thedailyrob

Lessons For Later

Today's Bible Reading:
Matthew 7:1-14 , Acts 10:1-23 , Psalms 17 , Genesis 37-38

When I was a freshman in college, my cell biology professor had our class gather at the library for our first lab session of the term. He ushered us into a little used room of the library where we spent our first 2 hour lab session watching The Karate Kid. I'd heard rumors about this tradition ahead of time, but I wasn't sure what it was all about. When the movie was done, this is what my professor said:

"During your time in my class, I'm going to ask you to learn things and do things that you don't think are important. They are. I'm going to ask you to "wax on, wax off" just like in the movie, because there will come a time when you will look back and realize just how important all this stuff really is. I'm not asking you to understand the why, but I am asking you to give me your best. I promise you, it will be worth it."

Reading the story of Peter's vision just before he met the messengers from Cornelius, I remembered my prof's little speech. What Peter didn't realize when he laid down for a little afternoon nap was that God had already spoken to Cornelius, and that Cornelius had already sent his messengers to retrieve Peter, and that Peter was about to be confronted with some difficult decisions. In spite of Peter's lack of foreknowledge, God presented him with a vision to prepare him for what was to come.

Isn't this how God often works in our lives? It's amazing to me how many times I open the Bible in the morning, only to see confirmation of what I'd read at some point throughout the day. This goes beyond merely seeing dozens of cars on the road identical to the one you just purchased. This is about a God that knows the future, preparing me for it before I get there.

It makes me think I need to spend more time in the Word. If God knows where I'm going before I get there, why wouldn't I want a little heads-up along the way?

What about your journey? Have you seen evidence of God's hand in your life, times where He clearly prepared you for what was to come? Have there been times when you've ignored God's promptings and regretted it? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Even In The Night

Today's Bible Reading:
Matthew 6:25-34 , Acts 9:20-43 , Psalms 16 , Genesis 36

Do you ever feel like you'd love to be closer to God, but you are simply too busy to spend hours a day reading and praying? That's a luxury some may enjoy, but most of us live in the real world where we have limited hours in our day. We're lucky to carve out half an hour in the morning or at lunch to stay on a Bible reading schedule. Anything more than that just doesn't seem feasible.

What if I told you there was a way to get more hours in your day? What if you could spend more time learning from the Lord and still accomplish everything else on your to-do list? You may think I'm going to talk about big rocks and little rocks and priorities, but I'm not. (You can read about Stephen Covey's Big Rocks story in his book, First Things First).

Here is the promise I was reminded of in my Bible reading today:

I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; 
      even at night my heart instructs me.
I have set the LORD always before me. 
      Because he is at my right hand, 
      I will not be shaken.
- Psalms 16:7-8

Look at the second line of that passage. "Even at night my heart instructs me." Can you imagine being able to grow closer to God while you are sleeping? Not only does the Lord counsel me through His word, but if I store up His word in my heart, even at night I am learning from the author of life.

The key to this, of course, is memorizing and being able to meditate on God's word. Psalm 1 says that we should meditate on God's word "day and night". If we spend the same time we allocate each day for reading to actually memorizing God's word, the returns will be so much greater than anything you can imagine. This word of God is living (see Hebrews 4:12-13), and is able to burrow down into our inmost being to instruct us, even in the night.

Reading this promise has challenged me to get serious again about memorizing large portions of scripture. I used to spend my morning and evening commute memorizing and quoting scripture, but somehow that habit fell by the wayside. I think it's time to renew this discipline and make myself a 24-hour disciple of the Lord.

What about your journey? Have you seen the benefits of Bible memorization in your own life? What advice or encouragement would you give to others who doubt their ability to memorize. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

One For The Money, Two For The Show

Today's Bible Reading:
Matthew 6:16-24 , Acts 9:1-19 , Psalms 15 , Genesis 34-35

And now we come to the part of the show where it's time to check our motives. I love leading worship each Sunday at Discovery Church. People often ask me how I can juggle a full time job in marketing, a family with four kids at home, and a part time job with the church. I usually reply that my work at church energizes rather than drains me. Reading Jesus' comments in Matthew 6 yesterday and today, however, have challenged me to evaluate my ministry in a different light.

