Life Illustrated: Daily Thoughts for Your Daily Walk
by Jeffrey A. Johnson, Sr.
Published by St. Paul Press at Smashwords
Copyright 2010 by St. Paul Press
ISBN: 978-1-4524-7581-3
Cover Design by Tina Williams, Tru Essence Designs (www.truessencedesign.com)
Smashwords Edition, License Notes
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To my beloved grandmother, Mary Lester, who has faithfully loved me, cared for me, prayed for me, and has been a living illustration for my life. And to the members of Eastern Star Church whose receptivity to my illustrations inspires me and allows me to explain the scriptures more clearly.
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Contents
Preface
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
How to Accept Christ as Your Personal Saviour
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Preface
A challenge that nearly every pastor faces on a weekly basis is how to preach the Word of God in such a way as to make it relevant to the lives of those who will be listening to the sermon. Jesus told parables that included common items to which the people of His day could relate: sheep, goats, a mustard seed, leaven, pearls, lamps, wheat, a fig tree, etc. Because those items were so ordinary, His stories still speak to us today. Through His parables, we can learn spiritual principles and kingdom values.
In this twenty-first century, we still use stories to get our messages across. Sermon illustrations are not "filler" or "attention getters." Illustrations enable the listeners to better understand what the Bible is saying, and to envision how the text can apply to them personally. The same spiritual principles and kingdom values that Jesus taught through parables are conveyed through illustrations that also include everyday themes and common experiences.
This book is a collection of illustrations that have come from my own sermons over the past few years. I offer them to help inspire young pastors to explicate the scripture and make it plain so that their congregations can fully understand the message. I offer them to encourage those who have found it difficult to relate to what the Bible has to say. And I offer them to those who are seeking a daily reminder of God's love, faithfulness, and grace in their lives.
My prayer is that you will hear God's voice speak in a special and personal way through each devotional. Whether this is read first thing in the morning, as a timeout during a busy day, or as part of a quiet time with God before going to bed, I ask God to bless His Word to your heart and let the illustrations remain in your thoughts to instruct, edify, comfort and cheer you on your journey.
Pastor Jeffrey A. Johnson, Sr.
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January 1
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. --Colossians 3:1-3
I had driven my Chrysler Eagle Premier over 125,000 miles. The engine was still good, and the body of the car still looked good. The fuel indicator, however, was broken, and it was broken in an unusual way. No matter how much--or how little--fuel I had, the gauge always pointed to "full." So even if the tank was actually empty, with no gas in it at all, the indicator would still point to "full" because it was broken. As you can imagine, that could be a real problem. If I were not careful, I would focus on the broken fuel indicator and end up falling short of my destination. I would fail to arrive at the place I needed to be because I was looking at an indicator that was broken.
We must be careful that we are not going through our daily lives focused on a broken indicator. In the world in which we live, there are broken indicators of what is positive, of what is full. We put so much focus on cars, clothes, cash, and creature comforts that we forget about the spiritual aspects of life, which is really what fullness is all about. We forget to set the thoughts of our hearts on Jesus, salvation, the Holy Spirit, and our walk with God. So, we go through life thinking we are full when actually we are running on empty. Let's keep our focus today on that which is spiritual as our indicator of fullness. And let's make sure that we are being filled continually with God's Holy Spirit as we yield more and more to Him through prayer and through His Word.
Father, we pray that we would not be fooled by the broken indicators of our society, but rather that we would focus on the things that please You. In Jesus' name, Amen.
January 2
The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! --Matthew 6:22-23
My young son was sticking his head outside the car window, looking at the front of the car on the passenger side. I asked, "Son, what are you looking for?" He said, "Dad, when you turned on the turn signal just then to turn right, there was no flashing light inside, so I wanted to see if the light was flashing on the outside." I explained to him that the flashing light on the inside is an indication that the turn signal is working. If it is not flashing on the inside, then it is not working on the outside.
We must all learn that God has placed His Holy Spirit inside of us, and when the light of Jesus Christ is shining inside, it will be reflected on the outside. But if the Holy Spirit is not being allowed to move freely on the inside, we must recognize that He is not being demonstrated properly on the outside either. Let us allow the light of God's Spirit to shine in our hearts so that our very lives are radiant examples of God's love to the world.
Father, we open to You the doors of our hearts. Please allow Your Holy Spirit to move in our hearts, minds, and souls on the inside so that we may be a powerful witness to others as we daily live for You. In Jesus' name, Amen.
