The Noise

On the morning of the third day, thunder roared and lightning flashed, and a dense cloud came down on the mountain. There was a long, loud blast from a ram’s horn, and all the people trembled.  Moses led them out from the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.  All of Mount Sinai was covered with smoke because the Lord had descended on it in the form of fire. The smoke billowed into the sky like smoke from a brick kiln, and the whole mountain shook violently.  As the blast of the ram’s horn grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God thundered his reply.  The Lord came down on the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses climbed the mountain.  Exodus 19:16-20

Quiet time.  One of the reasons I tend to write my devotions very early in the morning is because that is when my head is clearest.  It does not have distractions, and I can see God’s intent more clearly than when there is a bunch of calamities around me.  I think of how God through His word gives me instruction for myself and my family, and how He inspires me to write words that I normally would not come up with.  Do you appreciate those times?  Perhaps the reason that we hear God so clearly during these times is because of the noise outside of those times.  It made me think that if God is all knowing and can do anything, perhaps He knowingly inserts ‘the noise’ in our life as well.  It’s the noise that forces us to be present in the world, and through that noise, we realize that deliberate effort must be made to fully engage with Him.  It is in a way a test to make us focus.  That’s why prayer time is important.  Prayer is the discipline of focusing on Him despite all that is around you.  Thus, ‘the noise’ has a purpose just as the quiet times.

God always wants our attention.  In our journey of Moses, we get to where the Israelites reach Mount Sinai.  Prior to today’s verses, God had prepped Moses for what was to happen saying, “Go down and prepare the people for my arrival. Consecrate them today and tomorrow, and have them wash their clothing. Be sure they are ready on the third day, for on that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai as all the people watch.” (Exodus 19:10b-11) Think of it like you are the councilman for town’s 4^th of July event, and the people putting on the fireworks show are telling you what’s going to happen.  You think, “Sweet!”  So, Moses shared with the people what was to occur.  In reading this chapter, one might think this sounds like a bunch of noise and bravado from God.  But let’s put this in context.  You see, God did not show off all this to amaze the people.  He did after all part the Red Sea and provided for them all throughout the journey.  That’s amazing all by itself.  But He wanted their attention because something big was about to happen, and in this case, ‘the noise’ gave them awareness of what was to follow.  The next thing to occur was the authoring of The Ten Commandments.  How often do we take noise as things to distract us from God?  While that often is true, sometimes the noise is the bell that notifies us something needs to happen.  Before a race is run, there’s the starting gun that goes off.  In much the same way, God can create moments that can trigger us to respond in a way He wants us to.

God is always in control.  If we believe this through all the good times, we certainly should remember this when there is so much around us going on.  With all the distraction and major disruption about us for the next few weeks ahead, this is perhaps the noise to awaken us to what really matters.  It is a time to seek out God and remember His sovereignty, wisdom, and presence.  Let’s make this time as the starting gun to a new sprint toward God and His love.  How has disruption in your life been a motivator for greater focus on God?  What will you commit to ensure more discipline finding Him in times of calamity?  My prayer is we are attentive when God inserts in our lives ‘the noise.’  Amen.

How Am I With God?

“Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 4:4-7

My wife says that I worry about too many things.  When I was young, I was a worrywart.  As I have gotten older, I believe I have learned to worry about the big things instead of the little ones.  I focus on how my daughter’s schooling is, and how I can help her to perform better.  I look at my team and think about how I can help them get better.  I spend time with my wife, and ask how I can love her better.  There are things that I do not have control over that at times will overtake me and become one of those worries as well.  The political environment, a person afar who is struggling with something personal, and ‘are my grandchildren ok’ are all things that can float into my stratosphere of ‘worry,’ and it won’t let me go.  Notice all these things I mentioned, and there was one thing I did not mention; God.  How does that happen?  Shouldn’t my greatest worry be a simple question of, “How am I with God?”

