260 in 2012 DEVOS - Day 218 - Intro & James 1: Trials, Trust, Temptation, Application

Introduction to James: This is the “How To” book on Christian living! It was written by James, the brother of Jesus, about AD 49. It’s about putting your faith into practice. Nearly every other verse contains a call to action! The big idea seems to be that genuine faith is constantly moving from the heart to the tongue to the feet. James 1: Trials, Trust, Temptation, Application Ok, so I couldn’t come up with a “T” word for putting God’s word into practice, so I flunk as a Baptist today – LOL!~ Regardless, these are the four topics of this chapter: TRIALS: (1-5) – Not sure about you, but I don’t really care for trials. My theory of “no pain, no pain” has always been my preference. But God says a lot of good about them here. First, our attitude is to welcome them with joy. Why? Because “the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” If we never went thru anything tough, we’d crumble at the smallest things. But as we develop perseverance, it helps us become “mature and complete.” And the ultimate prize is found in vs 12: “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” TRUST: (6-12) – The whole concept of faith involves trust. Trusting in what you cannot see. We read in Hebrews 11 that faith is “being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Doubt kills trust and from the beginning in the garden, Satan’s desire is to get God’s kids to doubt God’s Word! TEMPTATION: (13-18) – Wow does this describe how we get into sin or what?! I DESIRE things I shouldn’t, then I follow that desire and DO things I shouldn’t, and boom – I sin! And if it isn’t addressed, it will kill me! APPLICATION: (19-27) – I’ve always been told God gave me two ears and one mouth because I should listen twice as much as I speak. Good advice, and here very Biblical! Then James hits us with what I call “nike theology” – “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” Just Do It! SO WHAT?! *What are you going through right now that you need to trust God in? How is your attitude? I admit, it’s tough in the midst of things to have joy if we don’t look beyond them. Get with a friend today and pray together about these things. It’s always better to go through things with a friend than alone. And never forget GOD is ALWAYS there! *When and where do your greatest temptations occur? At night? When you’re alone? Away from home? Any combination of these can be detrimental! Share these with someone who will keep you accountable. Marcus Evans is my accountability partner. I used to talk or meet with him regularly (I just moved) and he also gets sent a copy from Covenant Eyes of everywhere I’ve been on my computer. Let me encourage you to do similar things! We NEED brothers & sisters who can truth with us in love! *How’s your “nike theology?” I don’t know about you, but I am far educated beyond my level of obedience. I mostly just need to obey what I already know in the Lord! How about you?

260 in 2012 DEVOS - Day 217 - Hebrews 13: Random Concluding Exhortations

Wow - that title included progressively a 2, a 3 and a 4 syllable word! Yeah – that’s random too huh?! Anyway, this final chapter in Hebrews is filled with advice on Christian behavior. So here we go: Keep Loving: As we do this we may be showing love to angels! Remember those in Prison: Those who suffer for Jesus name we are to in a sense “suffer with.” Honor Marriage: Imagine what would happen if couples would just keep the promise they made to God & each other!~ Be Content: Don’t love money more than God! Remember & Imitate Your Leaders: Pastors, Sunday school teachers, etc… Thank ‘em and be like ‘em! Oh, and later it says to obey them, so that they will like being your leader! Don’t Be Deceived: The rules & rituals are not what Christianity is all about. It’s the relationship with our Savior! When this one is right, all the other stuff falls in place. Keep Praisin’ God: Tell Him, serve Him and love others! Pray: Never, never, never stop praying about anything and everything! As we read these challenging exhortations from God, let’s be doers and not just hearers! SO WHAT? *When you think of God, do you break out in praise? The better you know Him, the more you will be able to praise Him for! Lord help us to Know you and Make You Known more & more, each day, for the rest of our lives! *What is your view on marriage? Next to a person’s relationship with Jesus, there is no greater decision. Get it down right now – Marriage is a covenant (contract, promise) you make with God & with your soon to be spouse. I promise NO MATTER WHAT to love, honor cherish…. ‘til death do we part. Decide NOW, before you get married, that you will keep your promise! Then pray, pray, pray for the person whom God would have you make that promise to. And be patient. It’s better to be single wishing you were married, than to be married wishing you were single! *Finally, when was the last time you thanked your spiritual leaders? They put together lessons each week , pray for you, meet with you, etc…all to help you to Know Jesus and Make Him Known! When was the last time you thanked them? Yeah, yeah, I know this sounds self-serving (so don’t do it with me then, do it with another spiritual leader), but seriously, take some time this weekend to write them a note, meet with them, get them a gift, etc… but somehow let them know how much you appreciate them and how it has helped you in your faith! GO FOR IT!!!

260 in 2012 DEVOS - Day 216 - Hebrews 12: Run for Your Life!

