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God's Masterpieces
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Jul 10, 2009 3:59 am
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Bible in One Year:
Job 41-42; Acts 16:22-40
READ: Ephesians 2:1-10
We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. —Ephesians 2:10
The Grand Rapids Art Museum has over 5,000 works of art, including 3,500 prints, drawings, and photographs; 1,000 works of design; and 700 paintings and sculptures. As I read about the new museum and anticipated visiting, I couldn’t help but think about God’s “museum.”
God is an artist, and His creation is unspeakably magnificent. But it is not His greatest work! God’s greatest work is His redemption of us. When we were still dead in our sins, He made us alive in His Son, Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:1,5). Paul reminded the Ephesians that they were God’s “workmanship,” or poiema (v.10), a Greek term that means “poem” or “work of art.” God’s art museum is the church, filled with millions of marvelous works—His people.
Being God’s work of art, Paul said, should result in something from us. We are not supposed to sit silently in the museum of fellowship. Rather, we are to show God’s love in practical ways through our good works. Jesus said these good works glorify our heavenly Father (Matt. 5:16).
God did not re-create us in His Son to be museum pieces. He redeemed us so that our good works would showcase the brilliant colors of His redemption and grace, and draw a world in darkness to the light of His love.
Sing, O sing of my Redeemer,
With His blood He purchased me;
On the cross He sealed my pardon,
Paid the debt and made me free. —Bliss
They witness best who witness with their lives.
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Life, Love , Chocolate
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Jul 9, 2009 4:10 am
101 Views
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Bible in One Year:
Job 38-40; Acts 16:1-21
READ: 1 John 3:16-23
Be imitators of God . . . . And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us. —Ephesians 5:1-2
An entry I read on a favorite blog caught my eye. It was the morning of his ninth wedding anniversary. Not having a lot of money, the writer ran out to get his wife, Heidi, their favorite French pastry—pain au chocolat. After sprinting several miles, he arrived home, exhausted, to find her in the kitchen just pulling a chocolate-filled croissant out of the oven. It was pain au chocolat.
That husband, Jeff, compared his life with Heidi to the lives of the people in O. Henry’s short story “Gift of the Magi.” It tells of a man who sold his lone possession of value—a pocket watch—to buy hair combs for his wife, who had sold her long, beautiful hair to buy a gold chain for his watch.
Having no money concerns would be great—but realizing the immeasurable value of the people we care about is more important. We sometimes need a reminder that acquiring “things” is not nearly as important as appreciating the people God has placed in our lives. When we practice putting others’ interests before our own (Phil. 2:3-4), we learn what it means to love, serve, and sacrifice. In fact, that’s how we pattern Christ in our relationships (Eph. 5:1-2).
Life, love, and chocolate taste better when shared with others.
I want to share with those I love
The highest joy I’m thinking of,
Not just what brightens all their days
But what will give God highest praise. —Hess
Love is never afraid of giving too much.
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Heaven's Greatest Delights
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Jul 8, 2009 3:22 am
102 Views
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Bible in One Year:
Job 36-37; Acts 15:22-41
READ: Revelation 22:1-5
Eye has not seen, nor ear heard . . . the things which God has prepared for those who love Him. —1 Corinthians 2:9
What will be one of heaven’s supreme joys?
Joni Eareckson Tada, disabled as a teenager in a diving accident, has been a paraplegic for over 40 years. One would imagine that her greatest longing would be the ability to walk, even run, free from the confinement of her wheelchair.
But Joni tells us that her greatest desire is to offer a “praise that is pure.” She explains: “I won’t be crippled by distractions, or disabled by insincerity. I won’t be handicapped by a ho-hum half-heartedness. My heart will join with yours and bubble over with effervescent adoration. We will finally be able to fellowship fully with the Father and the Son. For me, this will be the best part of heaven.”
How that speaks to my divided heart and grips my unfocused spirit! What a blessing to offer “a praise that is pure,” with no wandering thoughts, no self-centered requests, no inability to soar above my earth-bound language!
In heaven, “there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him” (Rev. 22:3). May the prospect of heaven enable us to experience a foretaste of that God-glorifying worship even here and now.
To be with Him will crown it all!
To see His face—before Him fall,
To feast within His banquet hall;
To be with Him will crown it all! —Peterson
To see Jesus will be heaven’s greatest joy.
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Doing The Work of God
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Jul 7, 2009 4:20 am
86 Views
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Bible in One Year:
Job 34-35; Acts 15:1-21
READ: John 6:25-33
Our sufficiency is from God. —2 Corinthians 3:5
When I was a pastor I used to have a recurring nightmare. I would rise to preach on Sunday morning, look out at my congregation—and see no one in the pews!