We all need to add a level of intentionality where we can reconnect with God because with Him, we find true peace.  The dangers of worry are these: it takes time away from those things that matter most and prevents us from looking ahead.  In reading these verses, we are reminded of the importance of our relationship with Jesus Christ.  From Paul’s perspective, there are numerous keys to having a worry-free life.  “Being full of joy in the Lord,” speaks of knowing the Spirit of God flows through us.  Then pray.  It does not mean separate those things you control from those you don’t.  He says, “Pray about everything!”  Next, we are to tell God what we need, and be thankful for all He has done.  These must be done together.  If we are focused on just being thankful, we are not truly bringing everything to God, and if we only focus on what we want, we are not embracing all God has done to bring us to this point.  I read these verses over and over, and with each review, I felt closer to Him.  Furthermore, I felt I could earnestly go to God with the right heart and mindset (note the last part of the 7th verse).  Only there did I find my peace and connection with God.

In a world of chaos and mayhem, God is our oasis away from it all.  The prophet Isaiah said, “Open the gates to all who are righteous; allow the faithful to enter. You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” (Isaiah 26:2-3)  There are so many things that can subtly but certainly distract us from God.  If we focus on those things that worry us, we will be unable to see what God has ahead for us.  Let us untie ourselves from those things that hinder us from connecting with Him and trust our worries through prayer to Him.  What things are most troubling you today?  What is it that you need to let go of and let God?  My prayer is we find serenity and peace through Him so we can answer the question, “How am I with God?”  Amen.

Thursday Devotional - A Christmas Focus

James is still struggling with asthma and had a terrible virus this past week. He apparently shared it with Sarah, too, so now she is down with it. They were to be in a Christmas program Monday night, but as much as they wanted to be in it (and I wanted to see them in it), I knew it wasn’t best for everyone involved. Sarah’s teacher even called to see just how sick Sarah was, because she had a special part she had learned!

As frustrating as it is to miss out on activities and let people down, Lord willing, there will be many more years of Christmas programs. Plus, often we get too busy with Christmas programs, parties, gifts and activities, that we forget the whole reason for the season! I think it would most honor God if we took more time to quietly reflect on His gift, praise Him for it and share it with others.

Although the kids missed several programs, classes, activities and parties this week, we did get extra time together to sing Christmas hymns around the piano, dance to Christmas music, read the Bible together unrushed, read Christmas books focused on God’s gift, and pray for the people that sent us Christmas cards.

As I continue in this Christmas season, I pray God would help Psalm 57:7-11 to be true in my life:

My heart, O God, is steadfast,
    my heart is steadfast;
    I will sing and make music.
⁸ Awake, my soul!
    Awake, harp and lyre!
    I will awaken the dawn.

⁹ I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
    I will sing of you among the peoples.
¹⁰ For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;
    your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

¹¹ Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
    let your glory be over all the earth.

Will you pray with me that our hearts would be steadfastly focused on Him, honoring Him, praising Him and exalting Him this Christmas season? God is loving, faithful, and glorious! What better Christmas focus?!

Alice

Thursday Devotional - True Persevering Servant

Paul was specifically called by Jesus to preach the gospel to the Gentiles. If you’ve read the book of Acts you know that his job didn’t come easy, but he persevered. He continually focused on Jesus and what Jesus had asked him to do. This is evident by the way he started each of his letters.

Romans 1:1-7         Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— ² the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures ³ regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, ⁴ and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. ⁵ Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name’s sake. ⁶ And you also are among those Gentiles who are called to belong to Jesus Christ. ⁷ To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy people: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Would you call yourself a servant of Christ Jesus? Would He call you that?

I don’t know that Jesus would call me a true servant of His. I know several specific jobs where He’s called me to serve. However, I often get distracted by what I’m doing instead of why I’m doing it. I need to focus on WHO I actually want to serve - Jesus!  Then, I’ll truly be a servant of Jesus! I won’t burn out, get overwhelmed or give up.

Where has God called you to serve?

As God’s gospel saturates our minds and hearts, we can truly allow Him to set us apart for the task, just like Paul, persevering as a true servant to the end!

Alice

Thursday Devotional - Focused Perseverance

An unusual incident happened at church on Sunday. While a young lady was playing violin during the offertory, a piece of flaming glass (or lightbulb) fell from overhead. It hit the gal on her leg and burned the piece of carpet where it landed. I never saw her flinch! She stayed focused on her music and kept playing her violin until the end. When she sat down across the aisle, we all noticed she was bleeding. I handed her a tissue and my friend handed her a band-aide.

Jesus voluntarily suffered under far worse conditions for you and for me, yet He stayed focused on His work. He didn’t let His pain and suffering or the evil around Him distract Him from His purpose.

