More Than Bread Devotional for 9/8/08

John 12:25-26
25 The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

There are a lot of things that Jesus said during His life that are hard to come to terms with.  This statement may be one of the hardest.  Most of the time, we would much rather stick to what is comfortable and convenient.  But statements like these blow comfort and convenience out of the picture.  Jesus didn’t just say this either.  He lived this example by giving His own life for us at the cross of Calvary.  If we wish to follow Him, we have a difficult decision to make.  Are we prepared to go wherever He goes and do whatever He does?  It isn’t going to be easy or comfortable or convenient.  But it is going to be worth it all.

P.S.  Sorry for the long gap in devotionals.  After I recovered from being sick it seemed like everything went crazy in our schedule.  I am going to resume doing normal weekday devotionals again.

More Than Bread Devotional for 8/19/08

Psalm 18:1-3
1 I love you, O LORD, my strength.
2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.
He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
3 I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise,
and I am saved from my enemies.

The last few weeks, I have learned a few things about strength and refuge.  These verses are so comforting to know and live.  God is stronger than anything that we can face in this life or the next.  This idea of God as a fortress and a refuge reminds us that we can run to Him at any time for anything and He can protect us from it all.  This doesn’t mean that bad things will never happen to us.  Jesus promised that we would have trouble.  But it does mean that we have a place to hold on to in any storm or trial.

P.S.  Thanks again for all of your prayers for me.  I am not completely better yet, but I am at a point that my fever is gone and I don’t have to take stuff to keep it down.  They are still running tests on me, and I don’t know what the final outcome is yet, but it’s OK.  God is in control and I trust in Him to bring me through it all.

More Than Bread Devotional for 7/28/08

1 Thessalonians 3:7-9
7 Therefore, brothers, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. 8 For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord. 9 How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you?

The way we live as believers and demonstrate our faith day-to-day can have a profound effect on others around us.  Certainly it can be an example to those who don’t know the Lord.  But it can also be an example to those who do know the Lord.  Our brothers and sisters can take encouragement from our life of faith and we can take encouragement from theirs as well.  Let’s build one another up by living well and pleasing Christ our Lord.

More Than Bread Devotional for 7/24/08

Nehemiah 9:1-3
1 On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth and having dust on their heads. 2 Those of Israelite descent had separated themselves from all foreigners. They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the wickedness of their fathers. 3 They stood where they were and read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for a quarter of the day, and spent another quarter in confession and in worshiping the LORD their God.

If you have ever thought your church service was long, you should consider this one.  According to this the people of Israel spent half the day in worship and confession and listening to God’s Word.  And they did it in sackcloth (which I am pretty sure is more uncomfortable that my suits).  They did this because they were serious about making a new start with God.  This is after the exile and the sins of their nation as a whole had led them far from God.  The people were determined to follow God and they showed it.  I am not saying that you have to spend a half day wearing sackcloth at church to be right with God, but our hearts should certainly show the same desire to know Him and to please Him and to be honest with ourselves before Him.

More Than Bread Devotional for 7/23/08

Matthew 20:10-15
10 So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. 11 When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 12 ‘These men who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’
13 “But he answered one of them, ‘Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? 14 Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15 Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’

Jesus did a lot of things and taught a lot of things that confounded his fellow Jews.  This story is one we can easily identify with.  The workers who had worked a full day in the field saw all of these others (who had worked a lot less in some cases) getting paid the same amount that they were told they would get paid for a full day.  They started assuming that the owner had decided to give everyone a raise.  When he got to them and gave them exactly what he had promised, their “fairness” alarm went off, and they complained.  Jesus here is telling us that God’s sense of fairness is not the same as ours.  His grace is scandalous in its generosity.  If we stop and think for a minute, we will find ourselves grateful that we don’t get the “wages” we deserve from God.  And that’s a real good thing.

More Than Bread Devotional 7/22/08

Matthew 12:48-50
48 He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49 Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

Have you ever sang that song, “The Family of God”?  It’s become kind of an old standard in some churches now, and I noticed that it is included in the new hymnbooks that we just got at our church.  It is very true though.  For those of us who know Christ as Savior and Lord have joined the family of God.  We are His brothers and sisters if you will.  This doesn’t change His status as the only begotten Son.  We are his adopted brothers and sisters.  I’m so glad.  I’m a part of the family of God.

More Than Bread Devotional for 7/21/08

John 8:12
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

My kids love to play with stuff that lights up.  They like flashlights and lanterns and glow-in-the-dark toys and lamps.  There is something about light that draws us.  Christ tells us that He is the light of the world.  And He says that if we follow Him we will always be in that light.  What a great promise.  It’s a great day to praise the Lord and walk in the light of His love.

More Than Bread Devotional 7/18/08

Matthew 19:23-26
23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”
26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Have you ever wondered why it is hard for a rich man to enter God’s Kingdom?  It has to do with Jesus’ overall lesson of humility.  To be a part of God’s Kingdom means that we willingly submit to His Authority as our King.  This is hard for a lot of people as pride and self-reliance can get in our way, but for a person who has great wealth and is used to being in charge; it can be even more difficult.  With God all things are possible.  He can even help me say, “not my will by Yours, Lord.”

More Than Bread Devotional for 7/17/08

Job 38:1-3
1 Then the LORD answered Job from the whirlwind.  He said:
2 Who is this who obscures [My] counsel
with ignorant words?
3 Get ready to answer Me like a man;
when I question you, you will inform Me.

Have you ever tried to tell God how to do something?  I mean, really we all probably know better, but sometimes we get convinced that (insert personal example here) would work so much better if God just did it this certain way.  Abraham did it when God didn’t provide an heir soon enough.  I have done it in a fit of impatience myself a time or two.  One of the lessons of Job is that God knows what He is doing, and sometimes what think we know about it is not even close.  We see through a glass darkly according to Paul.  When we try to tell God how we see things, it obscures the real view.  Instead, we should trust God in all things.  The view is much clearer from His side.

More Than Bread Devotional 7/16/08

Matthew 9:9
9 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.

Every journey begins with a step or so the saying goes.  For those of us who choose to follow Jesus, that first step is a memorable one.  I am sure Matthew never forgot that day that Jesus looked at him and said, “follow me.”  He didn’t know where the road would lead him and he couldn’t have guessed how much his life would change.  In that respect we are just like him.  Once we make the decision to follow Jesus no matter what, life is never the same.