First with giving, then prayer, then fasting, Jesus reminds us that these things are matters of the heart. It can be tempting to evaluate any ministry by the affirmation we receive from others. There's no denying that It is encouraging to hear that people like what we do. The temptation really comes when we begin to perform for these same people, hoping to somehow win their approval.

Maybe I'll do this song, not that song, because I know the people really like it. Let's do the Lord's prayer today because that always goes over well. I've got to make sure my prayer is powerful; don't stop until I hear enough "Yes, Lord"s and "Amen"s. I know this sounds blatantly shallow, but most leaders will admit how easy it is to fall into the trap of thinking this way. If we're not careful, however, we'll start with "the show must go on" and end up with "thank you, you've been a great audience".

And that right there is the problem. We've got the wrong audience in mind. Jesus said that if we give, pray, or fast for the approval of others, then that's all the approval we'll ever receive. "I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full." (Matthew 6:5) Instead of a show, what Jesus challenges us with is a closet mentality. "Go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." (Matthew 6:6)

What I love about leading worship is helping the church lift up the name of God, forgetting all our problems and glorifying the only one who can solve them. My prayer each Sunday morning is that people would experience the presence of God and be changed by Him through worship. It's great to hear that people have been blessed to worship the Lord together, but that's not what makes worship great. The greatest times of worship come for me when the building is empty and it's just me and God.

What about your journey? Have you been driven by the show or by the closet? What have you learned that can help others stay close to the heart of what matters? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

A Conversational Commute

Today's Bible Reading:
Matthew 6:1-15 , Acts 8:26-40 , Psalms 14 , Genesis 32-33

Here's a little confession. When I travel for work, there are few things I dread more than settling into my seat on a plane and realizing I'm sitting next to a "talker". Some people are energized by meeting new people. Not me. I'm almost always glad to have gotten to know someone, but it drains me completely. I need time alone to recharge, so I usually bring a book and my iPod and do my best to enter my own little world.

Because of my somewhat introverted nature, I always read the story of Philip on the road to Gaza with a kind of detached fascination. In Acts 8, Philip is told by God to go down to the road that leads from Jerusalem to Gaza, then to stay close to an Ethiopian official as he rode in his chariot. The story describes how Philip explained the good new of Jesus to the official, and ends with Philip baptizing him in some water beside the road.

This passage has always been convicting to me, since meeting a complete stranger and leading them to faith in Christ is not something I've done. I've certainly had occasion to share my faith with many people, including new acquaintances, but it's never easy for me. If you find yourself echoing my thoughts, let me share with you two encouraging insights I found as I read through this story again today.

First, God never puts people in our path randomly. He always has a purpose. It wasn't a coincidence that God told Philip to go down to the desert road to Gaza. God wanted this Ethiopian official to meet Philip so the official could hear the good news about Jesus. What this means for me is that the "talker" sitting next to me in the plane could be someone God placed in my path because of their desire to know Him. I need to be sensitive to the prompting of the Holy Spirit and respond.

Second, God always prepares the way. When Philip approached the chariot of the Ethiopian official, he heard him reading from Isaiah. When Philip asked him if he understood what he was reading, the official said, "How can I, unless someone explains it to me?" What better setup could you possibly have than that? The application for me is that when God puts someone in my path, he's also prepared them to be ready to receive the message.

Just how well had God prepared everything for this interaction? I love this part. As they were going down the "desert road" from Jerusalem to Gaza, they came upon some water at just the time the Ethiopian official was ready to commit himself to the Lord. He said, "Look, here is water. Why shouldn't I be baptized?" I wonder if Philip looked up and thought, "Water? Where did that come from? This is the DESERT road!"

