Before I write this devotional, I want to mention why I feel the need include disclaimers before each one. I'm simply incredibly convicted of how I fail to live up to the Bible's standard for living. And once I realized - from writing this devotional set - that it's really all about doing it for God's glory because everything is His and we are just stewards ... it's just too much. I hope you all have had the same epiphany and know the gravity of what we've been discussing.
*Scriptures taken from Biblegateway.com
Not everyone has a job right now, so I feel I should clear up what exactly I mean by work. To put it in child-like terms, work is simply whatever you "do." If you have a profession, which I confess to not having, then that is your work, or at least part of it. If you're going to school, then you're job is to be a student. And if you are actively involved in extracurricular activities (here's I'm excluding ministries, which we'll discuss on a later date), those too are your work.
How is work an act of stewardship? Surely at least this is ours. My reply is to consider when we got notice that we received our job, or got into that school. Were we not grateful? Was that the proper response? Of course it was! Would we not think it horrible to believe otherwise? The reason for our thanksgiving is that, in the end, we know it is not by our own hands that we received this blessing. God's grace provided it to us. Now if God is the Provider, then how can we claim ownership?
Now that we've cleared that up, let's see what the Word of God has to say about work.
First, let's briefly consider the principle of tithing. Malachi 3:8-12 strictly warns us about robbing from God. I don't need to tell you how crucial this is. We discussed in the devotional on time stewardship the comparison of tithes and offerings. Tithes are owed to God, hands down. Offerings are whatever extra we give in addition to our tithes out of a grateful heart. It is in our offerings that we receive the true blessings, because our offering is a sign of our growing affection toward our Lord. Here is a good place to mention stewarding our money. Our money is not ours, similar to how property is not ours. Thus, it is critical that we know how to use and save our money appropriately. I'm sure this is nothing new to all of you, and I trust you all are not robbing God (after all you are Strong Christians), and since I do not like to talk much about money, we'll move on.
Second, keep your commitments. We shouldn't accept an occupation if we honestly do not think we will be able to handle it. The Bible says, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” [Luke 9:62]. We must learn not to have a hasty tongue. On the smaller scale, when we are asked by our bosses to complete a task as part of our job, we should not be so quick to say yes. I understand that we want to impress them, but we must also remember that it's better to say no and go back later than to say yes and not complete the task given to us [see Matthew 21:28-31]. It will more impressive to be dependable than to be a yes-man.
Third, once we agree to a task, it's important to keep ourselves from complaining about the weight of it. We should learn to let our "yes" be "yes" [Matthew 5:37], and to add nothing more to it. For example, if another person, over whom we have seniority, receives the same benefits as us, then we have no be angry, because we agreed to work for those same benefits. This may be hard to swallow, especially when we think of worker's rights. I'm not against all the many perks for which unions and other institutions have worked so hard. But I also feel that when we give our consent to do something, we do not have a right to complain when we get exactly what we have asked for. It's actually not Christian-like. In the parable of the workers in the vineyard [Matthew 20:1-16], Jesus speaks of workers protesting to their employer that those hired later are receiving the same wages. The vinedresser replies, "Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things?"
This ties into our fourth point. Whatever we do, we must do so with diligence [Proverbs 10:4], always remember who we are representing. Here I'll give a personal example. I am a pastor's daughter, and so I know what it's like to have things unrelated to church judged by those who are not a member of a pastor's family. If things are done wrong, they are twice as worse because for some strange reason, a pastor's kid is supposed to know better. The same thing is expected of us as Christians from outsiders. We are just suppose to know better. Is this logical? Of course not! But should that be our excuse for failing? Of course not. The world has no knowledge of the thought process of Christians, outside of the occasional glimpses that have been illuminated by our gracious God. Come to think of it, neither do we. But as Christians, we spend more time with God, and thus become more attuned to His will and His style. So if the world judges us wrong, we ought not to complain. Rather, we must consider what they're asking, and, if it's in line with God's Word (as we showed it was in Proverbs), then we should just do it without reservation.
My friend, who I assure you has a heart of gold, often tells me to "Suck it up" and "Walk it off." I think that's what we need to do here. The world should not hold us to a higher standard, because we are just as fallible as they are. So what? The worldly worker has no right to work less diligently than we Christians do. Who cares? We cannot use that as an excuse. I personally know how tempting it is to evaluate our work ethic based on the procrastination of others, and to pat ourselves on the back when we compare. But is that any different from the Pharisee who compared himself to the tax collector [see Luke 18:9-14]? This parable was about comparing spirituality, but in essence, we should not compare ourselves with anyone except the Infallible One. What was Jesus's work ethic? We should "go and do likewise."
God bless,
Alisha
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Property
*Scriptures taken from Biblegateway.com
Again, I feel the need to include a disclaimer. I know that I have no right to write the following words; I am as poor a steward as the worst of us. But let these words encourage us to work harder than ever before.
"The earth is the Lord's, and all of it's fullness." [Psalm 24:1] All the world belongs to our Father in heaven. Nothing is ours. That's a concept that is really hard to grasp, especially in our materialistic society. We constantly seek what we want to have, but nothing, absolutely nothing is ours. This requires further exploration. Whatever He gives to us, when we truly think about it, is just a loan. We cannot take it beyond the grave, as hard as the Pharaohs of Egypt may try. Neither our wealth, nor our friendships, nor our accolades, nor our achievements will continue on with us, though they may continue on in this world. We leave the world as we entered - naked.
