As an avid reader, my life is full of books. I have even written them myself. We are always looking for wisdom for our lives: Better ways of living, solutions to our many dysfunctions and challenges, new ways of looking at what are old problems. In truth, the nature of our problems is not new. Sin and brokenness and the need for healing and wholeness is as old as the fall of man. 

There are many in the Christian world today who are looking for new ways forward. For some, this includes what they call the “deconstruction of their faith.” And certainly, there are things we have been taught and practices of churches that have hurt rather than helped us in our spiritual lives. Legalism, lack of radical grace, or thinking that we need to earn God’s favor are examples of Christian culture that need to be left behind. We have plenty of man-made rules, regulations, or practices that we erroneously think are biblical and God ordained that are in fact, man made constructs. These should be deconstructed. 

But what we often forget is that the way forward is behind us. This is how the Lord puts it in Jeremiah 6:16. “Stand by the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.” While we often want new highways, some kind of new or trendy spirituality, the way to the life that pleases God and provides rest and fulfillment for our souls are ancient paths that he has laid out for His people in the Scriptures. It is there that we find peace, rest, and real solutions to our brokenness and need.

The way forward is actually behind us. It is found in the Scriptures. For all the reading we might do, podcasts we might listen to, or accounts we might follow on social media from innovative thinkers, the one truest source of wisdom for faith and life is found in God’s word. The Psalmist calls His word, the Light for our path. Jeremiah calls Scripture the ancient paths. Jesus said that “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” 

Jeremiah tells us to stand at the crossroads, those places in our lives where we need help and answers, and to ask for the ancient paths. In your life, with all those who claim to have answers to life, with new and trendy solutions bandied about, always go back to the ancient paths. They are the way forward. 

How much time do you spend in the Scriptures? How well do you know it? How often do you consult God’s word? Some of us have never actually read His whole book. There are many Bible reading plans to choose from, if that is you. Paul reminds us that everything we need for faith and godliness is found in His word. Don’t neglect the ancient paths.

Father. Thank you for your Word which is a lamp to my feet and a light for my paths. My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end. Give me a love for your word. Amen.

Have you ever been faced with decisions that had to be made and had no idea as to what you should do? Have you ever had life ripped from beneath your feet leaving you disoriented and confused? Life is like that far more often than we like. In fact, it could be safely said that we have far less control over life than we would wish. Life can throw us curve balls at any time and in numerous ways.

For Christ followers the antidote to this is simple. Hard but simple. In 2 Corinthians 5:7, Paul reminds us that “We live by faith, not by sight.” Let that sink into your heart and mind today: We live by faith, not by sight.

Here is the reality. Even when we think we can see all that is going on around us we are fooling ourselves. We have absolutely no idea what today will bring. But we know the One who does - our loving heavenly father. He knows and He says, “trust me,” “follow me.” That is what it means to live by faith rather than by sight. It is a daily and even moment by moment awareness that He has us, we simply need to trust. 

When life is ripped from beneath us or when we have no idea what we ought to do in a given situation, this is what we do know. God has placed His Holy Spirit in our lives so the God we serve, actually lives within us. We know He can be trusted, we know He is good, we know He wants to bless us, we know He knows everything we don’t know and that He has solutions for all those situations we have no solutions for. That is why we can choose to live by faith, not by sight. 

This means that we intentionally place our lives and situations in His hands and ask that He would give us the wisdom of His Spirit who indwells us to know which way to turn. Sometimes there are no ways to turn and we simply need to sit in His presence and trust Him for the outcome. As the Lord says in the Old Testament. “Be still and know that I am God.” Be still. Sit in my presence. Remember that I am God and you are not. I am sovereign over the circumstances of your life. You can choose to live by faith, He says, trusting me.

In Proverbs 3:5-6 we read this. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”  To live by our own understanding is to try to figure life out by ourselves. It is a fool's errand because we don’t know what we don’t know. He knows everything while we know only a few things. Living by faith is to invite Him into the conversation about our life, our situations, our challenges and to ask Him for divine guidance in the decisions that we make. It is only God who can make our paths straight.