Maybe God is teaching me a lesson. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if the very next time I find myself on a plane, I'm sitting next to a "talker". It will probably take some serious faith and a quick prayer to go outside my comfort zone, but if God is leading the way, what have I to fear?

What about your journey? Are you energized by meeting new people? What advice do you have for your introverted brothers and sisters? Or do you find yourself closer to the timid side of the spectrum? What have you done to trust God's leading into territories unknown? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

The Worst of Sinners

Today's Bible Reading:
Matthew 5:33-48 , Acts 8:1-25 , Psalms 13 , Genesis 31

Are you ever tempted to skip ahead in a book to see how it ends? It would certainly change the tone of the book, wouldn't it? The conflict wouldn't be so dramatic, the sorrow and loss not quite so dark, if you knew there was a bright future ahead. I hadn't thought much about it, but I realized today that is how I read most of the Bible. I know how the story ends, and I read everything through that lens.

One of the unintended consequences of the Bible reading plan I'm going through is the pace I move through most of the stories. Because I read in four different parts of the Bible each day, each section is fairly short. As a result, I've been reading through the story of Stephen in Acts for the last three days. Normally I would plow through this whole story quickly, but I've noticed a few details this time through and I've been forced to think about others in a new way... like this guy named Saul, sitting there on the sidelines of this whole story.

I know how the story ends. I know that Saul has an encounter with God that changes his life forever, that Saul becomes Paul, the apostle, the great preacher and church planter, the guy that authored much of the New Testament under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. I even know that Paul referred to himself later as "the worst of sinners" (1 Timothy 1:15-16), but I've never really thought much about what that means.

Now I'm reading through the story of Stephen, his speech to the Sanhedrin and his stoning, and this guy Saul is standing there giving his approval to Stephen's death sentence. He must have been inspired by this stoning, though not in a good way, because Saul then starts going house to house to round up Christians and throw them in jail. I usually gloss over this part in my mind, but that's where my reading left me hanging. No Paul the preacher, just Saul the sinner.

I imagine if I were living in Jerusalem at the time, I would have been saying prayers about Saul, but not for his salvation. I probably would have been praying for deliverance from this evil man. Yet this was the man that God chose to be one of the greatest preachers of the gospel, an apostle of Jesus Christ.

I can think of several high profile people in the world today that could be described as "persecuting the church". Now imagine God so directly impacting their life that they soon begin preaching the same gospel they tried to destroy. What a powerful message of life change that would be.

I think I might starting praying for a few of these people. I won't name them here, but God knows who they are. We serve the same God today that saved Saul, the "worst of sinners", and made him a powerful witness for truth. I believe this same God can do it again today. And so I pray.

What about your journey? Have you seen people you could have never imagined coming to faith suddenly changed by the power of God? How have you been transformed by grace? I'd love to hear your story and your thoughts.

The Power Of Immediacy

Today's Bible Reading:
Matthew 5:21-32 , Acts 7:39-60 , Psalms 12 , Genesis 29-30

Those closest to me know that I am more prone to procrastination than productivity. I work hard and commit myself to deadlines because I know my own nature. If an opportunity arises, my first response is to process it mentally, map it out in my mind, and visualize the end state before getting started. My natural instinct is definitely not toward immediate action.

Reading through one of Jesus' sermons in Matthew today, I was challenged in my thinking about how I approach my work. In Matthew 5, Jesus is talking about how His ministry fulfills the law, with a discussion of murder and hate, adultery and lust. In the middle of this, He talks about reconciliation and the power of immediacy.

Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.

Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. I tell you the truth, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny. - Matthew 5:23-26

I've always found it humorous imagining someone jumping up in the middle of a church service and running off to find someone to ask forgiveness. But I think the principle Jesus is talking about here is the power and importance of immediacy. If you need to be reconciled, do it now, not tomorrow. If someone is taking you to court, settle the matter before you get there.