This leaves us with two responses. First, we must learn to never take pride in what we have or what we have accomplished. I like to think of it this way. Either I was born with it, and thus had no part in its acquisition and have no right to feel proud, or I had to work to get it, and thus must realize that anyone else could have attained the same thing. Of what then do I have to be proud? There is no room for pride. In fact, pride has a habit of taking over everything, and it's distaste will cost us every relationship we have, the most important of which is our relationship with God. Pride makes ourselves the idol, and to attach our worth to our property is like building an altar to it.
What then ought to be our reaction? Are we to sell all we have and live as hermits? Certainly not! God has placed us in charge of various things because He wants to see those things taken care of. An example of bad stewardship can be seen by the Israelites, who had worked their lands to exhaustion. They were required by law to give the land a year of rest every seven years, with the promise that the sixth year's harvest would be plentiful enough to sustain them for two years. So they would see the evidence of the promise before they had to make the commitment to not work the land. But in their greed, they harvested for 490 straight years. Finally, during their 70 year exile, God gave the land the rest it was due, but at such a great price to the people of Israel. We should learn from their error.
That leaves us with the second response of seeing all that we own as God's gift to us. This includes everything from houses (or dorm rooms for you college girls) to cars to smaller items like books and glasses and cell phones. And, make no mistake, it definitely includes the earth and every element in it, of which we were first called into stewardship [Genesis 1:28]. That's right - going green has a Christian element to it. God wants to see how you maintain what He gives you, so that He can put you in charge of many when you deliver it back to Him, just as He did in the parable of the talents [Matthew 25:14-30]. Wouldn't it be wonderful to have those words we all long to hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant"? We always assume this refers to how many works we can do for the Lord, but to think of how it relates to our stewardship of property is truly convicting. I know it is for me.
Let us make a commitment to be good stewards of God's blessings, realizing that we receive them by His mercy, and will give an account to Him one day.
God bless,
Alisha
Again, I feel the need to include a disclaimer. I know that I have no right to write the following words; I am as poor a steward as the worst of us. But let these words encourage us to work harder than ever before.
"The earth is the Lord's, and all of it's fullness." [Psalm 24:1] All the world belongs to our Father in heaven. Nothing is ours. That's a concept that is really hard to grasp, especially in our materialistic society. We constantly seek what we want to have, but nothing, absolutely nothing is ours. This requires further exploration. Whatever He gives to us, when we truly think about it, is just a loan. We cannot take it beyond the grave, as hard as the Pharaohs of Egypt may try. Neither our wealth, nor our friendships, nor our accolades, nor our achievements will continue on with us, though they may continue on in this world. We leave the world as we entered - naked.
This leaves us with two responses. First, we must learn to never take pride in what we have or what we have accomplished. I like to think of it this way. Either I was born with it, and thus had no part in its acquisition and have no right to feel proud, or I had to work to get it, and thus must realize that anyone else could have attained the same thing. Of what then do I have to be proud? There is no room for pride. In fact, pride has a habit of taking over everything, and it's distaste will cost us every relationship we have, the most important of which is our relationship with God. Pride makes ourselves the idol, and to attach our worth to our property is like building an altar to it.
What then ought to be our reaction? Are we to sell all we have and live as hermits? Certainly not! God has placed us in charge of various things because He wants to see those things taken care of. An example of bad stewardship can be seen by the Israelites, who had worked their lands to exhaustion. They were required by law to give the land a year of rest every seven years, with the promise that the sixth year's harvest would be plentiful enough to sustain them for two years. So they would see the evidence of the promise before they had to make the commitment to not work the land. But in their greed, they harvested for 490 straight years. Finally, during their 70 year exile, God gave the land the rest it was due, but at such a great price to the people of Israel. We should learn from their error.
That leaves us with the second response of seeing all that we own as God's gift to us. This includes everything from houses (or dorm rooms for you college girls) to cars to smaller items like books and glasses and cell phones. And, make no mistake, it definitely includes the earth and every element in it, of which we were first called into stewardship [Genesis 1:28]. That's right - going green has a Christian element to it. God wants to see how you maintain what He gives you, so that He can put you in charge of many when you deliver it back to Him, just as He did in the parable of the talents [Matthew 25:14-30]. Wouldn't it be wonderful to have those words we all long to hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant"? We always assume this refers to how many works we can do for the Lord, but to think of how it relates to our stewardship of property is truly convicting. I know it is for me.
Let us make a commitment to be good stewards of God's blessings, realizing that we receive them by His mercy, and will give an account to Him one day.
God bless,
Alisha
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Time Stewardship
*Scriptures provided by BibleGateway.com
Let me begin by saying that I am the last person who should write this devotional. God has taught me so many principles about being a good steward of my time, and, on a good day, I implement maybe 25% of them. I always think that it should be champion who tells you how to win the fight, not the one laying knocked out on the floor. But the verse I've shared with you all numerous times still rings true - His strength remains perfect in my weakness [2 Corinthians 12:9].
We've all been made stewards of various things; money, relationships, and our physical bodies are probably the things to which you usually hear stewardship referred. We will get to these things later. But equally important is how we handle our time. Again, I admit to be the queen of procrastination. I recognized this and have prayed numerous times that God show me a way to overcome. This is what I have learned. (For here on out, I'm going to make personal references because I realize that some things apply only to myself. Feel free to implement them as you prayerfully see fit).