The first 10 chapters of Hebrews are about Jesus being “The Bomb” – superior to everything and everyone! Chapter 11 describes how faith alone in Jesus alone was demonstrated by faithful greats. “Therefore…” = Chapters 12-13 is the “so what” of this letter, the application. The “great cloud of witnesses” are those faithful peeps from chapter 11. It’s as if the writer is saying, “Look around you at all the examples of faith! If they can live by faith, so can you!” It’s as if you & I are on the track of life ready to run and they’re in the stands cheering us on! What a great motivation!!! So how do we do this? He mentions five things: • Throwing Off Everything that Hinders: one of the greatest problems runners face is weight. Pounds, clothes, etc… have to be taken off. You never see a runner run the race in their warm ups! Why? You can’t win carrying excess weight. The problem here is not what the weight IS but what the weight DOES – it slows us down. • Throwing Off Sin that Entangles: The problem here IS with sin issues, the things we KNOW are wrong but we do them anyway. They can cause us to stumble and fall. I don’t know of any runners who have fallen in a track race, got up and won. • Running with Perseverance: Determination to not give up is key to an athletes success and it’s the same with our faith in Jesus! Patience would be another good word here. The Christian life of faith is a marathon, not a sprint and God is calling us on to go the distance! There WILL be obstacles, we WILL get tired, but we MUST NOT give up! • The Race Marked Out for Us: This is a race of faith. There are many differing races and different ones who run those races. We must be sure to run OUR race, not someone else’s! Some are harder, some are easier, some are shorter, some are longer. • Fix Our Eyes On Jesus: Two thoughts here. First, Jesus is THE greatest example of One who ran the race God marked out for Him! Second, many things distract us in life, even good things at times. The runner who looks into the crowd to see who is cheering for them may lose the race in doing so. We must set godly priorities and stick to them! In doing so we “will not grow weary and lose heart.” The rest of the chapter gives more applications on how to live a faithful life in Jesus: Do not lose heart, endure hardship, know that discipline produces a harvest of righteousness and peace, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees, make level your paths, live in peace with all men and be holy, worship with reverence & awe and BE THANKFUL! SO WHAT?! *So how is your race of faith going? Are you running? Jogging? Walking? Sitting on the track tripping people? Watching from the stands? There is nothing more encouraging than the successful example of one who has done it before! JESUS ran for two things (1) joy set before him and (2) sitting down at right hand. Only what was at the end of the race could have motivated Jesus to leave what He did and endure what He did. Do these things motivate you? *What “excess weight” do you need to throw off that may not even be sin but distracts you from running? Obsessions with Video games? Facebook? Clothes (don’t throw these off in public)? Stuff? Maybe ask a friend if they notice anything that keeps you from being sold out to God. Scary, but it may be the best thing for us! *Who in your life has been an example of faithfulness? Why not take some time today and tell them thanks!? Email, facebook, tweet or snail mail a note to them while they are on your mind. It may be just what THEY need to make it through another day!

260 in 2012 DEVOS - Day 214 - Hebrews 10: Christ the Perfect Sacrifice – Let us Draw Near

I don’t know about you, but I need hope. Not only do I need hope, but I need it every day! In Corinth, Paul was determined to know nothing except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. This is the only hope we have and is the theme of this chapter. In His death, Jesus was and is THE perfect sacrifice! The old sacrificial system could not bring access to God, it could not remove sin, was totally external and ultimately unpleasing to God. They were however, “…an annual reminder of sins…” (1-6). The New Sacrifice (Jesus) reflects God’s will (5-7), replaces the old system (8-9), makes us holy (10), removes sin (11-12), conquers (13), perfects believers (14) and fulfills the promise God made (15-18). Verse 19, “Therefore…” = How then are we to live? Three things are mentioned: Draw Near in Faith: (19-22) – When it comes to God, it’s always been about relationship. Can you believe He desires to have us near Him?!~! And He provides the way for that to occur when we humbly realize our sinful, helpless condition and trust in what Jesus did for us that we could not! What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus! Hold Unswervingly to Hope: (23) – Perseverance is the key to victory. In Revelation 2-3 the promises in each church are given “To him who overcomes.” We are to be overcomers and that means sticking it out through the good and the not so good. Encourage One Another in Love: (24-25) – It is amazing how big an impact just a small compliment or a word aptly spoken can have! And the best words are God’s Words when shared together. But some will reject this truth of Christ (26-31) and will receive judgment for doing so. Because of this, the writer ends with a final appeal to not reject Christ (towards unbelievers) and to persevere (believe & be saved). SO WHAT?! *In what ways are we working at drawing near to God? Do we regularly spend time in the Bible? In prayer? Confessing sin? With God’s people? Serving the Lord? All of these will help you & I draw near to our Savior who desires to be near to us! *How are you & I persevering? I’ve run a lot of races in my life. I’ve never won any of them but I HAVE finished them all! So here’s the deal: EVERYONE who finishes the Christian life WINS! I know at times this life can dish out a lot of crap. But let’s ask God to give us spiritual pitchforks so we can toss the manure of this life aside and run with perseverance the race marked out for us! *Encouragement – we love to receive it, but often feel too busy to give it. I challenge each of y’all reading this TODAY to send a note, a text, an email, etc… of encouragement to someone who you think needs a “word aptly spoken.” Go ahead, I Double-Dog Dare Ya’!

260 in 2012 DEVOS - Day 213 - Hebrews 9: Old Covenant vs. New Covenant

Trying new things does not always come easy for most. People tend to like routine. This will never fly in student ministry and we have to realize it doesn’t fly in regards to our relationship with God either. The old way of doing things - external regulations that only covered sin for a time - has been replaced by a new way – internal relationship with God based on the blood of Jesus which removes sin! 1-5: The old sanctuary was a picture of what was to come but was earthly, temporary and never provided true access to God. There was only ONE entrance, symbolizing only ONE way = Jesus! God made it that way! Jesus now lights our path, feeds us and intercedes for us. 6-7: Priests would daily “carry on their ministry” of representing the people, Now Jesus continually intercedes for us! 8-10: Worship has changed too! In the old way, only the high priest could get close to God, and that only once a year. But “They are only…………external regulations applying until the time of the new order.” Now we can all have a relationship with God through Jesus! 11-14: The old covenant was designed by God, but made by man. The new is designed by God, made by God and Christ is THE sacrifice, ONCE for ALL! It’s permanent & eternal. The old sacrifices symbolized external cleansing of sin, the new cleanses internally (where sin really exists). KEY VERSE: “For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.” The writer now gives 3 reasons it was necessary for Jesus to die: 15-17 - A Will Demands Death: Ok, no brainer. 18-22 – Forgiveness Demands Blood: Blood is the symbol of death and the payment for sin (22). Since the penalty for sin is death, nothing but death could pay for sin. We cannot enter into God’s presence by trying to live good, do good, etc. 23-28 – Judgment Demands a Substitute: All of us must die, our death is by divine appointment, and after death comes judgment (vs. 27). So this leaves us two Choices: Either (1) we pay for our sins by our own death and sentence to hell or (2) we have a substitute who pays. Ummmmm…I choose #2! (2 Cor. 5:21!) SO WHAT?! *What must a person do to inherit eternal life? NOTHING! It’s already been done and all we need do is trust in Him who did it for us! Have you? Jesus truly is INDESCRIBABLE! *When was the last time we truly thought about the devastation that our sins bring us? I wonder if not seeing sin the way God does causes us to take it lightly at times? Lord, help me to see my sin the way you see it and to have Your strength to turn from it!

