November 10, 2011 … Living Unselfishly – A Wise Choice

Passage of the Day: James 3: 14a [highlight verse in bold/underline] … 13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. 17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.

My Journal for Today: This month we began our pursuit of Godly wisdom with a question from James (remember or see above: James 3: 13). In the next few days I’ll be continuing to answer his question, “Who is wise and understanding among you?” So, if you’re following me here, you’re going to need to see the contextual passage following James’ question explained (i.e., James 3: 14 – 18). Today the focus begins to highlight a comparison with Godly wisdom by declaring one of qualities one will NOT see in the Godly wise person … that of “bitter envy.”

In fact, this comparative passage implies that the pursuit of worldly understanding often produces envy, tinged by bitterness and/or jealousy. The translated construct “bitter envy” comes from two Greek terms. The first is “pikros,” which points to one who has a driven attitude, bound up in self-centeredness; and it is paired with the term “eritheia,” where one exhibits a “me versus them” attitude. So, James is saying that the dogged pursuit of worldly understanding often produces people who are selfish, highly-competitive, and uncaring. And is this not the case in the elitist, academic circles of our world? I’ve been there, folks. I was on the faculties of two major universities for over 30 years; and the “publish or perish” mentality pushes academia to pursue worldly knowledge to get their name in print before others … often at any cost.

James is saying that those tendencies will not be found in the one who pursues Godly wisdom. This becomes an exhortation by exclusion from God’s word for the Christian to beware of seeking worldly knowledge with no thought of God’s way so that one can rise above others. Rather, as we saw earlier this month in our discussion of James 3: 13, the pursuit of Godly wisdom will drive the believer to know the mind of God (i.e., His will) in order to serve others, ultimately resulting in “deeds done in humility.”

Hence, we need to ask ourselves, “Is my drive toward understanding and knowledge to get ahead of others or is it to serve them?” If we know that we’re in Christ and it is the latter, then we are likely pursuing Godly wisdom with a Godly attitude.

My Prayer Today: May I know You, Lord, so as to serve You and others. Amen

April 14, 2011 … Forgiving Others

Passage of the Day: Luke 23: 34 … 34 Then Jesus said [from the cross], “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”

My Journal for Today: I don’t know about you; but when I read this statement from our Lord, the God-Man, dying on the cross, I think I’m probably more like Peter when the heat is on, running like a scared rabbit at the threat of death. It’s very hard for me to identify with the degree of sacrifice exhibited by My Lord, Jesus, on the cross. And some may say, “Well, He was God as well as man.” And that’s true; but Stephen (see Acts 7: 59 - 60) was just a man, a man with a sin nature like me; and yet, he exhibited the same degree of self-sacrifice and forgiveness when he was stoned to death unjustly as did Jesus on the cross. Remember the young teenager, Cassie Bernall, whom I’ve mentioned in my journal entries this month, highllighting how she died at Columbine High School by simply saying that she was a Christian to a deranged young teenager who held a gun at her head. So, obviously it’s possible for mankind to emulate Christlike strength and forgiveness … yes, even, while we are in the midst of dire or threatening circumstances.

But just think about what Jesus was all about as He hung there on the cross, dying by horrible physical pain and even worse, the spiritual pain of separation from His Heavenly Father. And yet, He showed the love of His father, forgiving those who crucified Him (and as we know, that includes you and me!). As He hung there, He was actually more concerned for the spiritual well being of His enemies than for Himself.

And therein lies probably the toughest challenge I have ever found in my pursuit of Christlikeness; and, though I’ve never been put in a position of having stand for Christ in a life-threatening instance or to forgive someone who was about to take my life, I would hope and pray that I could be like Stephen or maybe Cassie Bernall; and in my humanity, I could make the choice and genuinely forgive those who persecute me – even to the point of death for Christ.

Of course, I’d rather not ever be put in those circumstances; but I think we all need to ask ourselves, especially as we contemplate this in the light of Easter, which is often celebrated during this time of year, … “Do we have Christ in our hearts when we have to pick up His cross daily; or do we fall pray to our humanity as did Peter when he ran?” Tough question; but now is the time to be making the commitments and build up the discipline to be able to forgive our persecutors as did our Lord.

My Prayer Today: Lord, I feel so inadequate; but I know that Your grace is sufficient to give me strength to cover my weakness! Amen

2009 - Day 56. Feb. 26 - Selfless Dedication

2009 – Day 56.Feb.26 – Selfless Dedication

Passage of the Day: Exodus 2: 15 – 25 … Linked to passage for study ...

My Journal for Today: Is the deliverer of a nation raised in a palace with dreams of taking his people into glory as was Moses when he was raised by Pharaoh to be Pharaoh? No, … in this instance, a deliverer was birthed when he took the opportunity to save and serve seven Midianite women at the well who were being harassed by some lowly shepherds (see Exod. 2: 19).

There’s a great line of truth from Swindoll’s devotional today as he writes, “If you can’t do the good you would; do the good you can.” … I’m sure Moses dreamed of being the leader of a great people as their Pharaoh; but here he was humbled to be in the desert wilderness amongst Bedouin shepherds. But when the circumstances presented themselves for him to step in and be a savior and servant to seven innocent Midianites, Moses was there for them, humbly stepping in to rescue them and even to serve them in a way that we now see was a type of Christ.

Christ, as we know in Matt. 20: 28 or Mark 10: 45 said, “… the Son of Man did not come into the world to be served, but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many.” That, my fellow Christian, is the attitude and heart of a deliverer; and that was the heart of Moses as he stepped forward to be “the deliverer” for those seven daughters of Reuel, a Sheik of Midian. It was that act of selfless dedication which began Moses’ apprenticeship in humility, a deliverer’s training program which lasted 40 years in that desert place. But, as we know if read on in his story, it led to Moses being used by God for God and for God’s people, … a life of selfless dedication in surrender to the God Who would use a lowly shepherd to lead His people out of bondage.

Sometimes we get impatient as we seek to be God’s servant where we’re planted. It may be frustrating to live as we live or work as we work, thinking that there must be something bigger or better God has for us. But perhaps God simply wants us to serve Him right where we are, doing what we do; and perhaps He has greater plans for us. Or maybe not! Maybe God has placed us exactly where we are to serve Him as we are because there is someone in bondage right there in our lives who needs God’s deliverance. Whom do you know or work with whom you know is in bondage to there lost self? Perhaps you are to be used by God as the deliverer of this soul in bondage.

I leave it to you in this moment of meditation, just as I’m convicted by this time with God, to see if God has brought us to the place were we are in this life to be the servant for someone and maybe even their deliverer.

My Prayer for Today: Oh, Lord, show me whom I can serve and allow me to help You save someone in my life who needs to be set free of their bondage to sin. Amen