First, I have learned to make a schedule, and to try my hardest to stick to it. Making the schedule is not the hard part, but choosing not to deviate is. In the schedule, I need to include time for sleeping and eating, but also time for relaxation and of course spending time with friends.
This is important for the second principle. I need to recognize that not all my "free time," time that I graciously get simply when things get done faster than I accounted for, is not necessarily meant for watching TV or movies, or for hanging out with friends. Sometimes, this is the case. But I have come to realize that God gives me those extra hours to get a head start on things that I planned on leaving for tomorrow. Usually, this is because the next day I find out that the particular task will take much longer than I expected, and I find myself smacking my forehead, wondering why I went out instead of working on that paper. Here is the key: I am a woman and thus I am finite. God is God, and thus He is infinite. God, in His wonderful mercy, looks into the future and sees the obstacle that I am going to face, and He makes a way for me to prepare for that obstacle beforehand. When I am not sensitive to His leading, I ignore His warning and do what I want. On the rare occasion that I listen, I am so grateful for His urging, because I see how I would otherwise be overcome.
The third thing I have learned is one that extends to mostly to being a steward of our finances. The principle of tithes and offerings will be further explained when we discuss stewarding our money later on. For now, I will tell you that I heard the radical idea of tithing our time (giving God 2.4 hours or 2 hours and 24 minutes) to God from a pastor friend of mine. I tried it, and failed miserably. I feel so disgusted with myself, much like how I feel if I forget to tithe my money. But when I started to implement the offering side - offering here meaning giving something extra beside the tithes - I realized something important. If I give God only 2.4 hours, what am I doing with the rest of my time? Should I not be honoring God with my whole life? Don't get me wrong; we cannot spending our entire time reading Scripture and praying. We have other obligations while we live on this earth, many of which require undivided attention. But I have also learned that through it all, I can and should maintain an attitude of prayer [Colossians 4:2]. I must realize that God is ever watchful of my behavior, and I should utilize every opportunity I have to glorify Him, especially when it comes to ministering to others [Colossians 4:5]. If I allow myself to lose focus, then I will not recognize those opportunities when they present themselves. I will admit that it is exhausting to be vigilant and wary, but the rewards of such living is an incredible strength that others will perceive and be encouraged by.
Now what of the time that I do spend in prayer and reading the word? Does that still need to be tithed? I have no answer for that. I can tell you that I have tried several times to spend 2.4 hours solely in God's presence, and I find it very difficult, even on weekends. But I will share this fourth and final principle with you. It comes from Psalm 46:10, specifically the phrase "Be still." I personally try to spend time studying the Word of God and praying to God. This is critical and should not be stopped. But recently, I learned about being still. Philip Yancey, in his book Prayer Does It Really Make a Difference? speaks of when he was on a retreat where he was instructed to spend "quiet time" with God. At first it was difficult and tedious, but after a while he realized how God could speak to Him in something as simple as nature. I personally have decided to go on a sort of mental retreat once a day. Today was actually the first day I implemented this, and from it was birthed the idea for this devotional set. I have a very active mind, and so in complete honesty knew I could no more than 15 minutes of stillness and silence. Silence was the key. I would not pray, making my requests known to God. I would not even open my Bible. I wanted it to be purely just God speaking to me. Before the 15 minutes, I prayed the Lord would direct my thoughts so that I would be able to give him my whole 15 minutes, as I surrender one hundred percent. I kept my prayer journal open, and was ready to write down whatever I received. This one of the entries I wrote:
I need this 15 minutes of silence to open my mind passed the tasks for the day and the worries and the sometimes overwhelming reminders of yesterday's failures just to get where I can praise Him. And when I come to the garden alone, a wellspring of praise is on my lips that I don't need to analyze. It is beautiful.
You see, in the course of the 15 minutes, I did not allow myself to think about my tasks, but surrendered them to God. And when I was reminded of how unworthy I was to enter into His holy presence, I surrendered my failures to Him, too. About 10 minutes into it, I found myself spontaneously praising God, saying things that assured me of where I stood in my relationship with Him. And though I so desperately wanted to analyze it and take it apart, knowing that I should constantly evaluate my relationship with God and measure my growth, I also knew I didn't have to do it just then, because I would miss out on this wonderful experience. It was too beautiful to miss.
I encourage you all to implement these principles, especially the fourth. I know it's difficult, but you will have someone has prayed for you, that you will try and succeed. You will not regret it.
God bless,
Alisha
Let me begin by saying that I am the last person who should write this devotional. God has taught me so many principles about being a good steward of my time, and, on a good day, I implement maybe 25% of them. I always think that it should be champion who tells you how to win the fight, not the one laying knocked out on the floor. But the verse I've shared with you all numerous times still rings true - His strength remains perfect in my weakness [2 Corinthians 12:9].
We've all been made stewards of various things; money, relationships, and our physical bodies are probably the things to which you usually hear stewardship referred. We will get to these things later. But equally important is how we handle our time. Again, I admit to be the queen of procrastination. I recognized this and have prayed numerous times that God show me a way to overcome. This is what I have learned. (For here on out, I'm going to make personal references because I realize that some things apply only to myself. Feel free to implement them as you prayerfully see fit).
First, I have learned to make a schedule, and to try my hardest to stick to it. Making the schedule is not the hard part, but choosing not to deviate is. In the schedule, I need to include time for sleeping and eating, but also time for relaxation and of course spending time with friends.