It doesn’t take a Daniel (Dan. 2:1,19) or a dream therapist to interpret the vision. It grew out of my belief that everything depended on me. I mistakenly believed that if I did not preach with power and persuasion, the congregation would fade away and the church would fold. I thought I was responsible for the results of God’s work.
In the Gospels, we read that some people asked Jesus, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” (John 6:2 . What audacity! Only God can do the works of God!
Jesus’ answer instructs us all: “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent” (v.29). Whatever we have to do, then, whether teaching a Sunday school class, leading a small group, telling the gospel story to our neighbor, or preaching to thousands, it must be done by faith. There is no other way to “work the works of God.”
Our responsibility is to serve God faithfully, wherever He has placed us. Then we’re to leave the results to Him. As Jesus reminded His disciples in John 15:5,
“Without Me you can do nothing.”
The work of the Lord for us has been done—
Jesus has paid the supreme sacrifice;
Our service for God has only begun—
And nothing we do can help pay the price. —Hess
Christ’s work on the cross equips us to do good works for Him.
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Bubbles On The Border
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Jul 6, 2009 3:38 am
112 Views
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Bible in One Year:
Job 32-33; Acts 14
READ: 2 Corinthians 4:8-18
We do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.
2 Corinthians 4:18
Stuck in a long line at the US-Canada border, Joel Schoon Tanis had to do something to lighten the mood! He reached for his bottles of bubble-making solution, bounded out of the car, and began blowing bubbles. He handed bottles to other drivers too, and he says that “soon there were bubbles everywhere. . . . It’s amazing what bubbles do for people.” The line didn’t move any faster, but “suddenly everyone was happy,” Joel says.
“What we see depends mainly on what we look for,” said British statesman John Lubbock (1834–1913). A good attitude and the right focus help us to handle life joyfully, even though it doesn’t change our circumstances.
Paul encouraged the Corinthians in their trials: “Do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal”
2 Cor. 4:18.
So what’s unseen and eternal that we can look at? The character of God is an excellent place to focus. He is good Ps. 25:8, He is just Isa. 30:1, He is forgiving 1 John 1:9, and He is faithful Deut. 7:9.
Pondering God’s character can give us joy in the midst of our struggles.
The eyes of faith when fixed on Christ
Give hope for what’s ahead;
But focus on life’s obstacles,
And faith gives way to dread.
When Christ is the center of your focus, all else will come into proper perspective.
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Job´s Principle
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Jul 3, 2009 4:28 am
98 Views
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Bible in One Year:
Job 25-27; Acts 12
READ: Philippians 4:10-13
Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity? —Job 2:10
When my wife accepted a position as Director of Special Education in a school district many miles from our home, it resulted in a very long commute each day. It was tolerable in the short term, but neither of us could see her doing this indefinitely. So we decided to relocate to another city halfway between our two jobs.
The real estate agent was not optimistic about our home selling quickly. Market trends showed many homes for sale with few buyers. After much prayer and strenuous cleaning, we finally put our home up for sale. To our surprise, our house sold in less than 3 weeks!
Sometimes I feel guilty about receiving material blessings. With so many needs around the world, why should I expect divine intervention in selling a home? Then I remember Job’s reply to his wife: “Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” (Job 2:10).
This verse is most often applied to accepting disappointment. But the principle also applies to being grateful for blessings. The apostle Paul had learned how to rejoice in plenty and in want (Phil. 4:10-13). God has an interest in teaching us contentment through both gains and losses. Thanking God in all circumstances recognizes His sovereignty and nurtures a response of faith.
We thank You, Lord, for blessings
You give us on our way;
May we for these be grateful,
And praise You every day. —Roworth
The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. —Job
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THE CHOICE
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Jul 2, 2009 5:40 am
98 Views
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Bible in One Year:
Job 22-24; Acts 11
READ: Genesis 2:16-17; 3:1-8
Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat. —Genesis 2:16-17
I watched as a young mother tried to get her 2-year-old child to make a choice. “You can have fish or chicken,” she told him. She limited his choice to just two because he was too young to understand beyond that. Choice often allows a wider variety of options, and it also must allow the person to reject the choices.
Adam and Eve were in the best possible environment. God had given them freedom to eat of all the trees in Eden. He drew the boundary lines around only one tree! They had a choice, and it should have been a no-brainer to choose wisely. But their choice was tragic.
Some blame God for what they see as His restrictions. They may even accuse Him of trying to control their lives. But God gives us a choice, just as He did Adam and Eve.