260 in 2012 DEVOS - Day 211 - Hebrews 7: Melchizedek & Jesus

The focus of Hebrews is the Priesthood, and chapter 7 is all about it! Melchizedek is a “Type” – A “type” which is something in the Old Testament which has a counterpart in the New Testament. For example: the “serpent on the stick” in Exodus represents the sacrificial lamb Jesus. And the NT one is always better, permanent & perfect. Does this make sense? Anyway, there are lots of “guesses” as to who Melchizedek was, none of which are certain. What we do know for certain is that he was a historical man whose priestly ministry typifies Christ! In the Levitical priesthood, all priests were Levites but not all Levites were priests. It was strictly national and strictly Jewish. Levites were set aside as first fruits to God and priestly sacrifices were not permanent but had to be repeated. You had to be born into family to be a priest and it was a temporary position (age 25-50 – Num. 8:24, 25). And you could not be king. Well, Melchizedek’s priesthood was superior to the Levitical priesthood in every way! It was for everyone (1), you could be a king (1-2), it was truly righteous & peaceful (2), it was personal, not hereditary (3), and it was eternal, not temporary since no priest could serve more than 25yrs (4-7). PS – There is no mention of Melchizedek’s death or end of his priesthood. Verses 11-28 then explain to us how Jesus is THE Superior Priest for us! The writer is again encouraging wavering Jews to break the old system and come to Christ. It was hard for a Jew to believe the system Moses gave them was temporary, inadequate and defective (7:18, 9:8-10, 10:1-4). God never in tended for the Levitical priesthood to last forever. “Perfection” in Hebrews speaks of access to God. If the Levitical priesthood could have brought “perfection”, then why would God have provided Jesus as Priest? There was a “change” of priesthood! This new priesthood provides perfection. It’s different & eternal. The “former regulation” = the old way of sacrifice after sacrifice after sacrifice, could reveal sin, cover sin, but not REMOVE sin! New priesthood (Jesus) can! “Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.” Because He is eternal, holy & sinless! And whereas the old was based on rules & regulations, the new one is based on relationship, the essence of Christianity, by which we “draw near to God.” SO WHAT?! *Through Jesus, believer have direct access to God Himself, because of Christ’s blood! We no longer have to kill an animal every time we sin to cover things for a time. Jesus REMOVED our sin once and for all! Let’s thank Him for this today! *How “near” are you to God today? Friendship? Acquaintance? Deep & Intimate? Couldn’t pick Him out of a line up? The rest of our lives we get the privilege of drawing nearer to God. Let’s take advantage of that privilege!

260 in 2012 DEVOS - Day 210 - Hebrews 6: Growth, Tasting & Trusting

Spiritually, the people whom the writer is addressing were growing dull, hard and stupid. So the writer offers a solution: “…leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity…” When the only answer we can give to spiritual questions are Jesus, God & the Bible, we’re not growing spiritually. Repentance, faith, baptism, laying hold of Jesus’ teachings, the resurrection and judgment are all things we should know what the Bible says about. Verses 4-6 are some of the most controversial verses in the Bible. Many see this as a passage that teaches you can lose your salvation. Yet, there is no reference to salvation. Nor is there any mention of sanctification, justification, new birth or regeneration (sorry to toss out a bunch of churchy words). I believe this passage was written to Jews who had not fully surrendered (only tasted) to Christ but were holding on to Judaism. “Enlightened” = to be mentally aware, doesn’t require a response. “Tasted” = sampled, not feasted; not accepted. “Shared in the Holy Spirit” = to associate with, not possess. These were “make-believers” who had not truly trusted in Christ alone for the forgiveness of their sins! If you believe, from this passage, that salvation can be lost, then you have to believe it can’t be regained either – something these proponents aren’t willing to accept. I do believe that the “opportunity” to receive salvation can be lost, but not salvation itself. Once you become a child of God, you never cease to be His child! Then 9-12 just gives a list of things that accompany salvation. The final section, 13-20, has to do with trusting God. God invented truth, cannot lie and keeps His Word! God can be trusted because of WHO He is, because of His Pledge and because of Christ, His and our High Priest! SO WHAT?! *How long have you been a Christian? 1 Year? 3 Years? 5 Years? 20 years? The disciples had only been believers for 3 years max and Jesus expected a lot out of them! If we were still feeding our teens with a baby spoon and wiping their butts, people would be aghast! But how often does God feel that way about us spiritually? Pledge today to make regular Bible reading, prayer, fellowship and witnessing a part of your weekly schedule! 2 Timothy 2:15 *True believers can’t lose their salvation (John 10:27-29), Romans 8:35, 38-39, Philippians 1:6). Make-believers & unbelievers don’t have salvation to lose. So, which camp do you fall into? I pray that you truly believe. By the way, this challenge is not to get anyone to doubt their salvation, but rather to affirm it! *Finally, do you & I truly believe God is trustworthy? In tough times we tend to think “What are you doing God?!” I know I’ve done this! But inside I KNOW God is to wise to ever make a mistake, and to loving to ever be unkind, and I can trust Him. Lord help my unbelief!