Anyone who has lived through problems will tell you that leaving them unattended only makes matters worse. Things fester, wounds get infected, and bitterness grows with each passing day. In fact, this principle applies more to Jesus' discussion of murder and adultery that it might at first appear. If we immediately addresses issues of hate and lust in our life, then we avoid the sin and heartache of their inevitable outcomes.

As I thought about the idea of immediacy further, I realized this is a principle that is seen throughout scripture. From the guidance of the Proverbs to the examples of the disciples response to Jesus, immediacy is almost always the best response. Whether the actions demanded are distasteful or a delight, the best results will follow an immediate response.

What about your journey? Have you overcome a natural tendency to procrastinate? Have you seen the benefits of an immediate response? What advice would you give to others struggling in this area? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

The Way We Shine

Today's Bible Reading:
Matthew 5:13-20 , Acts 7:1-38 , Psalms 11 , Genesis 27-28

What comes to mind for you when someone talks about being a witness for God? Do you think about a courtroom, with a judge and jury, a prosecutor and defendant, and a gallery full of people? Do you picture people going door to door handing out literature? Or do imagine sitting down with someone over coffee asking them about their relationship with God?

I read today about being salt and light in this world, and my mind immediately went to these type of images. Even though I know there are more effective ways to reach people than door knocking, I always assume some degree of verbal communication is involved. It is interesting, however, that when Jesus talked about letting our light shine, he made reference to our works, rather than our words.

"In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." - Matthew 5:16

There are two things I take from this. First, what communicates more effectively than anything we say are the things we do. Saint Francis of Assisi once said, "Preach the gospel at all times; if necessary, use words". If we truly want to share the love of God with others, we should demonstrate God's love before we ever talk about it.

Second, the way that we serve others matters. It is amazing how easily people can see through us when we are not genuine in what we do. If we are serving reluctantly or for some sense of personal gain, it will be obvious to everyone around us. What God desires is that people will see our good deeds and praise Him. Do you care who gets the credit for the work you do? Does it matter if you or your church's name is brought up at all?

The really good news in all this is that God has already prepared good works for us to do (see Ephesians 2:10). We just have to follow His leading and give Him the glory.

What about your journey? Have you seen the hand of God at work in your life through the selfless service of others? Have you been privileged to share God's love with others through your service? I'd love to hear your stories and your thoughts.

When God Seems To Be Hiding

Today's Bible Reading:
Matthew 5:1-12 , Acts 6 , Psalms 10 , Genesis 25-26

Does it ever feel like God is ignoring you? Like maybe He's hiding among the hosts of heaven, taking a break from the troubles of this life? Do you ever feel like your prayers are falling on deaf ears, and all of your pleading amounts to nothing? You are not alone.

"Why, O Lord, do you stand so far off?
     Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?"
- Psalm 10:1

It is tempting to get frustrated with God when the wrong team seems to be winning. Sometimes it seems as if the righteous are left to suffer while the wicked continue without a care in the world. When the reward for following God seems to be trial after trial, it is easy to look at the world and wonder why the wicked never seem to have any troubles.

[The wicked man] boasts of the cravings of his heart;
      he blesses the greedy and reviles the LORD.
 In his pride the wicked does not seek him; 
      in all his thoughts there is no room for God.
 His ways are always prosperous; 
      he is haughty and your laws are far from him; 
      he sneers at all his enemies.
 He says to himself, "Nothing will shake me; 
      I'll always be happy and never have trouble."
- Psalm 10:3-6

It can be difficult to trust God when everything seems upside down. But that is the essence of faith, isn't it?  "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see" (Hebrews 11:1). We trust that God is in control, and that He will hear us when we cry out to Him.