Today, choose to live by faith not by sight. Invite Him into the conversation and ask Him for divine guidance.

Father, I thank you that you know all because I know just a bit. I choose to trust you today and in the situations I face. Teach me what it means to live by faith, not by sight. Make my paths straight today, Amen.

So often Christianity is seen as a set of rules, regulations or practices that define our lives. It is about performance and believing certain things. But what if all those definitions were wrong? What if being a Christian or Christ follower means that we choose to love God and out of that love seek to please Him? 

There were religious types in Jesus’s day who saw their faith as a set of regulations and they asked Jesus, “‘Of all the commandments, which is the most important?’ ‘The most important one,’ answered Jesus, ‘is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:28-31).

To follow God is to love Him. But notice how that love is defined. This is an active love that chooses to put Him first in our lives by loving Him with all our heart and with all our soul which indicates our inner being. But that is not all. To love him with all our minds is to choose to bring our thinking and world view in line with His. We often forget that how we think, what we think on, and how we view all of life should be informed by His teaching and His world view. This is what it means to love Him with our whole mind. We are what we think and loving Him means that we seek to think like He thinks and to view life as He views life. 

He continues by saying that we should love God with all of our strength. This is where we put our transformed mind into practice and we make His priorities our priorities and His ways our ways. That is not always easy and certainly requires the help of the Holy Spirit. That is why He says that we are to love Him with all of our strength. We deliberately bring our practices into line with His will even when it is hard. This is an active, rather than passive love that chooses to live like Him to the best of our ability. This moves our love for God from ritual or regulations to one of active love that manifests itself by following him in all of our lives. That is what it means to love Him.

That this is a choice we make is found in his next statement where he says, The second most important command is that we love our neighbor as we love ourselves. What we want for our lives, we are also to want for our neighbors. How we treat ourselves is how we are to treat others. Just as we show kindness and compassion to ourselves, we are to do so for those around us. This changes our relationships with others as we seek the best for them as we do for ourselves. 

Loving God is to submit our heart, soul, mind and practices to Him and to do so in the power of His Holy Spirit who lives within us. Loving our neighbor is to want the very best for them and to actively seek their welfare. All we do for God and all we do for one another comes out of a place of love. Active love. 

Father, help me to love you with all my heart, soul, mind and strength today. And help me to love my neighbor in tangible ways where they see God’s love through me. I want to love you and my neighbor well. Amen.

Love is the coinage of the Christian life. It is the proof of God’s work in our lives. Yet, it seems that in our divided world, love is often the first casualty. Churches are divided, friendships are fractured and the tone and tenor of relationships often becomes harsh and unkind. 

I wonder what would happen if every morning we were to be reminded of God’s definition of love? Think of the hardest person in your life. The one that is the hardest to love. The one who irritates, frustrates and maybe even angers you. And then think about God’s definition of love.

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).

Here is something to consider. Each of these descriptors of love are choices we make in our interaction with others. This is an active love that chooses to love even when we don’t feel like loving. And that makes sense because that is what God did with us. In Romans 5:8 we read “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” He chose to love us even when we didn’t love Him and even when we were not lovable. He calls us to the same attitude and practice.

I need this reminder often. It is not the way I want to treat some people. In fact, this kind of love is not normal. It is a kind of love that is made possible by the Spirit of God working in our hearts as He continually seeks to make us more like Jesus. This is Jesus love.

Never be fooled that our knowledge of Scripture and theology or even natural abilities can substitute for demonstrating love to those around us in very tangible ways. Without love, we are not living like Jesus. As Paul says, “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3).

Consider taking the definition of love in 1 Corinthians 13 and read it each morning for one week. Then ask God to help you live out those practices with everyone around you. Remember, that we choose to show this Jesus love. And the test is not those who are easy to love but those who are hard to love.

Father, I admit that there are people that are hard for me to love and I admit that I often fall far short of your definition of love. Would you help me to love better and would you remind me often of the opportunity that I have daily to demonstrate Jesus love to those around me. Amen.