260 in 2012 DEVOS - Day 209 - Hebrews 5: Priesthood, Warning & Spiritual Maturity

What were the qualifications to be a priest and did Jesus meet them? First, you had to be a man. Second, you had to be sympathetic – able to deal gently with others. Third, you had to be called by God. Did Jesus meet these? Absolutely and completely! He became a man so He could sympathize with our weaknesses. He deals graciously and lovingly with all people in offering hope. And He was called by God, “So Christ also did not take upon himself the glory of becoming a high priest.” Next we the writers third warning. The first was about ignoring the Gospel (2:1-14). The second was regarding hardening hearts toward the Gospel (3:7-19). And now here the warning is regarding spiritual maturity. “Slow to learn” = intellectually numb, spiritual dullness. Spiritually slow people are difficult to teach. Until we let go of old ways, we are unteachable. Same was true of the Jews in regard to the Old Covenant. Truth taught over and over again should cause change, but it had not. We are to be doers of the Word, not just hearers! It’s ok to feed a baby Gerber food with a spoon, but it would be an embarrassing shame to be doing the same with my high school son Drew. The same is true spiritually! Those who act in God’s truth are the “mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” SO WHAT?! *All of us who know Jesus personally are called to be sympathetic and caring towards others. Who do you know who is going through a lot right now? Make time today to reach out to them and show the love and compassion of Jesus to them! *Are you spiritually dull or numb? Have you been listening to message after message from God’s Word and doing nothing with it? Ask God right now to take His Word and use it to transform your life (& mine)! Practice Nike Theology and “Just Do It!”

260 in 2012 DEVOS - Day 208 - Hebrews 4: Rest, The Word of God & The Great High Priest

Finally – a chapter on rest! Sorry to burst your bubble a bit, but we’re not talking sleep here! The “rest” that is spoken of in these first few verses has to do with salvation. Entering God’s rest means no more self-effort in trying to be saved. It’s the end of trying to please God by our own feeble “good works.” It means freedom from worries – Yes – spiritual “Hakunna Matata!” The Israelites did not have rest, “…the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith.” Why did they reject the Jesus and His Gospel? “Disobedience” and “Hardened hearts” is what we are told. Then we are warned, “Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.” Verses 12-13 are two of the first verses I memorized as a young Christian. I still know them and they have taken root in my spiritual DNA! Your words, my words…..they die, but God’s don’t! Because of this, from the get go as a youth pastor, I’ve always tried to saturate my messages with God’s Words more than mine so that it will leave a mark! It’s a sword that penetrates! And as we read it, it humbles us: “Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” We end with verses 14-16, which kick off a major theme in Hebrews – Jesus is our High Priest! Priests were appointed to be mediators between God and His people. Only the High Priest could offer sacrifices for the people, once a year on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). And Lev. 16 tells us they had to make an offering for themselves first. Day after day, year after year this process of sacrifices had to be made because the priesthood was not perfect and the sacrifices were not perfect. UNTIL JESUS! He is and was perfect and became our sacrifice once for all!!! What He had to go through in the process allowed Him to “sympathize with our weaknesses.” And “we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.” What does this do? It allows us to approach our gracious God and not be fearful of punishment because Jesus took it for us! WHOOHOO!!!!! In the words of a famous commercial, “It doesn’t get any better than this!” SO WHAT?! *When are you tempted most to not believe God’s Word? When trials come? Persecution? God knows and he can be trusted no matter what. Lets pray and ask Him to do that right now! *How has God’s Word penetrated your heart? Take some time this week to share this with another believer. It’s always encouraging to hear how God is working in another’s life! *Finally, what an incredible honor & privilege it is to be able to go straight to God with our hurts & needs! He is an AMAZING High Priest and if anyone can understand, it’s God! So go to Him today, go to Him regularly and go to Him always!

260 in 2012 DEVOS - Day 207 - Hebrews 3: Jesus > Moses, Hard Hearts

“Therefore…” - on the basis of what the writer just said, that JESUS is supreme over ALL! “…fix your thoughts on Jesus….” Moses was esteemed by the Jews, many felt that he was greater than angels. But here we are reminded that Jesus is the ONLY Great One! Because the Jews did not want to accept Jesus as the Messiah, the author writes, “See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.” The sin of unbelief is the greatest sin in the world. It offends God, harms people and it is the only sin that will keep us out of heaven! Most of all, sin DECEIVES! It tricks us into believing things contrary to the Word of God. The author then goes on to use the Israelites as an example of those who hardened their hearts: “Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the desert? And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.” SO WHAT?! *Who are you tempted to hold higher than you ought? A parent? Sports figure? Actor? Pastor? Teacher? Coach? Never forget, they are all sinners. YES, we are to honor people and thank them for their impact in our lives. But we are to be careful to hold them higher that our Lord! *How is your heart these days? Do you ever get hardened by stuff in this life? Have you ever been hardened towards the things of God? It is best to regularly go to God, confessing our sins and seeking Him so that our hearts won’t be hardened! Why not take some time right now to do this!?

260 in 2012 DEVOS - Day 206 - Hebrews 2: Warning, Destiny & Jesus Made Like Us

I’m a pastor to students and I want students to like me. But what I want most is to see all of them someday in heaven! In order to see this happen, it’s not enough that I just teach the Bible to students. I must also warn, exhort and invite! Hell will be (and is) full of people who were never actually opposed to Jesus Christ, but who simply ignored the Gospel. The writer of Hebrews gives warning so that this doesn’t happen to them. The warning in 1-4 is not to believers. We can neglect growth and discipleship but not salvation. It’s also not for those who have never heard, because you can’t neglect what you don’t know. It’s for those “make-believers” who think they are saved but who never have received Christ! They are intellectually convinced but in their hearts, have ignored the Gospel. The writer then begins to explain destiny, our position and Jesus’ position, in regards to angels. God never intended to give angels rule over the world to come- that is for us! Yet, “What is man” = wowsa! In light of the universe and the speck called earth, I am sooooo small! Yet, some day, as a believer in heaven, I will help rule. Right now, we’re lower than angels, but it’s only temporary! “We see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor…” Want more evidence that Jesus is the greatest? He was born to die (9). He is our substitute (9) and the author of Salvation (10). He makes us holy (11-13). He conquered Satan (14-15). And He also empathizes with us (16-18). If anyone could ever say “been there, done that” it was Jesus! SO WHAT?! *Do you & I have a holy obsession for all people to Know Jesus & Make Him Known?! The writer of Hebrews did and I pray that God will move us in the same way! *A lot of would be “messiahs” have appeared over the years – David Koresh, Joseph Smith, Jim Jones, Mohammed, etc…. Yet ALL of them have failed to live up to their claims and NONE of them could ever remove your sin & mine. ONLY JESUS can do these things. Have you ever put your trust & faith in Him alone for the forgiveness of your sins? If you have, then celebrate His greatness today! If you haven’t, why not do that today!?~!

