Crosswalk.com--The Devotional

[Judy Harder]

I Hate You, But with Love
by Ryan Duncan, Crosswalk.com Entertainment Editor

If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. – James 1:26

I once heard a story of a certain churchwoman who loved to criticize others. Whether by gossiping, or by simply stating things up front, she had a reputation for being extremely hurtful. What made it worse though, was that she always disguised her remarks as helpful suggestions. She claimed to be speaking out of love, but all her words did were hurt and discourage. I bring this up because I feel that hurtful speech has become all too common in the Church.

Now that the internet has provided people with an easy way to speak while avoiding accountability, some Christians have taken the opportunity to post bitter messages and spiteful blogs online. Ironically, after spending an entire paragraph detailing why certain persons are going to Hell, many Christians finish up by saying "I'm just speaking the truth with love." Popular writer Jon Acuff wrote an article about this two years ago on the CNN website, where he encouraged his Christian brothers and sisters to remember what Jesus told his disciples in Matthew 22,

"Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 'Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?' Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.'" – Matthew 24:34-40

Jesus called these two "The Greatest Commandments", and it seems like they should be pretty easy to follow since you can't love God if you're not loving other people. It doesn't stop there however, the gospel is overflowing with verses telling us how the only way to know God is by loving others, even our enemies.

"We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother." – 1 John 4:19-21

"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal." – 1 Corinthians 13:1

Even the famous verse John 3:16 speaks of God's compassion for everyone,

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Notice the verse says "the world" and not "certain Christians". The wonderful, beautiful, message of the gospel is that God loves us and asks us to love in return. There is no room in the body of Christ for a cruel tongue, so guard your words, search your thoughts, and the truth really will be spoken with love.

Intersecting Faith and Life: Carefully examine your words (both online and off), are you truly speaking with love?

Further Reading

Matthew 5:43-48

[Judy Harder]

Take Me at My Word
by Debbie Holloway, Crosswalk.com Family Editor

"[Love] always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres" (1 Corinthians 13:7).

It's hard to be "wise as serpents" and "gentle as doves" at the same time, isn't it? We know we should assume the best about people, but we're also taught by our parents to be skeptics so that we won't be hoodwinked by evildoers and manipulators. Sometimes, though, I suspect healthy skepticism takes a turn toward an unhealthy suspicion.

For example, there was that one time I didn't want an engagement ring.

(Yes, you read that right.)

When my now-husband and I began to date pretty seriously, we naturally started discussing wedding and marriage plans. I don't remember which of us brought it up, but at one point I told him definitively, "Just so you know, I don't want an engagement ring." Knowing me well, he was unsurprised and told me that he had suspected as much. We chatted about it briefly, and decided we liked the idea of getting simple wedding bands for ourselves and not bothering about a diamond.

In my mind, it was a simple decision. I'd never been a big jewelry-wearer, and I hadn't any personal desire to break that trend with a rock weighing down my left hand (especially when I'd be getting another ring at the altar). I'm also a thrifty person – vastly more interested in putting that hundreds (or thousands!) of dollars toward paying off my student loans than toward a ring. Sure, it's uncommon these days for an engaged girl to sport a naked left hand. But jewelry companies created the idea of an engagement ring anyway, so who cares? I'm no material girl.

But some time later, after a visit with his family, my then-boyfriend hesitantly brought up the subject again.

"So...when I told my family that you didn't want an engagement ring, they laughed. They said you really did, and you were just saying that you didn't."

A little miffed, I shot down any lingering doubt and then we chuckled. It was an excusable offense, as they didn't know me very well at the time. But a little thread of sorrow wormed its way into my heart: we are so quick to judge out of skepticism and stereotypes that we often mistrust even the word or judgment of those closest to us!

Do you ever find yourself mistrusting others without discernable cause? Do you live in fear of being mistrusted? Jesus had a few thoughts on how community should work among God's children:

"Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.' But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one."

This side of paradise we'll never reach a perfectly honest and trustworthy society...but are you doing what you can to bring Heaven to Earth today in your relationships and dealings with others?

For many of us this mistrust stems back even further. So often we are tempted to attribute to God our own failings and faults: we subconsciously think of him as capricious, floundering, and fallible. Let's try to remember to follow the example of the Psalmist,

"What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me" (Psalm 56:3).

And remember the words of Paul,

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15:13).