Yes, God draws boundary lines, but they are for our protection. David understood this. He wrote, “You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies . . . . I understand more than the ancients, because I keep Your precepts. I have restrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep Your Word” (Ps. 119:98-101).
God cares so much about us that He gives us boundary lines so that we will choose what is right.
Lord, help us to obey Your Word,
To heed Your still, small voice;
And may we not be swayed by men,
But make Your will our choice.
God’s commandments were given to fulfill us, not to frustrate us.
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THE REVEAL
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Jul 1, 2009 3:51 am
105 Views
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Bible in One Year:
Job 20-21; Acts 10:24-48
READ: Luke 2:25-35
The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together. —Isaiah 40:5
The room was a wreck. Mismatched furniture. Faded paint. Ugly light fixtures. Knick-knacks crammed into crowded spaces. The homeowners tried to make some improvements, but the room kept getting worse.
Thus begins a home-improvement TV program. After interviewing the owners, the designer draws a plan to maximize the room’s potential. Program producers create suspense by building up to a moment referred to as “the reveal.” Viewers watch the progress and ooh and aah with the homeowners when they see the new room.
Over time, the world has become like a neglected room. People bring in things that don’t belong. They arrange priorities in ways that hinder potential. Lives become dull, overcrowded, and ineffective. Self-improvement projects offer little help.
The Bible is God’s plan that shows the best way to live. God builds suspense throughout the Old Testament. Then, at the appointed time, comes the great reveal—Jesus! Upon seeing Him, Simeon exclaimed, “My eyes have seen Your salvation . . . , a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel” (Luke 2:30-32).
We become part of God’s great “reveal” when we follow His design and Christ’s example.
O send Thy Spirit, Lord, now unto me
That He may touch my eyes and make me see;
Show me the truth concealed within Thy Word,
And in Thy Book revealed I see Thee, Lord. —Lathbury
All that I am I owe to Jesus Christ, revealed to me in His divine Book.
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Search And Rescue
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Jun 30, 2009 4:33 am
101 Views
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Bible in One Year:
Job 17-19; Acts 10:1-23
READ: Luke 19:1-10
The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost. —Luke 19:10
Almost every week we see news about a search-and-rescue mission. It may involve a child who wandered away from a family picnic and is lost, or a hiker stranded on a mountain, or people trapped in the rubble following an earthquake. In every case, the people at risk are unable to help themselves. Those who are found and saved usually have lasting gratitude for those who joined in the search and rescued them.
The account of Zacchaeus in Luke 19:1-10 is a story of search and rescue. At first glance it may seem like a series of chance events—Jesus was passing through Jericho and a rich tax collector climbed a tree to catch a glimpse of the miracle-working teacher. But this encounter with Jesus was not a coincidence. At the end of the narrative, Luke deliberately included Jesus’ words to Zacchaeus, “Today salvation has come to this house . . . ; for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (vv.9-10).
Jesus began His search-and-rescue operation on earth by His life, death, and resurrection. He continues it today through the power of the Holy Spirit, and He graciously invites us to participate with Him by loving those who are lost.
People can’t believe in Jesus
If the gospel they don’t hear,
So we must proclaim its message
To the world—both far and near. —Sper
Those rescued from sin are best able to rescue those in sin.
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MACAULEY
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Jun 29, 2009 1:59 am
103 Views
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Bible in One Year:
Job 14-16; Acts 9:22-43
READ: Isaiah 6:1-8
I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”
—Isaiah 6:8
Macauley Rivera, one of my dearest friends in Bible college, had a passion for the Savior. His heart’s desire was to graduate, marry his fiancée Sharon, return to the inner city of Washington, DC, and plant a church to reach his friends and family for Christ.
That dream ended, however, when Mac and Sharon were tragically killed in an accident, leaving the student body stunned at the loss. At Mac’s memorial service, the challenge was issued: “Mac is gone. Who will serve in his place?” As evidence of the impact of Mac’s example, more than 200 students stood to take up the mantle of Christ’s fallen servant.
The response of those students echoes the commitment of Isaiah. In a time of fear and insecurity, the prophet was summoned into the throne room of God, where he heard Him say, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Isaiah responded, “Here am I! Send me” Isa. 6:8.
God still calls men and women to be His ambassadors today. He challenges us to serve Him—sometimes close to home, sometimes in distant lands. The question for us is, How will we respond to His call? May God give us the courage to say, “Here am I! Send me.” — Bill Crowder
Take the task He gives you gladly;
Let His work your pleasure be;
Answer quickly when He calleth,
“Here am I, send me, send me.” —March
Whom God calls, He qualifies; whom He qualifies, He sends.
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