This is important for the second principle. I need to recognize that not all my "free time," time that I graciously get simply when things get done faster than I accounted for, is not necessarily meant for watching TV or movies, or for hanging out with friends. Sometimes, this is the case. But I have come to realize that God gives me those extra hours to get a head start on things that I planned on leaving for tomorrow. Usually, this is because the next day I find out that the particular task will take much longer than I expected, and I find myself smacking my forehead, wondering why I went out instead of working on that paper. Here is the key: I am a woman and thus I am finite. God is God, and thus He is infinite. God, in His wonderful mercy, looks into the future and sees the obstacle that I am going to face, and He makes a way for me to prepare for that obstacle beforehand. When I am not sensitive to His leading, I ignore His warning and do what I want. On the rare occasion that I listen, I am so grateful for His urging, because I see how I would otherwise be overcome.
The third thing I have learned is one that extends to mostly to being a steward of our finances. The principle of tithes and offerings will be further explained when we discuss stewarding our money later on. For now, I will tell you that I heard the radical idea of tithing our time (giving God 2.4 hours or 2 hours and 24 minutes) to God from a pastor friend of mine. I tried it, and failed miserably. I feel so disgusted with myself, much like how I feel if I forget to tithe my money. But when I started to implement the offering side - offering here meaning giving something extra beside the tithes - I realized something important. If I give God only 2.4 hours, what am I doing with the rest of my time? Should I not be honoring God with my whole life? Don't get me wrong; we cannot spending our entire time reading Scripture and praying. We have other obligations while we live on this earth, many of which require undivided attention. But I have also learned that through it all, I can and should maintain an attitude of prayer [Colossians 4:2]. I must realize that God is ever watchful of my behavior, and I should utilize every opportunity I have to glorify Him, especially when it comes to ministering to others [Colossians 4:5]. If I allow myself to lose focus, then I will not recognize those opportunities when they present themselves. I will admit that it is exhausting to be vigilant and wary, but the rewards of such living is an incredible strength that others will perceive and be encouraged by.
Now what of the time that I do spend in prayer and reading the word? Does that still need to be tithed? I have no answer for that. I can tell you that I have tried several times to spend 2.4 hours solely in God's presence, and I find it very difficult, even on weekends. But I will share this fourth and final principle with you. It comes from Psalm 46:10, specifically the phrase "Be still." I personally try to spend time studying the Word of God and praying to God. This is critical and should not be stopped. But recently, I learned about being still. Philip Yancey, in his book Prayer Does It Really Make a Difference? speaks of when he was on a retreat where he was instructed to spend "quiet time" with God. At first it was difficult and tedious, but after a while he realized how God could speak to Him in something as simple as nature. I personally have decided to go on a sort of mental retreat once a day. Today was actually the first day I implemented this, and from it was birthed the idea for this devotional set. I have a very active mind, and so in complete honesty knew I could no more than 15 minutes of stillness and silence. Silence was the key. I would not pray, making my requests known to God. I would not even open my Bible. I wanted it to be purely just God speaking to me. Before the 15 minutes, I prayed the Lord would direct my thoughts so that I would be able to give him my whole 15 minutes, as I surrender one hundred percent. I kept my prayer journal open, and was ready to write down whatever I received. This one of the entries I wrote:
I need this 15 minutes of silence to open my mind passed the tasks for the day and the worries and the sometimes overwhelming reminders of yesterday's failures just to get where I can praise Him. And when I come to the garden alone, a wellspring of praise is on my lips that I don't need to analyze. It is beautiful.
You see, in the course of the 15 minutes, I did not allow myself to think about my tasks, but surrendered them to God. And when I was reminded of how unworthy I was to enter into His holy presence, I surrendered my failures to Him, too. About 10 minutes into it, I found myself spontaneously praising God, saying things that assured me of where I stood in my relationship with Him. And though I so desperately wanted to analyze it and take it apart, knowing that I should constantly evaluate my relationship with God and measure my growth, I also knew I didn't have to do it just then, because I would miss out on this wonderful experience. It was too beautiful to miss.
I encourage you all to implement these principles, especially the fourth. I know it's difficult, but you will have someone has prayed for you, that you will try and succeed. You will not regret it.
God bless,
Alisha
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Fruits
*Scriptures taken from Biblegateway.com
To be perfectly honest, I have hesitated in writing this final devotional for our series on the sermon on the mount. The lesson I learned and will soon share comes with a stern but entirely doable commandment – one that I, nonetheless, have not done. If experience qualifies the teacher, then I certainly should not be teaching this one. But in humility I will present my case, and I hope you all will take the challenge as seriously as I have.
Here we see Jesus's warning of "wolves in sheep's clothing." Their appearance is deceptive but their fruits are not. "You will know them by their fruits." [verse 16] He blatantly states that it is impossible for a good tree to bear bad fruit and for a bad tree to bear good fruit. Their fruits are the ultimate sign of their veracity. So what is the fruit?
Let's first address what composes one's appearance. Off the top of my head, appearances comprise of first impressions, mannerisms, clothes, and style preferences. You all will probably compose a similar list. I would never think to add works to that list. After all, should not works be considered the fruit? Do we not frequently quote James's declaration, "Faith without works is dead" [James 2:17]? When we continue reading, however, we see that Jesus admonishes about a group of people who will be able to prophesy, cast out demons, and do many wonders in His very name. Yet to these same people He says, "I never knew you." What a disappointment. And what a somber reminder that it is perfectly possible to "bestow all [our] goods to the poor" and "give [our bodies] to be burned," but, without love, it profits us nothing [1 Corinthians 13:3].
