Weekly Devotional Thoughts: January 2012

Monday, January 30, 2012

On things above...

Week 5:

Colossians 3:1-2 1Since then you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Set our hearts and minds on things above. This is so hard to do isn’t it? I mean, how do we set out hearts and minds on things unseen, yet to come? I believe that many have bought into this image of things above being people standing in white robes, with clouds all around, singing, and little angels flying amongst the clouds. That image of heaven is boring. However, it is an image that many carry.

So, what are things above if that is not the true image? And why on things above if God has given this earth for us to live? If we are thinking about the future, are we not present now?

We get some hint into what Paul is saying from the prior verses. Paul has just given some guidance around following human interpretation of God’s law. In a nutshell, a pure following of law does not squelch the human desire to indulge and sin. The law is behavior modification. Setting our hearts on God, Jesus, and things above is heart modification. The law is important to convict us of where we are. Living in Christ takes us beyond conviction to proper living.

Notice what it says, “Since you have been raised with Christ…” At the point of being raised with Christ is where behavior-response transforms into what Christ has done and here is how I follow him. Even then, we have to be careful not to make it a set of rules. Paul is warning and encouraging the Colossian church to stay true to the grace of Christ and avoid the rule-following of religious leaders. Already, within just a few years of the death of Christ, religion was setting parameters and putting Jesus in a box.

This still rings true today. We need the law in order to know where we stand. We also need to understand grace and love in order to live in Christ. The setting of our hearts and minds on things above means less about heaven and more about what Christ represents. Grace, truth, love, compassion, and a life that is lived the same at home, work, and church. To set are hearts and minds on things above is to live in Christ every moment and every day.

“Since then you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”

Questions/challenges:

1. What has setting our hearts and minds on things above meant to you?

2. Where did you gain the philosophy, from question 1, of this passage?

3. How has this devotional thought swayed or changed your view of the passage?

4. This week, ask God to reveal to you some ways this passage plays out in your life. Watch and listen for answers.

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Monday, January 23, 2012

To be blessed...

Week 4:

Psalm 1:1-3 1Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. 2But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

I believe we are culturally in the middle of a grace movement in the western church. It has been much needed for our current conservative church has been somewhat pharisaical in its approach to those outside of her. This movement has been much needed. However, during this movement, also believe that we at times have strayed too far from the word and the study of the word. I am not advocating that we go back to “letter of the law” life, but I am concerned that we are not in the word enough.

Psalm 1:1-3 reminds us how important the law and word is to our faith. Verse 1 is a reminder of who should influence us. When the Psalmist talks about a blessed man, he notes that this man does not keep counsel with the wicked, sinner, or the mocker. Now, this does not mean one does not associate with these, it means the individual does not seek their counsel, or better said, does not “buy in” to their philosophy.

Here is why: In verse 2, the law is his guide. The blessed man can cross all the barriers and influence the wicked, sinner, and mocker because he delights and meditates on the law of the Lord. Continual immersion into the word of God will equip the blessed man for any situation (2 Tim. 3:16-17). He is able to be among the worldly yet unaffected by them.

Not only would this man be unaffected by the worldly he will be fruitful and prosper. What I am not encouraging here is the “health and wealth gospel” that is being preached these days. The prospering the blessed man experiences may or may not be tied to material gain. His soul prospers. He becomes strong like a healthy tree. He is able to bear fruit and not wither. The word and law is his “streams of water”.

To be blessed is to study, love, delight, and meditate on the law. “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.”

Questions/challenges:

What do you think about the idea of a current grace movement in our churches today?
Do you believe this movement has steered away, to some degree, from the word? Why or why not?
What does it mean to delight and meditate on the law?
What are some ways in which you meditate on God’s law?
What kind of commitment will you make toward getting deeper into the word?

Monday, January 16, 2012

Live in Him...

Week 3:

Colossians 2:6-7 6So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, 7rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

It is not enough to just accept Christ. We have to live in Him. What does that look like? How do we live in Him? One of the things I love about the bible is how it explains to some degree what it means from the passage.

To live in him is to be rooted and built up in him. One of the ways to do that is to remain faithful to the word. To know Jesus, we must study his life and teachings. This will give water and nourishment to our “root system”. Being built up in him requires not only studying him but also participating in a community that is committed to him. We must surround ourselves with those who study and live rooted in Jesus in order to be built up in him.

Next, we are to be strengthened in the faith as we were taught. As we became Christians, we were taught many things. Faith is one of those things we are taught that we must have. Paul tells us in Romans that faith comes by hearing (Rom. 10:17). We hear about faith in many ways. We also must experience life in order to strengthen our faith. This could mean enduring and persevering through trials. Listen to those who you believe have great faith and they will give you hints into the experiences that strengthened their faith. Faith is essential since we follow an unseen God.