January 3
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. --Galatians 5:1 (KJV)
Seven-year-old Erica was kidnapped in Philadelphia by men who planned to get a ransom from her parents. These men took Erica and wrapped duct tape around her hands, her mouth, and her eyes. Then they threw her in the basement of a home in her neighborhood and left her there. Little Erica was frightened, disheartened, and confused. Yet somehow, this young girl had the resourcefulness to bite through the tape on her mouth and then to bite off the tape that bound her hands. Then she was able to pull the tape off her eyes. Once she was unbound, she threw something at the basement window that broke it, and then she climbed out to freedom. She ran to a nearby house, where the neighbors assisted her and called the police. Her assailants were arrested. Later, her uncle appeared on national television holding Erica in his arms while she waved and smiled, celebrating her freedom.
There are times when the enemy of our souls will try to put us in bondage and pull us away from that which is positive in our lives--from our families, friends, and others who are trying to help us grow in our relationship with God. We need to learn how to respond as Erica did and use our resourcefulness to get out of those bad situations. Through the power of God's Holy Spirit, we must be willing to work and struggle to get free. Then we need to be willing to trust those who are trustworthy to help us grow and develop in Christ. We also need to call on the name of God, through His Son Jesus Christ, knowing He will free us from the things that would try to keep us in bondage. Then we, like Erica, can celebrate our freedom.
Father, we pray that in the power of the Holy Spirit, You will set us free from the things that attempt to keep us from doing Your will so that we might be pleasing in Your sight. In Jesus' name, Amen.
January 4
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. --Psalm 73:26
Oprah Winfrey interviewed Elizabeth Edwards, the wife of Senator John Edwards, shortly after she was diagnosed with cancer. Oprah asked her how she was feeling. Elizabeth Edwards responded that she was still experiencing a lot of pain from a broken rib. But she added that she thanked God that her rib was broken because that is what led her to go to the hospital, which led to her getting an x-ray, which led to her getting a bone scan, which led to a CT scan, which led to the doctors discovering that she had cancer--and discovering it early enough that she felt she would have enough strength to fight it in a positive way. So, she told Oprah, the broken rib was what put her in a better position to fight a bigger battle.
We all need to realize that there are times that we experience brokenness, but it is God's way of showing us some internal things that need our attention. As we address those situations, it puts us in a position to strengthen ourselves by His Holy Spirit so that we can fight the big battles that come in life.
Lord, we pray that by the power of Your Holy Spirit, You will help us to deal with the pains of life. Strengthen us as You reveal to us the areas where we need to be built up to better fight the difficulties of life. We believe that You will give us the victory. In Jesus' name, Amen.
January 5
When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever. --Proverbs 10:25
The first time I preached in Miami, Florida, it was right after a hurricane had hit. The pastor of the church picked me up at the airport. As we were driving into the city, we saw such terrible destruction: homes, businesses, churches, and schools, were all destroyed. In the midst of this, I saw so many palm trees that were bent over that I commented about how sad it was that so many of them were lost. The preacher said, "Oh, they haven't been destroyed." "But, look," I said, "they're all bent over." "Yes," the pastor acknowledged, "they are bent. But when the sun comes out again, they will rise back up." He explained to me that the roots of a palm tree go down deep until they find a rock. Then, the roots wrap around that rock so that they are able to stand firm during a storm. They bend, but they don't break.
We who have our lives wrapped by faith around Christ Jesus can go through the storms of life and, although they may batter us down, we will not be destroyed. When we stay in right relationship with the Son of God--not the s-u-n, but the S-o-n--we will be able to rise up and stand strong again in the power of Jesus.
Father, please help us to endure storms as they come into our lives by maintaining the proper relationship with You through Your Son Jesus Christ. Help us to remember that after the storms are over, we will rise up and stand again with strength and power. In Jesus' name, Amen.
January 6
I do not trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory; but you give us victory over our enemies, you put our adversaries to shame. --Psalm 44:6-7
One day I was having problems with the brand new steamer in my office. Even though my clothes were clean, they were wrinkled and needed to be ironed. Usually, I can easily use the steamer to quickly get out the wrinkles. But on this day, I was putting forth far too much physical energy, exerting way more effort than is usually necessary to get out the wrinkles. Finally, I discovered the reason. I did not have enough water in the container to get the necessary steam from the heat. Once I filled the water container, I had so much steam coming forth that it didn't take much of my energy at all to straighten my clothes.
At times, there are situations in our lives--in our jobs, in our relationships, in our priorities-- that need to be straightened out. Sometimes we find ourselves putting forth great energy and effort, only to discover that it is not getting the job done. At some point, we must come to the realization that it isn't until we are filled with God's Holy Spirit and allow Him to control our lives that we are able to get things straight. We have to stop trying to work things out on our own and trust instead in the power of God.