Deep down, many of us don’t really believe that God can use us in a significant way. We are not trained, we have no special talents and we doubt that God even wants to use us to change the world. In fact, we suspect that we are not worthy to be used by Him. Or if so, that our contribution isn’t that important.

I remember when my boys were young and my older son was waxing eloquently about how important a certain person was because of what they did. I asked him, “What does your dad do?” He said, “Oh, you’re just an ordinary worker.” It was funny but it is how we often feel. We are just ordinary workers. How can our contribution count?

God’s view is different. Paul says in Ephesians 2:10 that “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do Good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” God specifically created each of us uniquely for a unique work that he has for us to do on His behalf. That is an amazing statement. In His kingdom there are no ordinary workers. We are all divinely commissioned for specific tasks He has for us. We are divinely commissioned and gifted for His specific work.

In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul says, “The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all of its parts are many, they form one body. “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” Each of us has a unique role to fulfill and part to play. Paul says, “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.”

We often mistakenly think that ministry is reserved for those who are trained. Actually ministry is reserved for those who are gifted by God and that includes everyone who follows Him. Again, 1 Corinthians 12, “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” There are no ordinary workers in God’s family. We are all divinely commissioned for specific tasks He has for us. 

What does God want us to do? He wants us to use our gifts and talents for His purposes. As we do that, guided by His Spirit, we do the good works which God uniquely created us for. 

One day, when we are with Jesus in heaven, we will see the whole picture of how He uniquely created us, used us and how our daily willingness to serve Him contributed to His divine drama in our world. What to us seems ordinary will on that day be seen as extraordinary. Not because we are amazing but because He is and He chooses to use us for His purposes. You are not an ordinary worker. You are divinely commissioned for specific tasks He has for you.

Father, Thank you that in your wisdom, you take the ordinary people of this world and use them for extraordinary divine purposes. Thank you for gifting and calling me. Show me how you want to use me in your work in my corner of the world. Amen.

It is a story that we remember from Sunday School. King Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon erected a Gold statue 90 feet high and nine feet wide in Babylon and required all the officials and people of his kingdom to worship the image. Anyone who refused to bow before this image would be thrown into a blazing furnace. 

In case we think this is only ancient history, the same kind of scenario is playing out in Afghanistan today were the Taliban want everyone to accept their version of Islam, often at the point of death. In parts of Africa, the worship of Jesus can be a death sentence and in China, the Church is under strong pressure. Why? Because these governments want the ultimate allegiance of their people to be to them and an allegiance to Jesus is incompatible with that goal. 

Shadrack, Meshach and Abednego were turned in for refusing to bow before the golden image and the king gave them the chance to rethink their refusal with the threat that if they don’t bow down, they would immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.

The answer that these three men gave the king is instructive for all of us. “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O King. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O King, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” (Daniel 3:16-18).

There are times in life where we just need to take a stand for Jesus and righteousness. It could be an employer who wants us to fudge the truth or engage in an unethical act. It may be friends who pressure us to join them in behavior that is antithetical to the Jesus life. Whatever it is, these are the times to join believers through the centuries who refuse to do that which is wrong or that displeases God, no matter what the consequences. 

Pray for believers in Afghanistan today who face this dilemma right now. Many will be beaten, imprisoned, and killed because they follow Jesus. Pray for them as they courageously take a stand for Jesus and refuse to convert to Islam. As you pray for them, ask God to give you the courage to do the right and Jesus thing even when you are pressured to do the opposite. Following Jesus is not a negotiated followership but one that puts Him first in all things. No matter what the cost. 

Father, I pray for those today in different parts of the world who are making a choice to follow you at huge personal cost and risk. I pray for those in Afghanistan today who will join the long line of martyrs because of their faith. And I pray that I would have the courage to choose you over any pressure to compromise my faith or righteous actions. Amen.