John 19:28-30         ²⁸ Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” ²⁹ A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. ³⁰ When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Jesus persevered to the end, fulfilling God’s plan. Jesus finished His work of redemption!

Do you and I persevere to the end? Or do we get sidetracked when hardships come? What can help you and me stay focused on glorifying God through any hardship so we can finish the work He’s given us to do?

Alice

Giving All of Us

Then Samuel said to all the people of Israel, “If you want to return to the Lord with all your hearts, get rid of your foreign gods and your images of Ashtoreth. Turn your hearts to the Lord and obey him alone; then he will rescue you from the Philistines.”  So the Israelites got rid of their images of Baal and Ashtoreth and worshiped only the Lord.  1 Samuel 7:3-4

Do I serve God with my head or heart?  This is a constant in my mind because there are times that the head and heart are not on the same page.  For example when dealing with my own sin, it would appear that the head (i.e. reading God’s scripture and taking it to ‘heart’) should win the day.  Yet when dealing with others in their brokenness of their own sins, having a heart and being compassionate is the right thing to do.  I have found that I best serve God with my head as the guiding force but my heart as the driving force.  You see, we cannot serve God just one way or the other.  He wants every bit of us to serve Him.  Only then will we be able to have a growing Christian walk.

Serving God must be done fully and completely.  I was fascinated with the story of Samuel in doing this devotion not only for the verses above but also the build up to this moment.  Samuel was called on directly by God to serve, but first, the stage had to be set for God’s truth to be revealed through Samuel.  God allowed Israel to be defeated by the Philistines and lose the Ark of Covenant of the Lord in that battle.  If you do not understand the significance of this, imagine doing the thing that you do better than anything else, and on your best day, you still were not as good as someone else.  Pretty devastating!  However, God was just prepping the stage by later causing all kinds of grief and suffering for the Philistines while Samuel was being elevated to his leadership role.  Thus when Samuel spoke to Israel asking for them to give everything to God; hearts, turning away from false idols, and obeying God alone, they were ready to listen to everything he had to say, and the Israelites gave everything to God.  As such, the Philistines would attack yet again, but this time they were defeated as God was with the now faithful Israelites.

In our lives, we will have situations that may not go our way.  These are opportunities to pause and reflect on whether we are fully vested in the God we serve; mind, heart, and soul.  If we are, we know He is setting the stage for our future triumph as He is faithful and without fail.  Do not focus on those things you do not control or enemies who have seemingly incredible odds stacked in their favor.  Focus on being completely vested in an awesome and amazing God.  Are there parts of you that are not completely vested in what God wants for your life?  How can you respond to situations with both heart and mind toward God?  My prayer is that we are giving all of us to God today.  Amen. 

Stop Whining

“And say to the people, ‘Purify yourselves, for tomorrow you will have meat to eat. You were whining, and the Lord heard you when you cried, “Oh, for some meat! We were better off in Egypt!” Now the Lord will give you meat, and  you will have to eat it.  And it won’t be for just a day or two, or for five or ten or even twenty.  You will eat it for a whole month until you gag and are sick of it. For you have rejected the Lord, who is here among you, and you have whined to him, saying, “Why did we ever leave Egypt?”’”  Numbers 11:18-20

My mom is an amazing woman.  I watched her struggle through getting a Master’s degree away from home while raising me through my first year in high school.  To make things a little more ‘challenging,’ she would be sick some days to the point that she was hospitalized for multiple days and even weeks.  Through all of this, she never complained.  It left quite the impression on me.  I learned never to complain about my circumstances.  That is not to say that I was always content, but whenever I find myself whining over a situation, I remember the incredible blessings God had given me to end up in that situation.  Then, it becomes easier to manage.

We must always focus on those blessings God has given us rather than the complications that may arise from them.  In today’s verses, God is answering Moses, who went to Him on behalf of the Israelites complaining about their food supply.  Here they were having been slaves for generations and both freed and witness to miracles performed by God, and they are now coming to God with . . . complaints about dinner?  It is amusing to read because it seems silly that the Isralites in essence would rather give up their freedom to have steak every once in a while than eat breaded wafers (manna) every day and be free.  But then I thought about it.  We all complain about some circumstance not realizing how God has blessed us to arrive at that moment (Why do I have to do this task for the job that I love?  Why do I have to go to this function for my spouse who is the love of my life?  Why do I have to forgive this person because God forgave me for far worse?).  This is the point.  We should always focus on God's love, grace, and gifts given above the challenges we are presented with because of those very things.