Father, we pray that You will help us to quit striving by our own efforts to handle the wrinkles of our lives. With Your help, we will stop trusting our own abilities and depend instead upon the power of Your Holy Spirit to get things straightened out in our situations. In Jesus' name, Amen.
January 7
"Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit," says the Lord Almighty. --Zechariah 4:6b
My son Jalon used to love to play with the remote control when he was a small child. He would turn the television off and on, change the channel, and raise and lower the volume. He kept playing with the buttons until finally his mother and I decided we needed to take action. We found that the best way to get him to stop spending so much time with the remote control was by removing the batteries. When we took out the batteries, even though he was pushing the right buttons, nothing happened. The TV wasn't going off and on, the channels weren't changing, and the volume wasn't being affected. My son still had the right instrument, but he did not have the necessary internal power to make things happen.
We need to make sure as we go to the right schools, work for the right companies, marry the right people, attend the right church, and do the right things that we aren't simply going through the motions. We must make sure that we have the internal power of God's Holy Spirit in our lives to make the necessary changes to accomplish what God desires for us.
Father, we pray that we will fully know the presence and power of Your Holy Spirit in our lives to help us reach the goals that You have given us and accomplish the things You desire for us. In Jesus' name, Amen.
January 8
My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. --John 17:15-19
The gecko is a small lizard that is able to stick to almost any type of surface. It has amazed scientists for years as they have tried to figure out how this natural phenomenon works. Even if the surfaces are dirty, the geckos can stick there; but if you remove them, the dirt from the surface somehow does not end up on their feet. The gecko is able to hold on in dirty environments without taking on the dirt from their environment.
God understands that, as His children, we must go into a variety of environments--on the job, in the community, in our neighborhoods, with our family, and with our friends. Yet, no matter what environment we are in, we do not have to get dirty from that environment. Because of our relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ, we can stay clean even though we have to live in an environment that is dirty.
Father, thank You for the ability to accomplish the things You want us to accomplish in different situations without taking on the negative aspects of that situation. Thank You, Father, that we can live in the world and not be of the world. In Jesus' name, Amen.
January 9
"My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand."--John 10:29
My son K. J. is now eleven years old, but when I used to take him downtown as a little boy, I had to watch out for him because traffic could be so busy and dangerous. I would always tell K. J. to hold my hand as we crossed the street. He would reach up and hold my hand, but more importantly, I held his hand. If things got out of control, he might get scared and let me go, but I would never let go of him. But why would I even let him be downtown in the first place and allow him to be in the face of danger? Because that's where the museums are, where the State Capitol is located, and where the Pacers and the Colts play. He wouldn't get to experience any of these things if he didn't go there, so I let him go. But I never let go of him.
By faith in Christ, we have taken hold of the hand of God. As we walk through this life with Him, there are times we have to deal with issues that are frightening, issues that could even cause us to panic and do something foolish. But even as we are holding onto God, remember that God is also holding onto us, and no man shall pluck us out of His hand. No matter what goes on, no matter what situations we have to go through, everything will be all right--not only because we are holding onto God, but because God is holding onto us.
Father, thank You that You will never let us go. Thank You that even though our way may be frightening at times, You are right beside us, holding onto us so that You can rescue us from any danger. Thank You, God, that our security is not in our strength to hold onto You, but in Your power to hold onto us. We are safe. Amen.
January 10
The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen. --2 Timothy 4:18
One day years ago, while my son Jordan and I were playing catch with a baseball, Jalon, my younger son, came and positioned himself right behind me. As he stood there, I was afraid he was going to get hurt because at that time, Jordan had a lot of power but little control as he threw the ball. So I told Jalon, "You'd better move. You're going to get hurt. This ball is out of control." But he refused to move. I said again, "You need to move before you get hurt." He still didn't move. Then it dawned on me what Jalon already knew--that he was in a safe place. As long as he stood behind me, anything coming at him would have to go through me before it got to him. He was protected by my presence.
We need to realize that God is our Father and we are His children. As long as we position ourselves close to the Father, we are in a safe place. Even when life gets out of control, we know that everything is going to be all right because nothing can touch us that our Father does not allow.
Father, thank You for allowing us to be Your children, and allowing us to draw close to You. Help us to hide ourselves in You so that as life gets out of control, we are safe in Your presence. In Jesus' name, Amen.