In second Corinthians 8 and 9, Paul writes to the Corinthian church regarding the financial needs of the Jerusalem church and his desire that they contribute generously. These two chapters are key chapters on what it means to be generous with our dollars for the work of God.

Often, discussions around giving create a bit of angst because we have experienced a fair amount of pressure from churches we have attended to give generously. Paul makes it clear to the Corinthians that he was not demanding or commanding anything. Rather he says in 2 Corinthians 8:7 that our generosity to God is a grace of our followership of Christ. He says, “Just as you excel in everything - in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us - see that you also excel in this grace of giving.” In other words, giving is a grace that we practice in the Christian life along with other graces. It cannot be separated from other parts of obedience to Christ.

Don’t miss that giving is called a grace. A grace is a privilege, an opportunity, an act of obedience that is joyfully practiced. In explaining to the Corinthians about this grace, he uses the example of the Macedonian churches who were churches of extreme poverty. Yet in spite of  that poverty, they exhibited the grace of giving to meet these needs.

Paul writes “And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.” (2 Corinthians 8:1-4).

Did you catch that they gave beyond their ability with overflowing joy and rich generosity? That is a grace. That comes out of an amazing heart of generosity. Rather than saying they were too poor, they pleaded to participate in their giving. Giving is an act of grace and Paul wants us to excel in this grace of rich generosity.

Why would we excel in this generous spirit? In verse 9 he says, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that although he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” His grace to us was to give everything up so that we could become rich in him. Our grace is to give generously to others as He gave to us. 

Those who understand God’s graciousness and generosity to us respond with the same gracious generosity to Him. Are you excelling in the grace of giving? To be like Him is to be generous, as He was, with our resources to be used for His purposes.

Father. Would you help me excel and specialize in the grace of giving? Give me great joy as I practice great generosity. Help me live with an open hand as you live with an open hand toward me. Amen.

Politics today has become tribal, and frankly ugly. People demonize those who don’t think like them on Social Media with nasty, unkind comments. Christians likewise are not immune. I have been called nasty names when I have posted comments regarding racial injustice, for instance, that had no political intent at all. Our tribalism is invading the church, dividing congregations, killing friendships and creating divisions that sadden the heart of God.

This is not a new problem. Even the early church dealt with differing perspectives, world views and opinions. Paul addresses this in Ephesians 4:1-6 where he writes this: “As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

Evidently there were squabbles, attitudes and opinions that threatened to get in the way of the unity of the church in Ephesus. Ironically he names four qualities that are in short supply today when political opinions are being discussed: Humility; gentleness; patience and love. In their place we often have criticism, sharp words, name calling, impatience, harshness and division. What a contrast between the two approaches.

Paul grounds this plea for unity in a far higher value than our political opinions. He reminds us of what binds us as believers together. “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” Do you catch the common word in this sentence. It is the word “one.”  We are bound together with a common savior, a common faith, and a common baptism. That oneness is far more important than our differences. 

This is why Paul tells the Galatian church “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, (and I would add, neither republican or democrat) for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” As Christ followers we are one tribe. His tribe. And He is greater and higher and more important than all of our ethnic or political differences. 

The next time you are tempted to allow political opinions to get in the way of your relationships, remember Paul’s admonition to do all that we can to keep the bond of peace and to major in humility; gentleness; patience and love with one another. We have one savior and He is greater and higher and more important than all of our differences. We have our differences to be sure but the Spirit of God has made us one indivisible family with one Lord at its head. Let’s work to live as one rather than allow tribalism to divide us.

Father. Remind me often that you are greater and higher and more important than any differences I have with my fellow believers. Help me to keep the bond of peace even when those around me are not. Remind me that we are all family as believers in Christ. Amen.

One of the marks of a Christ follower is their habit of doing good things for others. Even when it takes a sacrifice to do it. In Hebrews 13:16, we read this, “And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”

It is easy in our materialistic world to focus on ourselves. Everything in advertising is designed to remind us that we deserve something that will surely bring us happiness. All you need to do is purchase it. We live in a “me-centric world.” And it is all too easy to forget the needs of those around us as we feed our felt needs. 