We serve a God of abundance who promises to provide all that we will ever need.  Sure there are times we have problems that we would rather not deal with, but we should never forget the blessings given us that put us in that very position for as Moses told the Israelites, “You ate no bread and drank no wine or other alcoholic drink, but he provided for you so you would know that he is the Lord your God.”  (Deuteronomy 29:6)  What problem(s) can you embrace today realizing the blessings that brought you to it?  My prayer is that we focus on the blessings we have and simply stop whining.  Amen.

Perfect Balance

Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.  Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.  Ephesians 5:22-27

My wife and I are a team.  We love each other, and I have to say that it is the closest relationship we have to ours with God.  We fight and argue.  She says I complain too much, and she’s probably right.  I will tell her to take more time out for herself, and she will try to remember that.  At the end of the day, we are a perfect balance for each other.  The reason is we do not focus on who is in control.  We focus on fulfilling our role as husband and wife.  The better we do so, the more love we feel for each other.

God’s word gives a perfect outline for how a healthy relationship should work.  Many couples struggle with the concept of who should be in charge.  For example, there is a saying that behind every good man is a good woman.  With the woman’s rights movement, the saying seemed to change to beside every good man is a good woman.  We hear conversations of guys being ‘whipped’ and women being abused.  It can be both depressing and frustrating.  Today’s verses are direct reminders that each role must fulfill their obligation to the relationship as Jesus Christ did on earth.  A godly woman would gladly submit to their husband who is loving of them as Jesus loved the church.  A godly man would gladly love their wife who gives into them first.  The verses in the proper context are about balance and not control.  You cannot have a great relationship without both submitting to and love for each other.

Our relationship with Jesus Christ gives us the best example of how to have long lasting and loving relationships.  Jesus was both submitting to God’s will and loving of all God’s people.  While society focuses on who is in control, we must look to love God as He loves us; unconditionally.  It is only then our relationships can be both fulfilling and satisfying for as Jesus said to Samaritan woman, “but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst.” (John 4:13a)  Is your relationship balanced?  How can you focus more on your commitment to the relationship?  My prayer is that we are willing to both love and submit in order for our relationships to have the perfect balance.  Amen.

Overflowing Hope

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Romans 15:13

One of my favorite pastimes is watching the State of the Union address.  You see my family is deeply rooted in politics.  My mother worked heavily in government, and instilled in me both a high level of civic education and a heavy dose of political discussions.  So this has always been a big thing.  Over the years, it has lost a lot of its luster because of the numerous ideas laid out by each President’s agenda rarely ever comes to be reality.  Yet for one night, there is a moment of sincere optimism.  There is dare I say, hope that things will be better in the days to come.  As a follower of Christ, I always have the hope that I serve Him better and for better days to come. 

When we have true belief in God, we are filled with eternal hope.  Before I get into hope, I feel the need to define it better because I struggle distinguishing between hope and faith.  Faith is that which you have certainty of or as the latter portion of Hebrews 11:1 says, “Assurance about what we do not see.”  Hope focuses on the ideal situation or as the definition states, “what is wanted that can be had.”  In using these terms with Christ in mind, we have faith both in Christ as Lord and in our salvation declaring Him Lord over our life, and we have hope that the life we live both righteously and enthusiastically follows Him.  I often refer to a song We Fall Down because that describes what Christ’s hope in us is all about.  The chorus says, “We fall down, but we get up for a saint is but a sinner who fell down and got up.”  Hope says that no matter how far you have fallen and times you have failed, Christ loves and believes in you the one day you will be the person He envisioned.

We should always have hope because Jesus has hope in all of us.  From the story of Peter who denied Him to Paul who persecuted His believers, He always gives us another opportunity to follow Him.  Along those lines, we too should follow His example and have hope not only for God’s favor but also for other to be followers of Christ as well.  Who in your life can you instill hope in?  How can you trust God more to have greater hope?  My prayer is that our spirit overflows with hope.  Amen.

Remove Judgment, Insert God

When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.  John 16:8-11

One of my favorite discussions about God involved my son.  He had done something that was within his right but what most people would consider as questionable.  In his youthful exuberance, he made the statement, “No one can judge me but God.” I responded quite simply, “Yes, that is true, but having made that decision, do you believe God would be pleased with your decision?”  It opened the conversation to where I could ask how well he truly knew God.  Additionally, it showed a clear vision on how one can avoid judgment by simply focusing on God and not on one’s own opinion.