January 11
He shielded him and cared for him; he guarded him as the apple of his eye, like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them on its pinions. --Deuteronomy 32:10b-11
We stood amazed as we watched pictures of the plane incident that became known as The Miracle on the Hudson. US Airways Flight 1549 had just taken off from LaGuardia Airport in New York City when it collided with some geese, silencing both plane engines and causing one of them to catch fire. Some of the flight attendants said the plane's cabin became as silent as a library. It appeared that the plane, its crew, and its 155 passengers were headed for disaster. But the heroic pilot Chesley Sullenberger was not giving up. Instead of resigning himself to their fate, he used his knowledge of gliding and air currents to glide the US Airways Airbus into a textbook landing on the surface of the Hudson River. Everyone was saved.
There are times when we find that our power is gone. We expect to soar into the heights; instead, we find ourselves plunging to certain disaster. But even in those catastrophic moments, we do not need to despair or give up. As Christians, we have God's Holy Spirit operating in our lives. Even when we are falling, God is faithful. Even when we fail to realize it, God is watching over us and guarding us like an eagle watching over its young. When we are fragile, fainthearted, and falling, God swoops down and spreads His wings to catch us and carry us to a safe landing.
God, thank You that You are with us in the midst of our moments of peril, when all seems hopeless and our own strength is gone. Thank You that when we are weak, You are strong; when we are falling, You hold us up; when we see certain disaster coming toward us, Your unseen presence intervenes and saves us. Thank You, God, Amen.
January 12
We live by faith, not by sight. --2 Corinthians 5:7
A brother shared with me that he had trusted God to pay for his daughter to go to college. He knew he could not afford to send her to the school of her choice. But because he believed God wanted her to be there, he trusted God to provide the funds. This man became disheartened, however, when he prayed, trusted God, and continued to give his tithes and offerings to God, and yet God was not responding. He expected God to answer prayer, but God was silent. My friend's faith turned to frustration. Yet, at the very moment that this man's daughter actually needed the money, God provided her with a two hundred thousand-dollar scholarship.
The man wanted the money so that he could see to meet the need; God gave a scholarship that he could not see in advance. We have all been like that. God says, "Trust," and we say, "But God...." God says, "Have faith," and we say, "Yes, God, but...." God says, "Wait," and we say, "But how long?" When will we learn to fully trust God? When will we truly take God at His word? When will our faith rise to meet His faithfulness?
God, it is with humble hearts that we come before You, asking that You forgive us for doubting You. Forgive us for the times that You have wanted to surprise us with a joyous answer to our prayer, but we took the joy out of the experience by sulking, complaining about Your timing, and fearing that You would fail us. Forgive us for being like spoiled children, instead of children who lovingly trust their Father. We look to You, God, to forgive us, and to enable us to live by faith and not by sight. In Jesus' name, Amen.
January 13
Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, 'For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?'" --Luke 13:6-7
When I was a student at Bishop College (now the site of Paul Quinn College in Dallas), my roommate was Denny Davis. Denny had a beautiful new Monte Carlo, and he liked to test the car by waiting until it was just on the verge of empty before getting gas. One night when we were out together driving around in his car, he kept waiting and waiting as the gas gauge dropped closer and closer to the "empty" mark. Finally, with a bit of common sense and a little pressure from me, he pulled off the highway to get gas. He found, however, that the gas station advertised on the big billboard along the side of the road was no longer in service. Disappointed, he remarked, "If they're going out of business, at least they could take the sign down."
Why do some of us wear crosses, get baptized, or do some of the other things symbolic of being a Christian if we are not really Christians? God is not satisfied with trees that only look like they are going to bear fruit. Neither is He satisfied with people who only look like Christians, who only look like they are going to bear the fruit of the Spirit. Let us make a decision to be Christians, not just to look like Christians.
God, let us never be satisfied to live hypocritical lives. Let us never be satisfied only to look as though we are Your people when actually we seek only to please ourselves. Let us never disgrace You by pretending to represent You in the world when, in fact, we are not like You at all. Forgive us, God, and make us holy from the inside out. In Jesus' name, Amen.
January 14
"...apart from me, you can do nothing." --John 15:5b
My wife once had an OnStar feature in her car that was totally useless. It was intended to allow her to get directions, make reservations, unlock doors, or call for help in case of an emergency. It was a wonderful feature, but we could not use it because we had never made the necessary connection with it.
When God made us, He gave us an internal navigational system that can help us reach our destination and get what we need along the way. But in order for it to help us, we have to make the connection. If we are going through life on our own, without a personal connection with God through His Son Jesus Christ, we are disconnected from the Source of our guidance and the One who can get us safely to our destination.
God, we realize that we have been missing out on so much that You have wanted to give us. We wander around lost, we miss out on blessings, we fail to have doors open for us, and we suffer alone in the midst of the crises we face in life--all because we have never connected with You. God, we want that connection. We need that connection. We trust You for that connection. In the name of Jesus, the One who connects us to You, we pray, Amen.