Intersecting Faith and Life: What goodness has God done in your life to earn your trust? Take some time to reflect on his work in your life. Remember to trust him when days look bleak, just as you did when skies were sunny!

Further Reading

Matthew 5

Job 31:24

Psalm 18:2

1 Corinthians 4:2

[Judy Harder]

When Sin Bubbles Up
by Kelly Givens, Editor, iBelieve.com

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of Life has set me free from the law of sin and death."  Romans 8: 1-2

A few weeks ago, after realizing I had somehow missed reading this children's classic as a child, I found myself speeding through the entire Anne of Green Gables series. The books captivated me, and for good reason. Written in the early twentieth century by Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery, the series chronicles the life of red-headed Anne Shirley, an orphan adopted by a brother and sister pair who really wanted a little boy to help on their farm. Eventually, they learn to love the little girl brought to them, as do all readers of Montgomery's classic. Anne is a true literary heroine. We identify with her weaknesses: her spiritedness, quick-temper and vanity, and we strive for her strengths: bravery, generosity, and a heart overflowing with love for life and people.

As I read through the books, I was struck with the number of times Montgomery used Anne's character to illustrate deep truths about the human condition. There were many examples, but one stood out in particular to me.  After being picked up from the train station by Matthew, Anne begins describing her life in the orphanage. Realizing she was exaggerating just how badly things were, Anne apologizes, saying, "It's so easy to be wicked without knowing it, isn't it?"

Indeed, it is. Throughout the Green Gables series, Anne repeatedly found herself unexpected moments of "wickedness," forced to repent to neighbors, family and friends for some fiery retort, vain action or other impulsive sin. We can all relate to Anne- I know there are days I have to apologize over and over for the same sin- it just somehow keeps "bubbling up" in me.

The Apostle Paul dealt with this too. In his letter to the church in Rome, he wrote "For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do--this I keep on doing" (Romans 7:19). What causes us to do the very things we don't want to do? Why does our sin seem to bubble up in us—overflowing like a pot of boiling water? Paul understood: it is our indwelling, sinful nature fighting against our desire to do what is good. He goes on to say:

"For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?"

Thankfully, Paul's question is rhetorical; he knows the answer. "Thanks be to God - through Jesus Christ our Lord!"  After acknowledging God to be our ultimate rescuer from sin, he writes some of the most encouraging verses of scripture found in the Bible, reminding us that through Christ's death on the cross we have all we need to fight the wickedness that bubbles up in us.

"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." Praise God! Our sinful nature is no match for the redemptive power of the cross.  Yes, as Anne said, it is easy to be wicked- in fact, it's unavoidable. Thankfully, Christ has already taken the punishment for our wickedness, and even more- he has credited his righteousness to us, giving us all the means we need to conqueror the sin in our lives.

Intersecting Faith & Life: Are you like me and Anne, feeling the weight of your sin and maybe a little powerless to stop it? Then cling to the encouragement that Paul gives us in Romans - through Christ's sacrifice on the cross we are justified and are being sanctified from our sin.

Further Reading:
Romans 7-8
Galatians 5: 13-18
Timothy 1: 12-17

[Judy Harder]

Beyond the Chariots
by John UpChurch, Senior Editor, BibleStudyTools.com

"For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." Colossians 1:13-14

If you've heard of Eric Liddell, you probably know him as the Chariots of Fire guy. The Scottish Olympian famously turned down what most people thought was his best chance at a gold medal, the 100-meter dash. He did so because the trials for the race fell on a Sunday and he wouldn't budge on this matter of faith. Instead, he entered the 400-meter event, qualified, and then stormed to the finish line with a new world record. Although the theme from the movie wasn't playing back in 1924, the whole thing makes you think it should have been as he rounded the turns with his flailing gait.

Credits roll, end of story... right? Hold your chariots. Liddell's faith carried him far beyond a single Parisian race. After the Olympics, Eric gave up running completely—at least the type of running done on a racetrack. Instead, he focused on a much greater race. A year after standing on the platform in triumph, he arrived in China as a missionary and, later, as a pastor. No endorsements or bling, just an impoverished country and a chance to share the good news.

During the worst days of World War II, Liddell chose to stay in Japanese-controlled China to serve the people he'd come to love. However, after the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, the Japanese military became more and more suspicious of foreigners and forbade them to preach or teach. In 1943, the Japanese sent Eric and many others to an internment camp in Weihsien. Even there, though, the preacher continued leading others in worship and being "Uncle Eric" to dozens of orphaned children.