At first, this really upset me. Can you imagine, doing such wonderful things in the name of the one true Savior Jesus Christ, and then be completely shunned? It is one thing if He said, "Alisha, you have disappointed Me." I can say I have heard that one more than once. But to have Him say, "I never knew you" would be worse than eternal fire and brimstone. I cannot be rejected by my Savior, the Lover of my soul. And I know those of you who have drawn close to Him would feel the same way. But what hope have I, having done so little for him, when there are those who do these incredible things who will be turned away?
My hope comes in the next phrase: "Depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness" [verse 23]. You see, Jesus does not care about the magnitude of the works we commit. He cares about us practicing the law. Now this obviously does not mean the strict levitical commands that, even at that time, were virtually impossible to fulfill. What had He to say about the Pharisees, who made a spectacle of their commandment-obeying? "Unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven" [Matthew 5:20]. If those who made it their career and pastime to perform the law could not do it, what hope, again have we?
The real question is, who then can fulfill the law? That is easy enough to answer, since we did so in a previous devotional. Jesus earlier said, "I did not come to destroy the law, but to fulfill" [Matthew 5:17]. Jesus alone has the righteousness needed to enter the kingdom of heaven. Jesus Christ alone. We need His righteousness to enter in. And if we seek it, we shall surely have it, because He said, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled" [Matthew 5:6].
So what shall we do to obtain this righteousness? Paul tells the Romans, "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes … If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation" [Romans 10:4, 9, 10]. It is imperative that we believe in Lord Jesus, the Christ. This is more than just an altar call, though. Belief, in its truest form, always precipitates action. Luke 6:46-49 connects this section with Jesus's analogy of building a house on the rock. Christ does this by bluntly saying that we have no right to call out "Lord, Lord" and not do the things He says (in other words, all the things mentioned beforehand in the sermon). If we are to call Him Lord, then should He not be just that – our Lord? And make no mistake, we are going to be held accountable for what we have learned. If we choose not to obey, we will be the foolish man who built his house of the sand. When the storms come in our lives, we will find everything we have built up will be swept away in a flood. But if we choose to obey, we will not be shaken, for our house will be built on the solid Rock of Christ.
What will be your decision?
God bless,
Alisha
Friday, January 9, 2009
Narrow Gate
*Scriptures taken from Biblegateway.com
Matthew 7:13, 14
Wouldn't it be nice if we could pray for people and their souls would automatically be given access into heaven? It's so difficult for us to consider the possibility of not seeing those we love on the other side. But here Jesus paints the picture of two paths, two ways of living.
Path # 1 - a broad way with a wide gate. This is how many choose to live their life. This way is easy because it's so broad. There's plenty of room for us to meander, so we don't have to get worried about constantly caring if we're on the right track. Plus there's so much room for so many people. We can help others get through the wide gate, bringing them in right along side us. But this is the way that leads to destruction.
Path # 2- a difficult way with a narrow gate. Few are lucky enough to find it. The way is difficult, filled with roots and holes that try to trip and ensnare us. It is absolutely necessary to constantly be wary, making sure we're staying on the straight and narrow. And the gate is indeed narrow - meaning that there is only room for one; you can't go in with someone else. This is the way that leads to life.
There seems to be some talk going around about relationships. I am no expert on the topic; I freely confess that. But I believe God has placed multiple people (some of you even) into my life with questions on this topic particularly because I was studying these two verses.
How does it all relate? Firstly, there's the reference to the narrow gate. I have a distant relative with whom I was speaking to about relationships. He said he was glad that his wife was so spiritual, because he's depending on her to get him into heaven, basically believing he can ride in on her coattails. Unfortunately, this is a real viewpoint many share. But the Bible is clear - every tongue will confess and give an account to God [Romans 14:11, 12]. Every person must individually make the decision to follow God. I meet a lot of girls give the excuse, "I can change him." An excuse is really what it is - they are excusing themselves for taking part in a relationship that can be detrimental on both sides. Even if someone is willing to change their entire ideology for another, can it really constitute a true conversion? Choosing to follow God takes two people, and two people only: the repentant sinner and the Holy Spirit. We do not convert, we can only bring them to the cross. The rest is their decision.
Secondly, there's the last phrase. When I read this passage, I was reminded of a scene from the popular movie The Pursuit of Happyness. The protagonist asked, "How did Jefferson know to put the word 'pursuit'?" I similarly thought, "How did Jesus know to say that there are few who find the way that leads to life? Does that mean that my search is futile, that I ought to be enjoying a capricious lifestyle instead?" As the apostle Paul said, "Certainly not!" So many verses refer to the searching aspect of our Christian walk:
Isaiah 55:6 - Seek the Lord while He may be found ...
Jeremiah 29:13 - And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.
Matthew 6:33 - Seek ye first ... and all these things will be added to you.
Matthew 7:7 - ... Seek and you will find ...
(*emphasis added*)
The unifying theme with all these verses is that when seek God, when we actively search Him out, we will surely find Him. Although God warns us that someone is not His choice, it can be very difficult to consider letting go. We can feel insecure, unsure that we will find anyone as good as whom we have now. But I promise, when you are in the perfect will of God, the person whom He chooses is just that - perfect for you. Still, remember that it is not the spouse's duty to fulfill every need; that falls under God's job description. But it is our duty to take this blessed time of singleness (for those of us who are single) to develop ourselves in godly character. As a pastor friend of mine put it, "Then, look at the gift you have to present to your loved one."