January 15
"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it." --Malachi 3:10
When we pay for insurance, we are investing our money in the assurance that if we ever have an auto accident, a fire in our home, or some other calamity, our insurance company will provide for us. We trust that they will be there in our time of need. On what do we base our confidence? Their promise. They tell us they will come through for us, and we believe them.
If we are willing to believe what some mere mortals tell us, why is it so hard then to believe God? If we believe them when they promise to help us, why can we not believe God when He promises us something? Is it not time to bring our tithes and offerings to God and trust Him to keep His promise to bless us?
Almighty Lord, You have given us all that we have. Whatever wealth, whatever possessions, whatever blessings, they all come from You. Please forgive us for not giving back to You the little You ask in return. We want now to start taking You at Your word and believing what You have told us. We promise now to commit our tithes and offerings to You, and we pray, God, that You will enable us to be as faithful in keeping our promises to You as You are in keeping Your promises to us. In Jesus' name, Amen.
January 16
"So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground." --Matthew 25:25a
On the TV show Deal or No Deal, contestants have the opportunity to win up to a million dollars. But to do so, as they progress in the game, they must be willing to give up what they have in order to take the chance of receiving more. There is no opportunity for them to get more unless they first give up what they already have.
That same principle applies in God's kingdom. Jesus told the story of the wealthy man who entrusted five talents of money to one of his servants, two to another, and one to a third. The first two let go of what they had and invested their talents. In return, they each gained twice as much as they had been given. But the third servant was afraid and held tightly to what he had, so he gained nothing more. God expects us to exercise enough faith to invest what He gives us into His kingdom. Only then will He give us more.
Jesus, we thank You for all that You have given us. Help us to act in faith by trusting You--not to cower in fear, unwilling to do what You expect of us. Help us to let go of what You have given us--to give freely and without reservation--so that when You return, You will find the value of Your investments in us multiplied. Let our faith please You, and let fear find no place in our walk with You. In Your holy name we pray, Amen.
January 17
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! --1 John 3:1
My wife and sons were flying back to Indianapolis, but when they got to the airport, Sharon realized she couldn't find her picture identification. She looked through her purse again and again, but it just wasn't there. She felt in her pockets, but it wasn't there. She was a long way from home, and now she would not be allowed to board the plane that could take her to her destination because she could not find her ID. Then one of our sons said, "Mom, look in your Bible." Sure enough, it was there. She put it there purposely because she planned to carry her Bible on the plane and knew the identification would be easy to access there.
We, too, can find our identity in the Bible. In the Bible, we learn that we are children of God, citizens of heaven, friends of Christ, saints of God, co-laborers with Christ, followers of Christ, more than conquerors...and on and on goes the description of those who have received Christ. We find great contentment and peace when we find our identity in the Bible. It is worth searching there for it.
Father, thank You for letting us know in Your Word who we are. Thank You that You didn't leave us wondering, and wandering. You let us know that we are Your children and that we are greatly loved by You. Help us to seek, through the Bible, to find our identity as we truly are in Christ. Amen.
January 18
"They will be mine," says the LORD Almighty, "in the day when I make up my treasured possession." --Malachi 3:17a
In a small town in Florida, an eight-year-old girl was abducted. While teams of people went out searching for her in the streets, alleys, and fields, a police officer found the child abused, beaten, and left for dead in a dumpster.
Everything that has been relegated to the trash is not trash or garbage. Some of us may feel like trash because others have treated us like trash. We may think we are worthless, of no value to ourselves or to anyone else. But that is not the way God sees us! Just as that police officer recognized a person of value in the midst of the garbage into which she had been thrown, God sees our worth and beauty regardless of the environment in which He finds us.
God, thank You that You know when we've been cast away by others like a piece of trash, worthy only to be thrown out. Thank You for not leaving us there. You come looking for us, and when You find us, You recognize that, no matter how dirty we are or how messed up we are, we are of great value. Thank You for rescuing us out of the trash, cleaning us up, caring for us, and treating us as treasures. In the precious name of the One who saved us we pray, Amen.
January 19
I am in pain and distress; may your salvation, O God, protect me. --Psalm 69:29
An oyster only creates a pearl if it first experiences pain. An organic particle invades the shell and causes an irritation, which prompts the oyster to produce layer after layer of a secretion that gradually surrounds the irritant to keep it from harming the oyster. Eventually, a pearl is formed at the very source of the oyster's pain.