The key to avoiding being judgmental is to separate ourselves from the situation and inserting God into it. We all have a sense of what is right within us.  As Christians, we are given that sense through the Holy Spirit.  Something says, “That does not ‘feel’ right.”  This guides us in our walk of faith.  However, I have to fight my own urge to project that onto others.  I will watch someone doing something knowing it does not ‘feel’ right.  My initial reaction is to pull them out and say to them, “That is wrong!”  But if I trust God, then my goal shifts toward awakening the Holy Spirit within them and less about judging their actions.  This does not say we should avoid saying something to someone who is living in sin.  Instead, we are to guide them to find God’s light, and say, “Don’t trust what I say. Ask God yourself.”

Today’s verses reiterate that Jesus is not only without sin and righteous but also perfect in His judgment. Jesus said, “The father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son.” (John 5:22)  If we trust in Christ as Lord, we can trust that the Holy Spirit will transform even the hardest of hearts and most sinful of sinners.  This is how we avoid judgment.  Where do you wrongfully judge?  How can we focus on what God places on our heart instead of our own judgment to win others over?  My prayer is that we remove judgment by inserting God.  Amen.  

Just Smile

Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering.  Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.  Hebrews 10:32-35

People know that I love to smile.  I smile at those who I know well and care deeply about.  I smile at those who would call me an enemy because I want them to know the God I represent.  I smile because there is a joy inside knowing that I am saved from a sinful past that once told me grace was out of my reach.  I smile knowing I am God’s child.  Some people would accuse me of smiling too much.  My response is they focus on how they see the world too much and not the potential God sees in them.  This does not mean I do not have fears and struggles in my life.  What it does mean is that I believe with confidence Jesus came into the world, died for our sins, and rose to prove beyond any doubt He is Lord.

We must reflect the light of Christ even in our most trying circumstances.  Jesus says that we are the light of the world. (Matthew 5:14)  There are some days that we feel down, and others where the world punches us in the gut trying to take away the certainty we have in Christ.  But through Jesus Christ, we were given the precious gift of eternal life.  For that alone, we have a light within us that can endure any hardship or pain.  We must share that light without reservations, and no matter what the world may throw at us, it cannot put out His light that shine brightly within us.

With God, there is always reason to have joy in our heart.  While we may feel short term sadness over circumstances or be left with situations that concern us, we must never forget the suffering our Lord endured for us.  Knowing this, there is nothing we cannot overcome.  Where does your confidence lie?  How can you exhibit the light of God in times of struggle?  My prayer is that when the clouds of darkness head our way, we look at them, and confidently, just smile.  Amen.

Focus and Refocus

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Hebrews 12:1-2

Do you ever lose focus of God?  When I got home, the house looked like utter chaos.  This left me in a very bad place mentally, and I sat in silence trying not to let the spirit of anger get the best of me.  As I calmed down and reflected on the moment, I realized that my focus on God was totally gone at that moment.  While I am glad I did not say anything that would have really caused problems, it occurred that I needed to do better focusing on God then, and then refocus today when I have my discussion with my family over what happened the night before.

Keeping our focus on God allows for positive outcomes in our lives.  Paul’s comments in Hebrews point out both the necessity of focusing on Jesus Christ as well as hindrances and sin that can take us off that path.  Hindrances are the things we have full control of that are good but not God centered (tasks that take time away from God focused activities or prioritizing tasks above God).  Sin is the thing that can control us that are bad (anger, defiance, impure acts).  Both are serious issues, but if we can discipline ourselves to refocus when we lose the path (daily prayers, structured reading of the word, devotion reading), we can maintain that focus that is so important to our walk of faith.

The pathway to God is not an easy one to follow.  We may fall down, but we have a loving God who has shown us grace through Jesus Christ, and like all great teachers, He has patience with and love for us to watch us learn and grow.  Thus, we must as Paul says, “Fight the good fight of the faith,” to maintain our focus on God (1 Timothy 6:12).  How do you maintain focus on God?  What structure can you use to refocus on God when it’s lost?  My prayer is that in challenging times, we both focus and refocus on God.  Amen.