Following God's path in anything - finding a life partner, a career, even a school - can be difficult. There will be things that tempt us as the easier, sensible choice. But hold firm to God. He has great plans for us, so we shouldn't sell ourselves short because of impatience or temporary emotions. Seek His perfect will through prayer. He promised that we will find it.
God bless,
Alisha
Matthew 7:13, 14
Wouldn't it be nice if we could pray for people and their souls would automatically be given access into heaven? It's so difficult for us to consider the possibility of not seeing those we love on the other side. But here Jesus paints the picture of two paths, two ways of living.
Path # 1 - a broad way with a wide gate. This is how many choose to live their life. This way is easy because it's so broad. There's plenty of room for us to meander, so we don't have to get worried about constantly caring if we're on the right track. Plus there's so much room for so many people. We can help others get through the wide gate, bringing them in right along side us. But this is the way that leads to destruction.
Path # 2- a difficult way with a narrow gate. Few are lucky enough to find it. The way is difficult, filled with roots and holes that try to trip and ensnare us. It is absolutely necessary to constantly be wary, making sure we're staying on the straight and narrow. And the gate is indeed narrow - meaning that there is only room for one; you can't go in with someone else. This is the way that leads to life.
There seems to be some talk going around about relationships. I am no expert on the topic; I freely confess that. But I believe God has placed multiple people (some of you even) into my life with questions on this topic particularly because I was studying these two verses.
How does it all relate? Firstly, there's the reference to the narrow gate. I have a distant relative with whom I was speaking to about relationships. He said he was glad that his wife was so spiritual, because he's depending on her to get him into heaven, basically believing he can ride in on her coattails. Unfortunately, this is a real viewpoint many share. But the Bible is clear - every tongue will confess and give an account to God [Romans 14:11, 12]. Every person must individually make the decision to follow God. I meet a lot of girls give the excuse, "I can change him." An excuse is really what it is - they are excusing themselves for taking part in a relationship that can be detrimental on both sides. Even if someone is willing to change their entire ideology for another, can it really constitute a true conversion? Choosing to follow God takes two people, and two people only: the repentant sinner and the Holy Spirit. We do not convert, we can only bring them to the cross. The rest is their decision.
Secondly, there's the last phrase. When I read this passage, I was reminded of a scene from the popular movie The Pursuit of Happyness. The protagonist asked, "How did Jefferson know to put the word 'pursuit'?" I similarly thought, "How did Jesus know to say that there are few who find the way that leads to life? Does that mean that my search is futile, that I ought to be enjoying a capricious lifestyle instead?" As the apostle Paul said, "Certainly not!" So many verses refer to the searching aspect of our Christian walk:
Isaiah 55:6 - Seek the Lord while He may be found ...
Jeremiah 29:13 - And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.
Matthew 6:33 - Seek ye first ... and all these things will be added to you.
Matthew 7:7 - ... Seek and you will find ...
(*emphasis added*)
The unifying theme with all these verses is that when seek God, when we actively search Him out, we will surely find Him. Although God warns us that someone is not His choice, it can be very difficult to consider letting go. We can feel insecure, unsure that we will find anyone as good as whom we have now. But I promise, when you are in the perfect will of God, the person whom He chooses is just that - perfect for you. Still, remember that it is not the spouse's duty to fulfill every need; that falls under God's job description. But it is our duty to take this blessed time of singleness (for those of us who are single) to develop ourselves in godly character. As a pastor friend of mine put it, "Then, look at the gift you have to present to your loved one."
Following God's path in anything - finding a life partner, a career, even a school - can be difficult. There will be things that tempt us as the easier, sensible choice. But hold firm to God. He has great plans for us, so we shouldn't sell ourselves short because of impatience or temporary emotions. Seek His perfect will through prayer. He promised that we will find it.
God bless,
Alisha
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Hope
*Scriptures taken from Biblegateway.com
[Matthew 7:7-12]
This is one passage that encouraged me for a long time, and I'm certain those of you familiar with it were encouraged as well. Recently, passages like these didn't cut as deeply as they used to, separating between what I want and what I need, between how I feel and what I know to be the truth, between the soul and the spirit [Hebrews 4:12].
I had slipped into a state of depression. Really, it was more of a time of frustration and anger. Too many nights were spent with tears in my eyes, telling my roommate that I was going to bed because I was tired when it was really an escape from the day. When I had the room to myself, I'd find myself yelling and screaming with God, asking why things were happening to me, begging Him to leave me alone but at the same time crying out, "Don't take your presence from me!" [Psalm 51:11].
From messages sent to me, I know a lot of you ladies have gone through the same. Sometimes, God does things that leave us so broken. Some of you do the right thing and deal with it immediately. Others, like me, repress it until it erupts, spewing out harsh words and damaging thoughts that leave your life in ashes. But we serve a God who would, if we allow, turn ashes into beauty [Isaiah 61:3].
For too long I couldn't believe it. I had faith for the moment, but not for the next; when things wouldn't work out immediately, I raised so many questions. After all, countless times in Mark we would the immediacy of the Lord's work, so God must be a God of now. And "now" was when I needed Him. But, oh, how dark were those moments! I should have held dearly to the Word of God, letting it be a lamp to my feet and a light to my path [Psalm 119:105]. But rather I cried out to God, entreating Him with "Why's?" and "How come's?" and even a few "How dare You?" Some of you have been in that place. Some of you are there right now.