He also made an incredible sacrifice.

During the war, Japan and Britain made a prisoner exchange deal, a deal that included the famous Scottish runner. Liddell had a wife and children waiting for him in Canada. He had every reason to go. But instead, he gave up his spot for a pregnant woman—a fact unknown even to his family until the Chinese government revealed it over 60 years later. Eric himself would never tell either because he died of a brain tumor in 1945, not long before the war ended.  His friends at the camp didn't remember him as the Olympian; they remembered him as someone who did what God called him to do.

Liddell realized that this world has nothing on the kingdom of the Son. We can win accolades, money, fame here, but none of it can touch the far, far greater rewards of Christ. In Him, redemption makes earthly recognition nothing more than dust. In Him, forgiveness makes even the greatest fortunes seem empty.

Intersecting Faith & Life: As Christians, our address has changed—and with that changes our whole way of putting value on things. If there's nothing beyond this world, then by all means we should live to pile up accolades and plaudits. We have nothing else to live for. But if we're focused on Christ and His kingdom, everything else just fades out. We're no longer running for the things we can see.

For Further Reading

7 Men: And the Secret of Their Success by Eric Metaxas (I'm indebted to this book for the bio)

Colossians 1

[Judy Harder]

Mini-Miracles
by Shawn McEvoy, Crosswalk.com Managing Editor

So they all ate and were filled. Mark 6:42

The title of my devotional today strikes me as oxymoronic. Miracles, after all, are defined as acts of God, amazing and marvelous events, and "seals of a divine mission" (Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary). Generally speaking, there's nothing small about them.

What I'm talking about, then, are instances of heavenly intervention in the lives of believers that impact what we would consider "minor" areas of our existence, the things that cause us to make statements like: "It showed me that God cares about even the small things in our lives," always as if that's a profoundly shocking proclamation. Nobody ever responds by saying, "Well, duh..."

I think that's because it never stops being a mind-blowing concept - the Creator of the universe, who hears the prayers and praises of billions simultaneously and loves each one the same, provided, perhaps, just the right amount of money for a struggling single mom to buy her child a pair of shoes. It's not the parting of the Red Sea to preserve for Himself a people, or the resurrection of His son to purchase the redemption of humanity. It's, for lack of a better term, a mini-miracle.

I remember one time in our Adult Bible Fellowship class my friend Karen stepped in to teach our continuing series in Mark's gospel. We were in Chapter Six, focusing primarily on the Feeding of the 5,000. As she began her lesson, Karen admitted that she'd never quite been able to visualize this scene, or understand exactly what the miracle was meant to show. I mean, there is the lesson of provision, but the human body can go without food for quite some time. Jesus Himself fasted in the wilderness for 40 days (Matthew 4:1-4). So it's not like life and death were hanging in the balance if the people who had followed Him to this "desolate place" went without dinner that night.

It could be, Karen suggested, that Jesus just didn't want the people to go away; He had just suffered the death of His cousin John the Baptist, and recently endured the "amazing unbelief" (Mark 6:6) of those from His hometown of Nazareth. It could be Jesus took immense delight in this multitude foregoing their bodily needs to attend to His Word. It very well could be our Lord simply wanted to do something "just for them."

Maybe, Karen said, that's why she always tended to overlook this miracle a little bit. "You know how sometimes when God does something that you know was 'just for you,' and you tell someone else about it, and they're like, 'That's cool and all,' but it just doesn't carry the same meaning for them?"

I knew exactly what that was like, and I liked where she was going. I could see an even greater personalization in mini-miracles, in God drawing delight from blessing our socks off in ways that speak to our individual hearts. The idea also gave me greater permission to attribute to the Lord all sorts of transpirings that I had chalked up to my own efforts, happenstance, or even worse, had gone without noticing.

If, for instance, I told you about the time we thought we'd lost my wife's keys - including several costly ones - only to find them sitting precariously on a single steel beam of the auto transport behind our moving van, maybe you'd respond the way my friend Scott did: "You got lucky, dude." Yeah, well, I guess that's why Karen says sometimes these events are "just for us." I saw those keys, I knew the bumpy route and wet weather we had traveled, I was astounded, I was humbled. I decided that giving credit to the Lord for things that bless you is never wrong, as suggested by James 1:17.