260 in 20121 DEVOS - Day 205 - Introduction & Hebrews 1: God Speaks, Jesus Rules, Angels Serve

Introduction to Hebrews: This letter was written “To the Hebrews” – Jewish Christians who may have been thinking about going back to Judaism. It has lots of Jewish flavor and it’s more like a sermon than a letter. It was written approximately 68-69 AD. Not sure exactly who the human author is. Possibilities include Paul, Apollos, Peter, Barnabas, Clemont, Luke, Phillip, Pricilla…. Whoever it was, they had connections with their readers. The purpose of the letter is to present the Superiority and Sufficiency of Christ – that’s churchy for saying that Jesus is over all and is a all we need, He’s enough! Sacrifice, priestly angels, stuff, maturity, faith and endurance are some of the topics that come up! Chapter 11 is that great chapter in the Bible on faith and then 12:1-3 are those great application verses! Hebrews 1: God Speaks, Jesus Rules, Angels Serve How does God Speak to us Today? The beginning of this letter explains how God speaks today. “In the past” = before Jesus, God spoke “through the prophets” – and most of it was warning! How? “At many times and in various ways” = visions, parables, symbols, types, etc… “In these last days…” = indicates a change, now there is One Way = JESUS! This was a familiar phrase to Jews indicating that the Messiah had come and spoken the final revelation of God! That means, the New Testament is complete and nothing is to be added (i.e. the book of Mormon, science, etc…). See Revelation 22:18-19! Who is Jesus? “The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” Verse 3 makes it clear that Jesus is Greater, He Is God! And the next verse totally says Jesus is better and best! Angels: The Bible talks a lot about angels. They are: spirit beings, intelligent, don’t die, don’t have kids, more powerful than people, live in the heavens, are numerous and some of them we have names for. What do they do? They minister to God, announce and inflict His judgment, bring answers to prayer, encourage, minister to believers and proclaim God’s messages. Jews viewed angels as very important to the Old Covenant. They worshipped them and saw them as second in command only to God. This is why the author of Hebrews wrote to persuade his readers that Christ is the mediator of a better covenant! SO WHAT? *As Believers in Jesus we are told to be “shrewd as snakes and innocent as doves.” The idea is to be careful not to be deceived! I’m always a bit nervous when someone says “God told me” – especially in light of verses 1-4. God today communicates to us through His Son, Jesus, the Word of God (John 1). How much time do you and I spend listening to God’s voice – the Bible? It’s truly the only way we can know Jesus and what He desires in our lives. Lets make it a daily routine to spend time alone with our Creator! *Jesus IS God. The Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses and every religion apart from Christianity have an issue with Jesus! Here’s some help I learned in Bible college. The deity (churchy word for God) of Jesus is clearly given in Hebrews 1, Romans 1, John 1, Colossians 1 and Revelation 1. So if you can remember the first chapter of those books, you can go there as you talk to those who doubt Jesus being God. *Nowhere are we told to worship or pray to angels (or Mary). God created angels to minister to US – believers! We will read later in Hebrews that JESUS is our mediator between God & man, not angels, or priests, etc…

260 in 2012 DEVOS - Day 204 - PHILEMON: Forgiveness & Responsibility

2 Corinthians 5:17 reads “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” As true as this is, it does not take away from our responsibilities as a Christian. Onesimus, a slave in the Roman empire, had stolen from his master Philemon & had run away. Somehow, he crossed the path of Paul who led him to faith in Jesus Christ. Now Onesimus, as a believer, had a duty to go back to his master Philemon. The punishment for what Onesimus had done was death, so Paul writes to Philemon asking for mercy & grace. This is not a letter on guidelines for masters and slaves. It’s not a letter denying Philemon’s rights as a slave owner over Onesimus. It’s not even a letter against the evil slave system. This is a letter of forgiveness, a letter begging for mercy & grace from Philemon toward a new believer who had been freed from sin through Jesus Christ! Paul could have used his position to order Philemon, but instead, “yet I appeal to you on the basis of love. I then, as Paul—an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus— I appeal to you for my son Onesimus who became my son while I was in chains. Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.” Faith, not force, is used. “Onesimus” means “useful, beneficial.” By stealing & running away he had ruined his name and dishonored his master. But because we are made new in Christ, Onesimus could live up to his name again. So much so that Paul says “I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel.” Paul knew that Onesimus had a responsibility toward Philemon that needed to be fulfilled, so he sent him back to Philemon with this letter asking that Onesimus be welcomed back as both a slave and a brother in Jesus! Paul includes a touch of God’s sovereignty (God being in control) as well: “Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back for good— no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother.” How deeply does Paul feel about this? So much so that he offers to pay personally whatever Onesimus owes! And by the way Philemon, you owe me – you came to Christ as a result of my ministry as well! Paul concludes with his confidence that Philemon will do even more that he is asking him to do! SO WHAT?! *What have you (or I) done that deserves punishment? Whatever it is, we always hope for mercy & grace don’t we?!~! YES! Why not take a moment right now and thank God that HE doesn’t give us what we deserve (eternal death & separation from Him forever because of our sin)! *Is there a responsibility that you have not been fulfilling that you need to make right? Do it today, even if it costs you, because as a believer in Jesus, we want to do right. *Often times in the midst of a trial we cannot see the larger picture of what God is trying to accomplish. What are you facing right now that you need God’s perspective on? Is there a relationship? Is there a situation? Ask God today to help you see things the way He does! And lets never stop asking for grace & mercy – God LOVES to give it!