But I implore you, sisters, with a Word that has comforted me time and time again: Psalm 42:11. So many times, we have to utter the words the sons of Korah use here. We have to speak to our spirit and force it to focus on God, asking "Why are you downcast? Hope yet in God!" He is surely the help of our countenance. We saw in a previous devotional how God has proven Himself by showering us in grace (see "Grace-based obedience"). If He has helped us when we didn't deserve it, how much more will He help when we do? Our own parents would do at least that much. Then how much more will our Father in heaven? [verse 11].
Listen carefully, sister. I want you to know that it's okay to hope. I know there are pessimists out there - I'm one of them. I wake up feeling good and know instinctually that it's going to be a bad day. It has to be; things always get worse before they get better.
That is something we all can believe - that eventually it will work out. But we need to hope for now just as much as we have faith for the future. Even if we don't see it now. Hope is, after all, what prayer is. All the asking, seeking, knocking of prayer is hoping in God to get us through now. How though? One verse comes to mind: "Set your minds on things which are above, not on earthly things." [Colosians 3:2] That, again, should be what happens when we pray. We shift our eyes upward and try to see things from God's perspective. It is then that God reveals His divine purpose for our present problem. It is then that we receive, find, and have the door opened (verse 7).
And as we begin to see things from God's perspective, it becomes easier to hope. And as we hope, we can say as the psalmist said, "For I shall yet praise Him." Our worship is free to take reign in the midst of our difficulties. We all know that in worship we have the victory, even if it does not take on the form the world and flesh expect. Because as we worship, we have peace even in chains [Acts 16:25]. The watching world will wonder why, just as the prisoners did with Paul and Silas, and we can share our hope with them. You see, God did have a greater purpose after all. Trust Him. He has not failed us yet.
God bless,
Alisha
[Matthew 7:7-12]
This is one passage that encouraged me for a long time, and I'm certain those of you familiar with it were encouraged as well. Recently, passages like these didn't cut as deeply as they used to, separating between what I want and what I need, between how I feel and what I know to be the truth, between the soul and the spirit [Hebrews 4:12].
I had slipped into a state of depression. Really, it was more of a time of frustration and anger. Too many nights were spent with tears in my eyes, telling my roommate that I was going to bed because I was tired when it was really an escape from the day. When I had the room to myself, I'd find myself yelling and screaming with God, asking why things were happening to me, begging Him to leave me alone but at the same time crying out, "Don't take your presence from me!" [Psalm 51:11].
From messages sent to me, I know a lot of you ladies have gone through the same. Sometimes, God does things that leave us so broken. Some of you do the right thing and deal with it immediately. Others, like me, repress it until it erupts, spewing out harsh words and damaging thoughts that leave your life in ashes. But we serve a God who would, if we allow, turn ashes into beauty [Isaiah 61:3].
For too long I couldn't believe it. I had faith for the moment, but not for the next; when things wouldn't work out immediately, I raised so many questions. After all, countless times in Mark we would the immediacy of the Lord's work, so God must be a God of now. And "now" was when I needed Him. But, oh, how dark were those moments! I should have held dearly to the Word of God, letting it be a lamp to my feet and a light to my path [Psalm 119:105]. But rather I cried out to God, entreating Him with "Why's?" and "How come's?" and even a few "How dare You?" Some of you have been in that place. Some of you are there right now.
But I implore you, sisters, with a Word that has comforted me time and time again: Psalm 42:11. So many times, we have to utter the words the sons of Korah use here. We have to speak to our spirit and force it to focus on God, asking "Why are you downcast? Hope yet in God!" He is surely the help of our countenance. We saw in a previous devotional how God has proven Himself by showering us in grace (see "Grace-based obedience"). If He has helped us when we didn't deserve it, how much more will He help when we do? Our own parents would do at least that much. Then how much more will our Father in heaven? [verse 11].
Listen carefully, sister. I want you to know that it's okay to hope. I know there are pessimists out there - I'm one of them. I wake up feeling good and know instinctually that it's going to be a bad day. It has to be; things always get worse before they get better.
That is something we all can believe - that eventually it will work out. But we need to hope for now just as much as we have faith for the future. Even if we don't see it now. Hope is, after all, what prayer is. All the asking, seeking, knocking of prayer is hoping in God to get us through now. How though? One verse comes to mind: "Set your minds on things which are above, not on earthly things." [Colosians 3:2] That, again, should be what happens when we pray. We shift our eyes upward and try to see things from God's perspective. It is then that God reveals His divine purpose for our present problem. It is then that we receive, find, and have the door opened (verse 7).
And as we begin to see things from God's perspective, it becomes easier to hope. And as we hope, we can say as the psalmist said, "For I shall yet praise Him." Our worship is free to take reign in the midst of our difficulties. We all know that in worship we have the victory, even if it does not take on the form the world and flesh expect. Because as we worship, we have peace even in chains [Acts 16:25]. The watching world will wonder why, just as the prisoners did with Paul and Silas, and we can share our hope with them. You see, God did have a greater purpose after all. Trust Him. He has not failed us yet.
God bless,
Alisha
Monday, December 22, 2008
Lying Mirrors/Lying Scales
*Scriptures taken from Biblegateway.com
Matthew 7:1-6
The wisest advice I've ever read not given directly from the Bible was in the book The Brothers Karamazov by Dostoevsky. In a priest warns the village idiot of lying to oneself. "The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to such a pass that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love, and in order to occupy and distract himself without love he gives way to passions and coarse pleasures, and sinks to bestiality in his vices, all from continual lying to other men and to himself." (Book II, Chapter 2) The power of its veracity has never left me.