We experience pain in the kingdom of God, but only we decide whether to use that pain to produce pearls. There are many sources for our pain--a parent who neglects us, a spouse who walks out on us, a friend who betrays us, a boss who harasses us, an illness that will not go away, a disappointed hope... so many things. Some of us respond to pain with bitterness and by putting up barriers to try to keep the source of the pain from affecting us. Those responses, however, produce only more pain. But if we let our pain prompt us to pray and to produce layer after layer of love, forgiveness, gentleness of spirit, and compassion for others, we will find that the pain meant to harm us has been transformed into a pearl.
God, let this pain that we are experiencing in our lives right now be transformed into a pearl. Give us right attitudes and a heart that pleases You even in the midst of our pain. Let us understand that it takes time for a pearl to form, and help us not to be impatient with the process. And, God, when that pearl is formed, we give it to You to be used in Your kingdom. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.
January 20
He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. --Hebrews 11:26
In his book, Who Switched the Price Tags?, Tony Campolo tells of an incident in which someone switched the prices in a store, making things of value very cheap and making cheap things very costly.
We too often do that as well in our world. We pay a lot of money to see a celebrity perform, but we give little to a pastor who cares for our souls. We shell out a great deal to watch a team play a sport, but when teachers, who prepare our children for their future, want a pay raise, we balk. We make time to watch TV for hours every night, but say we have no time to pray or read the Word. Which kingdom are we really living in?
Once again, God, we come asking Your forgiveness. Our value system has gotten screwed up. We pay a high price for things that are temporal and that satisfy us only for a moment. Yet, we are unwilling to give anything for that which really matters, for those things that are truly precious. Remind us, God, that we are living in Your kingdom even while we are here on earth. Help us to live as citizens of heaven, and to value what You value and treasure what You treasure. In Christ's name, Amen.
January 21
"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness." --Matthew 23:27-28
A few years ago, a woman in Indiana died while having cosmetic surgery. Her husband assumed malpractice was involved and wanted to sue the doctors and hospital. It was determined, however, that his wife didn't die because the doctors did anything wrong during the surgery--she died of heart trouble. She was concerned about her outward appearance and was spending a lot of money to make sure she looked good, but that could not help what was happening on the inside. She was concerned about her external appearance, while her internal condition killed her.
How is our internal condition today? Are we caring for our inner person as much as for our outer appearance? Are we spending time and money (for Christian books, music, retreats, and opportunities to grow spiritually) to make sure our souls are healthy? Let's not be caught like those Jesus described in the verse for today: ". . .beautiful on the outside but on the inside full of dead men's bones and everything unclean."
O, God, we come to You today knowing that You can see our hearts as well as what is visible to others. Cleanse us, God, from all that is unclean within us. Motivate us to focus on the health of our eternal soul and not just on how we appear to others. May the Spirit of Christ who dwells in us take over every aspect of our inner person and bring life and health to our souls. In Jesus' name, Amen.
January 22
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith... --Hebrews 12:2
While working during my college days as a bank teller, I was trained to identify counterfeit money without ever being shown a counterfeit bill. They taught us how to spot a phony by ingraining within us what real money looks like. In the same way, a number of good coaches teach their teams how to make good plays not by watching their mistakes on tape, but by watching the right way to play ball.
We don't become the most effective Christians we can be by focusing on our sins and our mistakes, reliving them in our minds and recounting them over and over again to God even after He has forgiven us. We become more like Christ when we keep our eyes on Him, looking at His righteousness, His love, His holiness.
Our God, we know that we cannot make ourselves better by staring at our failures, sins, and faults. Instead, help us to fix our eyes on Jesus, knowing that He alone can make us like unto Himself. Thank You for forgiving us and giving us the desire to be more like Jesus. In His holy name we pray, Amen.
January 23
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense--Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. --1 John 2:1
My friend Pastor Sabin Strickland was going kayaking. He explained to me matter-of-factly that he expected to overturn at some point. In fact, it happens so often that learning what to do when your kayak capsizes is a routine part of the instructions on how to paddle this type of boat. While a kayak is made to move swiftly and gracefully through the water in an upright position, a kayaker knows he or she is likely to start tipping over when encountering a wave, a strong current, or other such challenge. Therefore, instructions are given to teach the person how to avoid turning over completely and how to upright the kayak if that does happen.
We are made to move through life in an upright position. We are made to withstand waves, strong currents, and other challenges. Yet, knowing that it is part of our nature to roll unsteadily when we encounter rough places, and that we may even capsize at times, God has given us instructions for how we can get our lives back in an upright position.