260 in 2012 DEVOS - Day 203 - Titus 3: Remember Who You ARE!

Ok, I’ll admit it, I love the movie “Lion King” - for many reasons! There is one scene in the movie that especially sends me a reminder. It’s the scene where Rafiki (the crazy baboon) tells Simba that he knows who he is, “You’re Mufasa’s boy!” – and then he runs off. Simba chases him down and they meet by a pond. Rafiki tells him to look in the pond and tell him what he sees. Simba looks and sees a reflection of himself and doesn’t like what he sees. Then Rafiki says, “Loooook again…” This time when Simba looks he sees the reflection of his father and realizes he truly is the King’s Kid! As believers in Jesus, we truly are the King’s Kids and we need to never forget that! Paul does something similar as he writes to Titus here in chapter 3. Paul first reminds him of who he & Titus USED to be: “At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.” Before Jesus, this is true of all of us! BUT…..what a great next word…. “BUT when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.” In the midst of my sinful, dead, helpless-to-do-anything condition, GOD did something! By HIS mercy he saved me! Whoohoo!!!!!!! The GOSPEL!!!!!!! I am sooooo grateful! So how should I live as a result? “…be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good.” And hey - stay away from divisive people! SO WHAT? *I don’t know what you are dealing with today – maybe something has gotten you down. But whatever it is, wherever you are, do this: Remember Who You Are! If you have put your trust in Jesus as Savior, then you are the King’s Kid – you’re Royalty! So don’t let the enemy get you down! *Take a couple minutes today and meditate on verses 4-7. Thank God for His amazing mercy and His amazing sacrifice of Jesus for us! *What “good” are you involved in for the Lord??? If you’re not currently & regularly serving the Lord, check with one of your pastors to see how you can. I bet the’yd love to have you come ask!!!

260 in 20912 DEVOS - Day 202 - Titus 2: Relationships, Discipleship & Disciplined Living

In this chapter, Paul outlines how the baton of faith is to be passed on – from the older teaching the younger! As a pastor, Paul calls Titus to “…teach what is in accord to sound doctrine.” The teachings of the Bible will cause behavior to be in line with belief and Titus is to teach God’s Word! Then he gives examples of how this works: The older men teach the younger men: ”…set them an example….doing good…be self-controlled …show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech…” The older women teach the younger women: “…to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine…to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands…” Slaves be subject to your masters: “…in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted…” Paul concludes by telling Titus, that because of God’s incredible grace, he needs to discipline himself to “…say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age…” This will take both encouragement and rebuke, but do it regardless of how people treat you. SO WHAT?! *As a pastor, letters written to pastors (Titus and 1&2 Timothy) especially grab my attention! I am to both model and to teach these things. But they are not just true of pastors but of all believers – you and me! How are you & I passing on the baton of truth to the next generation? *In what area is it hard for you to say “No” to? Materialism? Entertainment? Sensuality? Living in America we can have whatever we want, wherever we want it and whenever we want it! But the American way is not the Biblical way. It takes discipline & self-control to say no at times. And this character quality needs to be both taught & modeled by YOU & ME!

260 in 2012 DEVOS - Day 201 - Intro & Titus 1: Qualifications for Godly Leadership & Addressing Ungodly Leadership

Introduction To Titus: Paul deals with qualifications to be looked for in church leaders (1:5-9) and then condemns the false teachers who were undermining the work in Crete (1:10-16). In Chapter 2, He gives Titus advice on how to handle the situation there: guidelines on Christian behavior, specifically the aged (1-3), the youth (4-8), and slaves (9-10). Chapter 2:11-3:2 gives the theological implications of Christian living in the community. Chapter 3:4-7 is a reminder of the transformation that comes from the gospel through Christ. Paul then closes with a charge, personal remarks, counsel and a benediction (3:8-15). Titus 1: Qualifications for Godly Leadership & Addressing Ungodly Leadership Paul lists 17 character qualities that church leaders especially should demonstrate: 1. Blameless – not perfection but pursuit of holiness. 2. Husband of but one wife – a one woman man. May rule out some divorced people. 3. A man whose children believe and are not wild & disobedient – if a man can’t lead his own family, don’t let him lead in the church! 4. Not overbearing – authoritative not authoritarian. 5. Not quick-tempered – duh, don’t put angry peeps in leadership. 6. Not given to drunkenness – having A drink is ok, but having TO drink is not. 7. Not violent – again, duh. 8. Not pursuing dishonest gain – integrity with finances. 9. Hospitable – does he open up his home, like people, etc… 10. Loves what is good – another pursuit issue. 11. Self-controlled – does he watch his mouth, turn from evil, deny himself, etc… 12. Upright – how is he viewed by others? 13. Holy – not perfection but pursuit. 14. Disciplined – Does he have goals & values he pursues? 15. Must hold firmly to trustworthy message – does he believe & teach the Bible? 16. Encourage others – does he tear down or lift up others? 17. Refute those who oppose the truth – does he correct wrong teaching? For the remainder of the chapter, Paul addresses false teaching & those who do not qualify as leaders according to the qualifications just listed. They teach lies (#17) “for the sake of dishonest gain” (#8). “Liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons” – (#1, #4, #10, #13, #14). ”To the pure, all things are pure….” – (#13). “They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him.” – (#1, actually all of them!). SO WHAT?! *This list of godly qualities is not just for Christian leaders, but for all who claim Jesus as their Savior. Take some time today to meditate on these qualities. Which ones are you doing ok at? Which ones need work? Don’t know? Ask a close friend or family member – and be willing to take their answer! Then pick that one and ask God to help you with it over the next 30 days. *Is there any way in which you or I are denying Jesus by our actions? Oh Lord, please show us and conform us to YOU!