I find it difficult to think that Jesus would make use of the example of the man with the plank in his eye just so he could get us to laugh at the hypocrite's blunder. I think there is a much more serious message behind it. We all have sin in our lives, some "big" and some "small" (though all sin leads to the same result - separation from God). But there are those of us who go to church regularly, read the Bible, pray, and maybe even read this blog who are walking around with planks in our eyes. We have become desensitized to it, after awhile forgetting that it's not suppose to be there. These are our closet sins of which Jesus made mention in chapter 5. It is no coincidence that these are the sins that begin with "the eye." As they linger, they become a part of us, and we cannot see how they impair our vision of the things around us.
After all, is that not what judgment is - rightly discerning the things we see? We carry around these planks and think we're in a position to help others with their specks because we've acquired so many spiritual accolades. And the funny thing is that Jesus, in exclaiming "Hypocrite!", is not saying, "How dare you?!" Notice in verse 5, He does address the speck removal as that man's mission. But first, the plank has got to go.
My sisters in Christ, I come bearing this message, "The plank has got to go." The last devotional on grace-based obedience left a huge impact on myself, and from the multiple responses I received, I know it left one on you all as well. With the new year fastly approaching, I implore you to make obedience to God by following His Word the foremost resolution on your list. But confession must precede repentence. And for some of us to confess, it takes a change in furniture. We need to stop looking into the mirror that shows us as we see ourselves and start seeing things from God's perspective. We may have grown accustomed to the plank, but God knows it for what it is - an intrusion on His perfect creation.
That's right - we are His perfect creation. I believe with all my heart that He created us to perfectly fit His intended mission for each of us. But the plank gets in the way. It may be adultery, anger, or any of the other sins we've addressed. Particulary adultery - the "Jesus definition." How many ministers do we hear about whose ministries fall apart because of their sexual, financial, and fame lusting? It's hard to picture comparing ourselves to these large-scale ministries, but that is another lie we tell ourselves. Our work is just as crucial as theirs, and any impediment is just as destructive.
I know these are not easy addictions to let go of. A change in character takes time, and the road will be arduous at best. But, oh, if you could see the the plans He has for you - how the difficulties pale in comparison! Every time someone messages me about the devotionals, my heart rejoices - God is showing me another woman who is called to be a light unto this darkened world! Whatever our sins may be, let us lay it down today at the foot of the cross, and let Him equip us for unfathomable victories ahead.
God bless,
Alisha
Matthew 7:1-6
The wisest advice I've ever read not given directly from the Bible was in the book The Brothers Karamazov by Dostoevsky. In a priest warns the village idiot of lying to oneself. "The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to such a pass that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love, and in order to occupy and distract himself without love he gives way to passions and coarse pleasures, and sinks to bestiality in his vices, all from continual lying to other men and to himself." (Book II, Chapter 2) The power of its veracity has never left me.
I find it difficult to think that Jesus would make use of the example of the man with the plank in his eye just so he could get us to laugh at the hypocrite's blunder. I think there is a much more serious message behind it. We all have sin in our lives, some "big" and some "small" (though all sin leads to the same result - separation from God). But there are those of us who go to church regularly, read the Bible, pray, and maybe even read this blog who are walking around with planks in our eyes. We have become desensitized to it, after awhile forgetting that it's not suppose to be there. These are our closet sins of which Jesus made mention in chapter 5. It is no coincidence that these are the sins that begin with "the eye." As they linger, they become a part of us, and we cannot see how they impair our vision of the things around us.
After all, is that not what judgment is - rightly discerning the things we see? We carry around these planks and think we're in a position to help others with their specks because we've acquired so many spiritual accolades. And the funny thing is that Jesus, in exclaiming "Hypocrite!", is not saying, "How dare you?!" Notice in verse 5, He does address the speck removal as that man's mission. But first, the plank has got to go.
My sisters in Christ, I come bearing this message, "The plank has got to go." The last devotional on grace-based obedience left a huge impact on myself, and from the multiple responses I received, I know it left one on you all as well. With the new year fastly approaching, I implore you to make obedience to God by following His Word the foremost resolution on your list. But confession must precede repentence. And for some of us to confess, it takes a change in furniture. We need to stop looking into the mirror that shows us as we see ourselves and start seeing things from God's perspective. We may have grown accustomed to the plank, but God knows it for what it is - an intrusion on His perfect creation.
That's right - we are His perfect creation. I believe with all my heart that He created us to perfectly fit His intended mission for each of us. But the plank gets in the way. It may be adultery, anger, or any of the other sins we've addressed. Particulary adultery - the "Jesus definition." How many ministers do we hear about whose ministries fall apart because of their sexual, financial, and fame lusting? It's hard to picture comparing ourselves to these large-scale ministries, but that is another lie we tell ourselves. Our work is just as crucial as theirs, and any impediment is just as destructive.
I know these are not easy addictions to let go of. A change in character takes time, and the road will be arduous at best. But, oh, if you could see the the plans He has for you - how the difficulties pale in comparison! Every time someone messages me about the devotionals, my heart rejoices - God is showing me another woman who is called to be a light unto this darkened world! Whatever our sins may be, let us lay it down today at the foot of the cross, and let Him equip us for unfathomable victories ahead.
God bless,
Alisha
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