God, we know that You have created us to be holy even as You are holy, and You expect us to live uprightly in this world. Yet at the same time, You know that we do sin and fall short of Your expectations. Thank You that "if anybody does sin," we have Jesus, the Righteous One, to intercede on our behalf. Thank You that we do not have to remain upside down, but that because of Jesus we can continue our journey--forgiven and upright. In the name of the Righteous One we pray, Amen.
January 24
"But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." --John 14:26
Another thing I learned about kayaking is that a certain stability resides within the kayak that keeps it from capsizing. It isn't something that the kayaker can see, but he or she senses when the kayak is reaching the point that it is going to tip over. The kayak is supposed to remain upright: it is built to be upright, and it can only fulfill its destined purpose when it is upright. The stability within the kayak helps to keep it upright and lets the kayaker know when it is going too far.
When the Holy Spirit resides in us, He becomes our stability. He counsels and guides us and lets us know when we are reaching the point that we are about to go too far. We must become sensitive to the Spirit within us if we are to remain upright. If we keep on going in a certain direction, or with a certain activity, when we sense within us that the Spirit is telling us to stop, we leave ourselves vulnerable to finding ourselves upside down and drowning.
Heavenly Father, we thank You for the Holy Spirit who resides in us. Thank You that He counsels, teaches, and guides us. Thank You that if we listen to Him and obey His voice, we will remain upright. Thank You that You have created each of us to fulfill a destined purpose. Thank You that Your Holy Spirit will teach and guide us safely and surely, so that we may see Your will accomplished through us. In Jesus' name, Amen.
January 25
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!" --Isaiah 6:8
At an airport, you can find many excited passengers just waiting to board a plane that will take them to new places, new activities, and new opportunities for growth and service. But not all those who go to an airport are there to take off themselves for a new destination. Some of them are there only to tell others to have a good trip or even just to watch the planes take off and land. They have not paid the price to get a ticket. They haven't made any preparations. They have chosen to stay where they are. Therefore, while the passengers can go through the security check, get on a plane, and go to their next destination, the others can only go back to life as usual.
Some people in church are like that. They have no intention of going anywhere spiritually. They are not willing to pay the price of going to the next level with God. They are unwilling to prepare themselves. They feel comfortable, safe, and satisfied to stay where they are. Year after year, they are content just to tell others to have a good trip. Some of those persons are even in ministry, but still not going anywhere.
Lord, give us the spirit of Isaiah, who cried out, "Here am I. Send me!" When You show us the fields ready to harvest, help us to cry out, "Here am I, Lord. Send me!" When we see the lost, the sick, and the dying, let us cry out, "Here am I, Lord. Send me!" When we see those wandering aimlessly without Christ, those in prisons, and those in despair, let us cry out, "Here am I, Lord, send me!" When we see You hungry, thirsty, naked, and a stranger, let us cry out, "Here am I, Lord, send me!" O, God, let us not be content with our own complacency, doing only what is convenient, satisfying our own comfort, but let us hear Your voice and respond with willing hearts. In Christ's name, Amen.
January 26
Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger. --2 Corinthians 6:4-5
When I was a young pastor, I had people who helped me along, and I try to do that now for other young preachers and pastors. One day I was taking a young pastor on a walk-through of our facilities and explaining to him how we have one church in three locations, how that came about, and the background for our structure. We walked into one of our sanctuaries, and he started looking around. He was just looking and looking. I was trying to figure out what he was doing. Finally, he said, "Pastor Johnson." I replied, "Yes, what's up?" He asked, "How did you fall into all of this?" I said, "Excuse me?" He said, "How did you fall into all of this?" I responded, "Man, you don't fall into this. This is decision. This is discipline. This is determination. This is destiny."
Great athletes don't just fall into a championship. They make the right decisions, line their discipline up with their decisions, and then exercise the determination to achieve and the endurance to keep going--no matter what. We don't fall into destiny, we walk into destiny. We've got to make the right decisions, line our discipline up with those decisions, and then make up our minds to not stop until we get everything God has for us.
God, let us never think that we can "fall into" our destiny. Help us to know that while You provide for us, open doors for us, lead us, and empower us, there is still a work that we have to do. We still have to be obedient to Your voice. We have to choose to do the right thing rather than the easy thing. We have to sacrifice and persevere under all kinds of trials. Let us never miss what You have for us because we are unwilling to pay the price. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.
January 27
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. --Galatians 6:9
Gary Brackett is an NFL middle linebacker with the Indianapolis Colts. He graduated from Rutgers University but was a walk-on in college football. He hadn't been recruited; he hadn't been offered a scholarship; he didn't start out with the level of respect that comes with being recruited for a school team; and his parents had to make great sacrifices to enable him to have a chance at fulfilling his dream. But by his senior year, Brackett had not only earned a football scholarship, but he was captain of the defensive team and had been named the team's defensive Most Valuable Player. Now Gary Brackett wears a Super Bowl ring and earns millions.