260 in 2012 DEVOS - Day 200 - 2 Timothy 4: Last Words

A person’s last words are often both remembered & recorded. Today we read the last written words of the apostle Paul. He is passing the baton of ministry to Timothy and he wants to sum up what is important. He begins by charging him to eternal thinking: “in view of his appearing and his kingdom…” Those who want to make an impact for Christ must have an eternal perspective. And here’s the main key: “Preach the Word.” Not slick sayings, not just stories, not our own ideas. Only the Word of God is living and active, your words and mine are not! Simple statement, but complex applications because God’s Word will “correct, rebuke and encourage” – and most people don’t want the first two! They’d rather have their ears tickled with sweet nothings. Worse yet, they’d rather hear myths. Timothy – don’t you go that direction! “…keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.” Paul was passing the Gospel baton “For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure.” What comes next is what I, and all believers, would hope to say at the end of life, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” Kuddos Paul for a life well lived! The rest of the letter I would call “Friends & Foes” because in ministry and in life there are both those who partner with you and those who seek to derail what you are doing. Those like John Mark (an example of Paul’s forgiveness), whom Paul calls helpful, and those like Alexander whom strongly oppose! More reason why Paul is constantly saying to guard the truth! And what kept Paul going through evewrything? “…the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed…” Yep – having the LORD by his side! SO WHAT?! *What are some famous last words you have heard? What would you like your last words to be? And to whom? *All of us need at least 3 people in our lives: A Paul (those who are mentoring us), A Timothy (those whom we are mentoring) and a Barnabas (those who just plain encourage us no matter what). If you have these three, take a moment and thank God for them! If you don’t, take a moment and ask God to bring these people into your life! *How is ministry going for you? Excited? Bored? Discouraged? Do you tend to focus on the friends or the foes? Don’t let others get you down, “keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.”

260 in 2012 DEVOS - Day 199 - 2 Timothy 3: Life Today & How To Conquer It

As you read the first six verses what comes tom mind: Today’s newspaper? Your school? Your workplace? Your friends? Your self? Those who say the Bible isn’t relevant must have skipped over this section, even though it was written nearly 1950 years ago! Paul sets forth quite the list of character traits that described not only his people at the time, but us today as well: - Lovers of themselves (check) - Lovers of money (check) - Boastful (trying to look better than I am - check) - Proud (check) - Abusive (evil speech – check) - Disobedient to their parents (ask your parents – check) - Ungrateful (not usually but…..check) - Unholy (duh – check) - Without Love (family affection first – check) - Unforgiving (hold grudge – check) - Slanderous (Pastor’s message this week – check) - Without self-control (I deny myself very little – check) - Brutal (I’m sure I’ve been – check) - Not lovers of the good (lose my focus – check) - Treacherous (traitor – not sure, but – check) - Rash (careless, just ask Jean – check) - Conceited (see #4 – check) - Lovers of Pleasure (put myself before things of God – check) - Having a form of godliness (before Jesus – check) Ok – So I’m guilty of them all. How about you? If you said no, then you blew at least number 3! Anyway, this is a convicting list, and one that would throw me into depression if verse 10 didn’t start with “You, however,….” GREAT words! Direction, not perfection is the key here. God knows we’re ALL guilty of these at times, but when they begin to define out lives, that’s a problem. So what is the solution? Paul writes: - Follow His example: (10-11) Paul went thru some pretty tough stuff and endured! - Expect tough times: (12-13) Ok, so how many of us have verse 13 as a memory verse? Not the kind of verse we put to memory, yet just as true. - Keep on keepin’ on: (14) Much of the Christian life is the daily grind of saying no to our selfish desires & temptations from the enemy and instead following the ways of the Lord. - Let God’s Word… (15-16) Its gives eternal life and wisdom! o Teach me – God’s ways are not my ways. o Rebuke me – Bible constantly smacks me in the face when my heart or actions are wrong. o Correct me – Sets me on the right course. o Train me – It’s like a spiritual workout! - Why? So God can use me! (17) HE completely gives me all I need to serve the Lord! SO WHAT?! *Take the list at the beginning and go through it. Circle the top two things you’d like God to help you with. Commit them to prayer & practice over the next 30 days and watch God do some great things! *What has the Bible taught you lately? How has it rebuked & corrected you? How are you being trained by it? *If you’re a believer in Christ, take a moment right now and thank God that you are new creation, that you are being transformed and for the fact that He will complete the good work He began in you & me!!!