I just don't do it enough.

I wonder how many mini-miracles I've missed out on by being impatient, angry, or inattentive. In his book Blue Like Jazz, Donald Miller imagines Moses telling those worshipping the golden calf, "Your problem is not that God is not fulfilling, your problem is that you are spoiled" (92). Romans 1:20 would seem to indicate that the Lord's hand is evident everywhere - "people can clearly see His invisible qualities." I like that verse very much, because I like to think of myself as on the lookout for God.

But that brings me to the other ways to miss miracles - by not accepting them or expecting them, by resenting them or wanting to earn them. I quote from Blue Like Jazz again, where Miller admits, "I love to give to charity, but I don't want to be charity. This is why I have so much trouble with grace" (84).

Can we get past the affront of accepting a free gift? If we can, we might see the Lord trying to say through the Feeding of the 5,000 and even today, "Here I Am, stay here, spend more time, no need to go away, please accept this, put yourself in My hands, keep your eyes open, I love you."

After all, says Matthew 7:11, "If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him?" Mini-miracles are the treats God brings home to His kids, those who seek him with childlike faith, those who consider themselves "the little things in life." Well, duh...

Intersecting Faith & Life: Try bringing something small home to a loved one today to remind yourself of how much joy the Lord gets from giving.

[Judy Harder]

How Breaking My Phone Destroyed My Personal Idol
by Carrie Dedrick, Editor, ChristianHeadlines.com

Exodus 20:1-10 ESV

And God spoke all these words, saying, "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. "You shall have no other gods before me. "You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God...

Recently, I broke the screen of my smartphone. I was soaking up some of the last summer rays at the river when I took my phone out to take a picture (always a bad idea, I know) and BAM! Just like that, it fell, hit a rock and the screen shattered. It even landed in a shallow pool of river water.

And it was the best thing that could have happened to me.

My phone had too strong of a hold on my life. I was not addicted to my phone; I did not check my e-mail or Facebook every two minutes, or spend a dinner with my husband with my eyes glued to the screen. But my phone did have an influence on me. It was almost always by my side. If I accidentally left it at home, I would feel a little bit uneasy and incomplete. But not anymore.

The phone still works, but it doesn't look pretty. There are now tiny cracks the sprawl across the bottom left corner like a spiderweb. But I believe this is a good thing. It reminds me that my smartphone is a material object. It was not made by God. It is just plastic and metal, with a computer chip inside that can hold photos and music. When I look at it, I can now see its imperfection. The cracks serve as a visual reminder that my phone is a flawed object, and I should be putting my focus on other things.

My phone was a distraction from God and God's plans for me. It was an idol. No, I did not bow down to my phone in worship like the people bowed down to Baal. I did not physically worship my phone, but perhaps I did mentally by putting it above other things. I am guilty of spending far too much time surfing the web on the phone, time that I could have used in God's word or in service to the Lord.

Modern-day idol worship looks different than it did in Bible times. Instead of kings forcing citizens to bow down and worship idols or face death, Christians face other idols. In addition to smartphones, Christians today can be distracted with work, relationships, hobbies, TV, work, money, pornography, drugs, alcohol and a myriad of other things. Some of these are good and some of these are obviously bad, but every one of these things can evolve into a toxic idol. God is telling us to recognize the idols in our lives and push them out! He is the only God and said, "You shall have no other gods before me."

Intersecting Faith and Life: What are the idols that have been placed in your path? Recognize them, and find a way to put them under God on your list of priorities, never above. If your personal idol also happens to be a sin such as lust, greed or envy, reach out to a pastor or counselor for help. God knows when you are truly trying to obey him, but you must push forth with your strongest effort to defeat Satan's idols.

Further Reading: Daniel 3

[Judy Harder]

Bring Oil
Ryan Duncan, Crosswalk.com Entertainment Editor

Then the angel said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!' " And he added, "These are the true words of God." -  Revelation 19:9

For the second time this year, I had the privilege to be part of a friend's wedding. I was one of the groomsman, and I was honored. Being a groomsman is a tough gig though. While supposedly there was a list of duties I needed to perform, I soon realized my main job was making sure the groom didn't spontaneously implode from stress. This was crucial because if anything happened to the groom the bride would probably strangle everyone with her own wedding veil. Luckily, my fellow groomsmen and I managed to play our parts with no major errors.