Years ago, there was a poster with the caption: "Happy is the man who dreams dreams and is willing to pay the price to make them come true." We need to do more than just dream the dream. If any of our dreams are to become realities, we have to put forth the time and effort--and keep putting forth the time and effort--until we see them materialize. We can't be deterred by the fact that we haven't been given the same advantages as some people, or that we aren't given the respect we deserve, or that our circumstances are harder than others' circumstances. We must keep our goal in sight and "not become weary in doing good."
Father, forgive us for the times we've felt like quitting, and the times we have quit. Renew within us the resolve to stay on course and to do whatever it takes to get to the place for which we believe You created us. Let us not be discouraged, but give us the perseverance to continue to work in our fields until the harvest comes. In Your name we pray, Amen.
January 28
I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints. --Ephesians 1:18
I was an adult before I got my first pair of glasses. I didn't realize what I couldn't see until I began wearing glasses and then contact lenses. Until then, I thought everyone saw things as I saw them. But once I could really see, I finally realized how bad my vision had been all along.
If our family members and friends are not Christians, they may not realize how poor their spiritual vision is. They may assume, as I did, that their vision is accurate and everyone should see things as they do. Remember that we once saw things differently, too.
God, we ask that You enlighten the eyes of our hearts. Let us see people and things as You see them. If there are any areas in which we are not seeing clearly, we pray that You will spotlight those for us. For those who are still looking at life through their natural eyes, we pray that You will open the eyes of their hearts so that they might see You and then see the world and other persons even as You see them. Give us patience with them, remembering that we once saw things only from our own perspective, too. In the name of our Lord, Amen.
January 29
And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory. --Ephesians 1:13-14
When my wife and I bought our first house, we had to learn each of the steps of buying a house. One of the things we learned about was earnest money. You probably know that earnest money is a deposit that prospective buyers pay when they sign the contract to make an offer on a house. This deposit shows the current homeowner that they are serious about making the purchase and that they can afford to do so.
The verses from Ephesians tell us that the Holy Spirit is like the earnest money. He is the "deposit guaranteeing our inheritance." God sent the Holy Spirit to assure us that He is in earnest about our redemption and that what He has promised, He will do.
God, we thank You today for the Holy Spirit. Thank You that His presence in our lives assures us that You intend to keep Your promise to us about our future. Thank You that our inheritance is guaranteed and we need not doubt You. Let us live today in the joy of knowing that Your promises to us are true. Amen.
January 30
"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?" --Matthew 7:3
An administrative assistant drove a pastor to the church one sunny day. But from the minute they walked in, she began complaining that there was not enough light in the sanctuary. She saw the custodian and told him that he needed to find a way to bring more light into the church. The custodian resolved the problem by telling her to take off her sunglasses.
Some people think something is wrong with the church, when the problem is not in the church but in them. Whenever we start becoming critical of the pastor, the leaders, and others in the church, we need to check to see if the problem is in us rather than in them. Do we have on fault-finding glasses that we need to remove? Are we wearing glasses of pessimism so that we see everything in a negative light? Or does it just make us feel better about our own sins, faults, and failures if we focus instead on the weaknesses of others?
God, we are so grateful for the church--for people with whom we can worship, fellowship, and grow in You. When we begin to complain about this or that within the church, remind us to stop and think about which glasses we are wearing. Help us to know that most often the problem is not in someone else but in ourselves. Let us be brave enough to face this, honest enough to acknowledge this, and humble enough to confess this. In Jesus' name, Amen.
January 31
And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe. --1 Thessalonians 2:13
I am sure you are now accustomed to seeing medicine with a notice on the bottle saying it is time-released. A time-released medicine can be taken at one time, but its power is not released inside the body until the person needs it. When it is the right time, the medicine is released and it goes to the exact area in the body that is sick and needs healing.
The Bible works like that. When we store the Word of God within us, it is released to address a particular need at exactly the time that we need it. That's why we must keep taking in the Word whether we feel that we need it that moment or not. Even a portion of scripture that doesn't seem to mean much to us at the time we read it will surprise us by coming back to our minds sometime later on--at just the time we need for it to minister to us.
Beloved God, thank You that You know what we need and, if we will let You, You will put within us in advance that which You know we will need sometime down the road. Help us to receive scripture not as the word of men but the Word of God, and help us to store it within our hearts, trusting You to release its power at just the moment we need it. In Christ's name we pray, Amen.
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