260 in 2012 DEVOS - Day 198 - 2 Timothy 2: Discipline, Duty, Danger

Three points all starting with the same letter, sounds Baptist - hahahaha. But I do think there are 3 ideas Paul is wanting to communicate to Timothy and this will help me remember! First, he reminds Timmy to continually be strengthened by the grace of Christ – the good news of the Gospel! Never forget that you & I were hopeless until God stepped in and offered us hope! Next is probably the clearest verse on passing the discipleship baton in the new testament: “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.” From God to Jesus to Paul to Timothy to Reliable Men to Others! How does this happen? Paul gives four pictures of how to be strong in God’s grace in order to pass it on: Teacher, Soldier, Athlete, Farmer. And what is the common thread? DISCIPLINE! All of the occupations require patience & endurance looking for future reward! So, “Remember Jesus Christ….and be strong in grace!” Second, we have a duty: “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” Of all the great things that God has given us, none is more valuable than His Word! It is both a treasure we are to enjoy & a trust we are to take care of! And again, discipline is required, because spending daily time reading the Bible & praying may at times seem unglamorous or mundane. But in actuality, it is the greatest way to be drawn to God! And as we do so we become “an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.” Finally, because our faith is a guarded treasure, there are dangers that lurk to destroy it – some from within and others from the outside. This requires both a turning from and a turning to: “FLEE the evil desires of youth, and PURSUE righteousness, faith, love and peace…” Sexual sin is a huge issue among students (and all people) and one we are called to run from – even though our emotions can often want to take over! Arguing & fighting put our usability in danger as well. The better response keeps our eyes on eternal things: “Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.” SO WHAT?! *So, on the scale of laziness – disciplined, where do you land? How about spiritually? Are you keeping up with our daily readings? Takes discipline doesn’t it? (Just ask this guy who gave his word he would write daily devotions to go along with these daily readings! – hehe…) Ask God for help and then find a buddy to hold you accountable! *How are you “correctly handling your Bible?” Can you explain the Gospel to another? If friends have life questions, can you go to your Bible and help them find wisdom & answers. There are no shortcuts here. It takes TIME with God in prayer and His Word. Lord, help us to be devoted to these! *Which is easier for you: fleeing or pursuing? Why? If you do one without the other, can you fulfill verse 21? What “impure” things do you need to ask God to help you rid yourself of today?

260 in 2012 DEVOS - Day 197 - Introduction & 2 Timothy 1: Unashamed

Introduction to 2 Timothy: I love this letter! 2 Timothy is in my Top 5 Fave’s when it comes to books in the Bible! It wreaks with relationship, with discipleship and includes the final words of faithful servant Paul to one whom he is passing the baton of faith - Timothy! Paul’s second letter to Timothy is much more personal as it was written near the end of his life. He knew his death was near (4:6-7) and because the Gospel was more important to Paul than even his life, he wanted to be sure Timothy would continue the message. He personally directs Timothy to maintain his spiritual passion (1:1-7) and to be a faithful partner of his suffering for the gospel (1:8-2:13). Paul warns again against false teachers (2:14-19) and urges Timothy to be a noble servant of Christ (2:20-26). Chapter 3:1-9 describes the conditions in the last days (we are in them). Then he gives Timothy his final charge (3:10-4:5). Paul was in prison and soon after this letter was written, he was beheaded for his faith. Paul knew Timothy would carry a heavy ministry responsibility in his absence and so he gives him these final words. 2 Timothy 1: Unashamed If there is one word I would use to describe the apostle Paul it would be “unashamed.” From the moment he came to know Jesus (Acts 9) to his final recorded words, Paul clearly, boldly and proudly spoke of Jesus Christ his Savior. Timothy had the blessing to be around such a person as he traveled & ministered with Paul. There no other person whom Paul was closer to and whom he would rather hand off his ministry to. So he reminds Timothy of two things: His “sincere faith” and “to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you…” Faith and serving God are a calling that requires “a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline” – and Timothy, you have what it takes! What encouraging words for Timothy to hear from his mentor! He then tells Timothy not to be ashamed of the Gospel (8-12). Why repeat the Gospel to Timothy? Because it should never get old to any of us! We need always to remember, remember, remember what Jesus did for us! Then, as mentor, Paul writes, “What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.” Stick to the truth you’ve learned form the scriptures Timmy, remember Jesus, be loving and let the Holy Spirit use you! Finally, Paul reminds him there will be ups & downs in ministry: “everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me” and “show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me…….was not ashamed of my chains…………in many ways he helped me” SO WHAT?! *Do you have a sense of mission? Every great man or woman of God has had this. Not selfish ambition for success, but to do your part in contributing to God’s purposes. Is Jesus, is the Gospel, more important to us than even our lives? Lord, make Acts 20:24 true, not only in my life as student pastor, but in the lives of all who read this! *How are you involved in passing the baton of faith? 2 Timothy contrasts Paul’s strengths with Timothy’s struggles. This is a mature believer training a younger believer. Who is your Paul? Who is your Timothy? Each of us needs to be involved in passing the baton o faith to others. Are you? If not, ask your pastor or mentor their advice on how you can be! *Ever been hurt in ministry? You stepped out to serve Jesus and got criticized or ridiculed or just plain ditched. Then you can relate to Paul……….oh, and to Jesus! Imagine where we’d be if the first time Jesus got criticized, He said I’m not doing this!~ Later in Chapter 3 Paul will write, “everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted…” Don’t let circumstances rob you of the joy in serving Jesus!

260 in 2012 DEVOS - Day 196 - 1 Timothy 6: Properness with Bosses, Money & Trust

Yep – Paul continues with properness. Why? Because Timothy is young and needs to be reminded – and so do we! He begins with “masters” – present day = bosses. We are to consider them “…worthy of full respect…” This term translates into diligent and faithful work to one’s employer. In other words, we are to work hard for our bosses, not playing around or being lazy when they’re not around. Doing that would be considered theft since it would mean stealing the labor that they’re paying us for. Next he addresses money. Apparently some were thinking that “…godliness was a means to financial gain.” The key here is contentment – just being satisfied with what you have. Sad, but not really our culture huh?! “People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” Money isn’t evil, for it has been invested in many great things of God, but the LOVE of it is! And true riches don’t involve money but being “…rich in good deeds…..generous and willing to share…” Finally, Paul tells Timothy to guard the truth! The Word of God that you & I possess is invaluable and we are to guard it as we would our most precious possession! SO WHAT?! *So, how do you treat your boss? Maybe you don’t have one yet, but most of us at one point will and our attitude towards them is important. Colossians 3:23 says that “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men…” So…..how ya’ doin’? *How do you handle money? We often think, “how much of my money should I give to the LORD” when the real question should be, “How much of God’s money does He want me to keep and where does He want me to put the rest?” *Finally, how are you guarding the truth God has given you in His word? Do you read it? Study it? Memorize it? Defend it? Share it?