My only slip up happened during the rehearsal dinner, when I excused myself to go look for a bathroom. I was probably gone for only a few minutes, but when I came back I found the groom's father was in the middle of the dinner toast. I didn't want to be rude, so I stood outside the room for about fifteen minutes waiting as everyone toasted the bride and groom. All in all, it wasn't that big of a deal, but as I stood out there and watched the celebration from behind the door, I remembered a parable Jesus had once told his disciples.

"At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. "At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!' "Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.'  " 'No,' they replied, 'there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.'  "But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. "Later the others also came. 'Sir! Sir!' they said. 'Open the door for us!' "But he replied, 'I tell you the truth, I don't know you.' "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour." (Matthew 25:1-13)

Sometimes I think we underestimate the parable of the virgins. We were always told it represented Jesus return, and our duty to be ready, but I think there's more to it. We are, in a sense, the wedding party for Christ's marriage to the Church. Like the bridesmaids and groomsmen, it's our responsibility to help prepare the celebration by following Christ and working to serve him. It also means we'll have to endure a long night filled with uncertainty, and our faith, like the lamp oil, must constantly be replenished. It's going to be a lot of hard work, but when the groom arrives and the celebration begins, there's no doubt it will all have been worth it.       

Intersecting Faith and Life: Take some time to read Jesus' parables and reflect on their meanings.

Further Reading       

Matthew 13:44

[Judy Harder]

Not What You Wanted?
by Alex Crain, Editor, Christianity.com
"What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you?"
James 4:1

A holiday edition of the TV show "America's Funniest Home Videos" showed various children opening their presents on Christmas morning. Apparently, it's hard for many kids to see humor in getting an unwanted gift. Most of their reactions were, well... downright childish.



When the ribbons and paper were torn off, one child pulled out a new pair of socks, threw her head back and erupted in an angry sob. A matching outfit given to another child produced a tantrum across the floor followed by stomping footsteps up the stairs. Other children glowered with frowns and snarls. One even screamed at the parent holding the video camera, then hurled the unwanted gift back in his face. Not exactly the funniest home videos.



In contrast to all the immaturity and ingratitude came a bright ray of hope at the end of the montage as a little brown-haired girl in pink pajamas ecstatically jumped up and down with glee. She held in her hands a tiny chestnut and spun around to the camera exclaiming, "A nut! A nut! I got a nut! I don't know what kind it is, but I got a nut!"



James 4:1-6 says that sinful responses erupt from hearts that are controlled by overwhelming desires. They don't have to be sinful desires necessarily. The degree to which "harmless" desires become sinful is shown by what happens when things don't turn out as you hoped or expected. Whether it is irritability, or an angry tantrum or a sulking frown; sinful responses show that something in the heart has replaced God.



Notice verse 1 where James asks the question (paraphrasing), "Why are you so upset? What's the real problem in your heart?" And then he answers with divine wisdom, "I'll tell you what the matter is: it's your pleasures—your desires—that are waging war within you. And the result is sinful fights and quarrels."



Certainly, there's nothing inherently sinful about simply having desires in life. God created us to have desires. There are many good things to desire in life: having adequate food, clothing and shelter, having a happy marriage, getting a promotion at work, buying a nice car. There is nothing wrong with these kinds of desires... nothing inherently wrong, that is.



The problems come when, in our hearts, those desires turn into something else. The word translated as "lust" in verse 2 is actually "desire" with the added element of "strong craving." Epithumeo is not a word that necessarily means "lust" in the sexual sense. The idea conveyed in the original text is "you are controlled by desire." In other words, some desire—perhaps, even for a good thing—has gotten so wrapped around your heart, that it has become more important than God to you.



Whenever this happens, the result is sinful behavior. And the sin of the heart that must be confessed first in cases like this is no less than the sin of idolatry. False worship occurs whenever worship of the true God is replaced with the god of "my way."



What a peaceful contrast is painted in verse 6. God gives grace to the humble. That is, those who humbly submit their desires to God and trust Him as the sovereign provider of needs are given grace. Grace here is the desire and ability to obey God and respond in a way that pleases Him. Such recipients of grace are able, then, to deal with whatever happens—whether the present under the tree is a pair of socks, a cool skateboard, the keys to a new car, or a tiny chestnut.