Finally, we are to live thankful lives. I love a simple exercise that James Bryan Smith advocates in his book The Good and Beautiful God. In this exercise, he challenges his readers to take time each day, for several days, to write down blessings we have been given. These can be shallow and/or deep. The point of the exercise is looking at how deeply we are blessed. I believe this is one of the main ways we can prompt thankfulness.

So, to live in Jesus, we must be rooted and built up in him, strengthened in our faith, and be thankful. “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”

Questions/challenges:

What does it mean for you to live in Jesus?
What is a favorite passage that has rooted and built you up?
In what ways has your faith been strengthened?
What are some ways for you to tap into your thankfulness?
Ask God to show you this week some areas to live in Christ and then pay attention.

Monday, January 9, 2012

What direction...

Week 2:

Psalm 143:8 Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.

As we begin the second week of this year long journey together, let us look at the way to start out the day. The Psalmist begins with the morning. As he awakes, he asks God for His unfailing love. I am reminded to begin my day remembering that God loves me. I trust in that, it is what needs to drive me. I am reminded of His love by the blessings I receive from Him daily. I have another day of life to live in His service. I have a new day to start afresh.

After acknowledging God’s love for me, His blessings, and the new day…I need to find a direction. Like so many, I have daily routines and tasks ahead. Most of my direction for the day seems already set in motion. There is nothing wrong with this…I believe God is a God of routine and order. But, what does he have in store for my “routine” day? We need to ask ourselves, “God, what new do you have in store for me? If nothing new, what am I to see from you today? Whose life am I supposed to touch for you today? Where do I glorify you today? ‘Show me the way I should go.’”

Finally, “…for to you I lift up my soul.” Each day I should re-dedicate my soul to the one who created it. My soul belongs to God, the one who grants unfailing love and in whom I should trust. How much easier it will be for me to know the way in which I should go if I am re-dedicating my soul to God daily. I must stay connected to Him in order to understand my path and the tasks he has laid out for me to accomplish today. Without that connection, I may deceive myself or be deceived in believing that what I am doing is for God. I need to be connected to Him in my soul to know His direction.

Let his be your prayer each morning this week as you start your day. “Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.”

Questions/challenges:

1. What was the first thing that came to mind for you as you read this Psalm?

2. What thought have you given to the fact that your soul belongs to God?

3. In what ways do you ask God for direction? Has it been daily like the Psalmist implies?

4. Each day this week, wake up a use this as your first prayer. At the end of the day, write down or journal what God showed you that day.

5. At the end of the week, reflect back on how God worked in your life.

Monday, January 2, 2012

Before I was...

Week 1:

Psalm 139:15-16 15My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, 16your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

What a passage to start a year with! Before I was born my days were written in God’s book. For some, this may be a scary thought. For others, this is an exciting thought! I choose this day to be the “other”. How about you?

Starting a new year with the knowledge that God has a plan for all my days is an exciting prospect. It is both comforting and challenging to know that God has something in store for me each and every day of my life. I can approach this with fear knowing there will be challenges and times I must persevere. However, knowing the story of the great characters of the Bible, they had to endure tough challenges in order to be transformed by God and used for His purpose. So, the fear I feel should be healthy yet not paralyzing. Fear is natural. I need to choose to use its energy to drive me to perseverance.

Besides fear, there is excitement. What does God have in store for me this year? What good works will I get to join Him in accomplishing? Who will be new in my life that will challenge me to be more Godly? I look forward to what He has in store for my life, my family, my church, my friends, and my circumstance. What new ways will He reveal Himself to me?

What a great comfort it is to know that God knew you and me when we were unformed and being woven into who we are now. Reading that reminds me that no matter what happens and how bad it may seem or get, God has the plan, he knows the end of the story, I have a purpose.

So, as you enter into this New Year… take this passage to heart and realize that God has plans for you. As you work through your year, know that to you it may seem routine and uneventful or it may be tumultuous…but God knows then end of the story. And like so many of the great characters of the Bible, He has a plan for you and what you will do for Him this year.

“My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”

Questions/challenges:

1. As you reflect back on last year, where did you see God working in your life?

2. Was it challenging or tumultuous?

3. Did you see and end result, if so what do you think it was?

4. What did this passage spark in your heart when you read it?

5. Spend some time this week in silence and ask God to reveal to your heart some preview of what He has in store for you this year. Afterwards, listen and watch.