his hands. Ask him to help you take one day at a time as you trust in him and his plan and timetable for your life.

Further Reading:
Isaiah 55:8-9, NIV
Romans 8:28, NIV