Of course this starts with the premise that all we have actually belongs to God. We are merely the stewards of His stuff. I have learned that it is fun to share His stuff with others. In our home we try to be generous with whatever we have. Recently I received a request from a brother in Africa, who trains pastors to preach, about a need he had. Twelve individuals were graduating from training and none of them had a good Bible. The cost of a Bible at 15 dollars was beyond anything they could afford, The same was true for the teacher. The request came at a time when we were significantly tapped out. Yet, how could we not respond to such a basic need that would touch everyone they ministered to in the days to come?  It was a joy to send the money by Western Union to ensure that each of them had a good Bible.

Sometimes the most precious thing we can share with others is our time and attention. We are busy and all of our lives have heavy demands on them. Is it a sacrifice to allocate time to others in our busy lives? Many times, the answer is yes. But remember, with such sacrifices, God is pleased. 

I will be the first to admit that sharing with others is not always convenient and sometimes it is sacrificial. But our willingness to share our resources and time pleases God and that is what counts. Our willingness to help someone get their car fixed, or meet some other need pleases our Father who gives us all good things out of His riches. A two hundred dollar brake job that someone cannot afford can make all the difference in the world to them. 

God is generous to us. How can we not be generous to others? It may be above and beyond our regular giving. It may be sacrificial. But it always pleases God and He is able to meet all of our needs in the process. And remember, He is only asking us to share His stuff with others. 

Father: Help me loosen the hold that I have on my stuff and my time. Give me a deep compassion for those who have needs that I can help meet. Give me a desire to please you by not forgetting to share with those in need. Amen

Jesus regularly changed the rules on what a successful life looks like. He did this because the Kingdom life has a different set of rules than those found in our society. For instance, he said that poverty is the way we inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. The way to affluence is through poverty. 

That statement is found in the first Beatitude in Matthew 5:3 where he said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Who are the poor in spirit? They are those who give up their pride, their rights, their seeking to look good in the eyes of others, and recognize the poverty of their own lives without Jesus. They are those who become like little children because they are the greatest in the kingdom of God (Matthew 18:4). Why are they the greatest? They have a child like faith in God. They simply believe and trustingly follow. With children there is no pretense or pretending. They are who they are and when they fall, they get up again and carry on. 

Think of how hard we work to look good and presentable to others. We like to look better than we are, to burnish our image. The poor in Spirit are those who understand their brokenness and need for God’s mercy and forgiveness. Out of that comes a deep humility along with mercy and grace toward others. After all, if we are in need of God’s daily grace, so our others. If we have received it, we also must give it. There is no pretense in those who are poor in spirit. Just a profound gratefulness that in His mercy, God loves us, accepts us, forgives us and uses us.

The poor in spirit are deeply grateful to God for all that He has done for them. They take none of God’s love for granted but live in thanksgiving. The poor in spirit have nothing to prove, nothing to lose and nothing to hide. They have a refreshing transparency to them because they are not trying to pretend they are something they are not. In fact, they don’t need to because it is God who gives them worth and value. It does not come from their effort but from God’s mercy and grace. Therefore they don’t need to pretend or make themselves look Good. God makes them look good by his love and mercy.

The poor in spirit love to please God. They are amazed that God would choose to use them in His work. They know that they cannot do anything of eternal value without God for Jesus told us, “You can do nothing without me.” With Him, however, anything is possible. 

And the poor in spirit give the same grace away that they have received. They know they didn’t deserve that grace but what was willingly given by Christ is willingly given away by them. That is why people gravitate toward those who are poor in spirit. They are rich in grace and mercy as God is. Like Jesus, they don’t make others earn their love. Like Him they just offer it, freely and repeatedly.

The way to the wealth of the Kingdom of God is through poverty of spirit. Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of God.

Father, I want to be poor in spirit and rich in you. Thank you for your eternal kindness in Jesus. Help me to live with a humble, childlike faith that follows you without pretense. And pass on your kindness to others. Amen.