Intersecting Faith & Life: Does your situation today resemble what you expected or wanted in life? What is your response to this?

Think back to a recent outburst of anger, or incident in which you showed irritability. Trace it back to the unfulfilled desire that had control of your heart. What was it that you wanted?

Ask God to reveal any desires seeking to control your heart so that you can humbly submit them to Him and release them to His sovereign care. Repent of any lingering idolatry. Ask Him for grace to deal with whatever happens. Trust Him to provide for your needs.

Further Reading & Listening

Isaiah 40:12       

Listen to an Example of What Humility Sounds Like Here
(Indelible Grace Acoustic "By Thy Mercy")

Thomas Watson, The Lord's Prayer

[Judy Harder]

What You Should Do
by John UpChurch, Senior Editor, BibleStudyTools.com

And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. (Colossians 1:10-12)

Hundreds of times I've found myself bemoaning some predicament or difficult decision. Often, I'm on the floor and staring up at the ceiling. Although the words may vary somewhat, they all pretty much amount to this:

"God, can't you just tell me what to do?"

I'm a planner. So, what I really mean is this: "If You could just spell out every step for the next few months—or years—that'd be great. Maybe a detailed list?"

What I keep forgetting is that God already did that. He even put it all in a list for me in Colossians. Sure, it isn't exactly a step-by-step guide, but close enough. His planner for our daily life goes like this:

Bearing fruit in every good work: Since He's prepared good works for us to do (Ephesians 2:10), that makes this one even more straightforward. But how can we identify these? By...

Growing in the knowledge of God: He's the one who prepared these good works. So, He's the one we should cozy up to and learn from through His Word and consistent communication. And when we do, we get some boom to go with it...

Being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might: God is radioactive. As we walk in those good works by getting to know Him, His power rubs off. True, we don't get the X-Men glowing face like Moses, but we can still put on quite the light show (Matthew 5:16). You get that power...

So that you may have great endurance and patience: When good works flow from our knowledge of God and His strength, we suddenly care a lot less about those worries that used to drag us down. We can endure because God's Kingdom is present in our life right now (Matthew 6:33). With such a focus, that means we should be...

Joyfully giving thanks to the Father: Rolling in those pre-prepared good works with God-strength and God-focus makes us want to do the God-is-good electric slide (your results and dance moves may vary). We just can't keep our mouths shut because He...

Has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light: In fact, that's the biggest, boldest thing on our God-given to-do list. We do the good works He's planned with His strength and our eyes on Him, all because He qualified us.

Intersecting Faith & Life: So many times I want God to spell things out for me each step of the way. And sometimes He does. But most often, He points me—gently or not so gently—back to Colossians. I've been given instructions for the day-to-day race that will one day end with Him. Faith means leaving the details in His hands.

Further Reading

Matthew 6

How God Uses Stress for Our Good and His Glory

[Judy Harder]

The Older Son
Ryan Duncan, Crosswalk.com Entertainment Editor

"But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal." – Matthew 6:20

Most Christians have heard the story of the Prodigal Son. For those of us who grew up in the Church, the story probably conjures up memories of Sunday school, when the teacher would reenact the parable on one of those crazy felt boards. The Prodigal Son really is a perfect description of God's relationship with us, his children. I don't know about you, but I've done more than enough stupid stuff in my life to qualify as a prodigal. Lately though, I've found myself relating more and more to the older son in the story, the one most people tend to forget about.   

"Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing.So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on.'Your brother has come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.' "The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!' " 'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' " – Luke 15: 25-32

It's almost unsettling how easily we Christians can become the Older Son. Maybe you're having a bad month, or maybe it seems like someone else is getting all the rewards you desire. In those moments it's so tempting to turn on God and yell, "I've followed all the rules. I've done everything right! Would it kill you to throw me a bone once in a while?" But God isn't Santa Claus; he doesn't keep a list of whose good and bad then parcel things out accordingly.

For all his mistakes, the younger brother understood that anything he got from his Father would be out of grace, and for all his good work, the older brother let his anger blind him to the many blessings he already had.  A friend of mine once told me, "Being a Christian doesn't mean you have to dance happily in bad situations" and it's true. Being a Christian means that we are saved by Christ through grace, and good times or bad, his blessings are still there even if we don't see them.       

Intersecting Faith and Life: Take a moment to count your blessings.

Further Reading   

Luke 15: 1-7