But you, O God, do see trouble and grief; 
     you consider it to take it in hand...
 The LORD is King for ever and ever; 
      the nations will perish from his land.
 You hear, O LORD, the desire of the afflicted; 
      you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,
 defending the fatherless and the oppressed, 
      in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more.
- Psalm 10:14, 17-18

When I am going through hard times, I cry out to God, then cry out some more. I trust that He hears every word, and He will answer. Even when He seems to be hiding, I know God is right there beside me, ready to carry me in my time of need. I put my hope in Him, even when the way is dark, because I know I will never be disappointed.

What about your journey? Has God proven himself faithful, even when the times are hard? Have you seen evidence of answered prayer? I'd love to hear your thoughts about God's faithfulness, even in the storms of life.

Grace Days In The Schedule

When I was reviewing Bible reading plans heading into the new year, one of the things that appealed to me were plans that had "grace" days built in. Knowing that just about everyone struggles with New Year's resolutions, myself included, having some extra days in a reading plan would make it easier to stay on track. Presumably, this would also make it easier for me to blog along with the Bible reading.

What's proven more challenging than I expected is deciding what days I'm not going to read, because I really want to keep going. With up to six grace days each month, however, I also don't want to end up sitting it out for close to a week at the end of the month. So, today is the first day that I've taken a mulligan, in a sense. I figure I'll take Sundays and some Saturdays to blog primarily about other topics.

I wasn't sure what to call these extra days in the schedule at first. I thought about calling these days "breaks", since they are a break in the schedule, but that would imply that it was work to read my Bible every day. Discipleship Journal, the group that published the schedule, calls them "free days", using quotes just as I did. I ultimately landed on "grace" days because I think it implies God's patience for us. (see 2 Peter 3:9)

As I scan through the Bible reading plan for the year, it looks like there's a lot of ground to cover. Like a marathon runner, this schedule allows me to pace myself for the long haul and encourages me to stay on track. I'll take the "grace" day today, and I'll look forward to the reading tomorrow. In the meantime, I'll leave you with this thought: Even when we take the day off, God never does.

"Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, 
     who daily bears our burdens."
- Psalm 68:19

The Origin of Failure

Today's Bible Reading:
Matthew 4:18-25 , Acts 5:17-42 , Psalms 9 , Genesis 24

Why do ministries fail? I've really struggled to understand this question over the years because my wife and I were part of a church plant that ultimately never took off. After investing several years of our life into this church, we prayed and sought council and made the difficult decision to end our ministry there. We believe God led us to this work, and God used us to share his message and lead people to Jesus. In the light of eternity, our work was not a failure. Yet the fact remains that our work came to a disappointing end, and that is something with which we still struggle.

Here is what I have come to believe: ministries fail because of good ideas.  To be more precise, ministries fail when good ideas are not God's ideas.  It may be said that good is the enemy of great, but neither good nor great will ever succeed unless God is in it.

When Peter and John and the apostles were teaching every day in the temple courts (as recorded in Acts) and leading many people to believe in Jesus, they were brought before a council of the religious leaders and told more than once to stop speaking in the name of Jesus. When the apostles did not stop their preaching the council was very upset. In a lone voice of reason, one of the elders stood up before the group and asked them to consider carefully what they intended to do Peter and John and the others. He said, "if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God." (Acts 5:33-38).

Following our natural instinct is the real danger here. Someone comes forward with a really "good idea" and they get people fired up about it.  Maybe they kick off a new program or outreach, and it goes well for a while.  Soon, however, stress cracks start to show up, followed by early signs of burn-out. Suddenly, this good idea turns into a source of conflict and people become disillusioned. Clearly, this is not God's plan.

Here is what Jesus promised about His work: "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:29-30). One of my favorite quotes about ministry comes from George Muller, a great man of faith in 19th century England. He said, "God's work, done in God's way, will never lack the means."

As we consider God's leading in our lives and the life of the church this year, let's commit ourselves to not chase after good ideas. Instead, let's seek the Lord and chase after God's ideas. Only then will we find true success.

What about your journey? Have you experienced the struggles of a good idea that never quite paid off? Have you observed the powerful leading of God as people pursue him alone? I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences.