260 in 2012 DEVOS - Day 223 - Intro & 1 Peter 1: Salvation & Grace Living

Introduction: The book was written by the apostle Peter around 64ish AD to both Jewish (vs 1: scattered) & Gentile (vs 14: ignorance) Christians. It was written to offer encouragement to suffering Christians in the midst of a society that was ignorant of the true God. “Christ/Jesus/Lord” is used 46 times – indicating the key to persevering in suffering is to focus on Christ! There is no other disciple whom Jesus was closer to than Peter. During the three years they spent together, Jesus showed & taught Peter a lot of lessons. As stubborn as Peter was, this book reveals that he learned those lessons! Here’s proof: · Submission – Matthew 17:24 - $ in mouth of fish, pay taxes. He got it = 1 Peter 2:13ff · Restraint – John 18 – Peter cut off the guards ear w/ his sword (frankly, I think he was going for his head!). Jesus told him “Live by the sword, die by the sword” – Mathew 26:52. He got it = 1 Peter 2:23 · Humility – “I’ll never leave you Jesus….. all others but not me” He got it = 1 Peter 5:5 · Sacrifice – John 21:19 – “You are gonna’ be a martyr Peter” – He got it = 1 Peter 4:19 · Love – Easy as a leader to get “task oriented” rather than “people oriented!” – John 21 – “Do you LOVE me Peter?” – (maybe this is why he hooked up with John)….. He got it = 1 Peter 4:8 1 Peter 1: Salvation & Grace Living The first two verses show us the Trinity at work in saving us: God the FATHER, by His grace, CHOOSES people. God the SON, by His blood, SAVES those who believe. The HOLY SPIRIT then SANCTIFIES believers. What an amazing demonstration of God’s grace! The purpose of all this: “for obedience to Jesus Christ.” God’s Word was never just meant to be known but to also be obeyed!~ So what are we given once we are saved? A whole boatload of stuff! Specifically mentioned here is: - Inheritance & Security (3-5) - Faith & Joy (6-9) - Grace & Guidance (10-12) What then are the bi-products of being saved? Holiness (13-16), Reverence (17-21) and Love (22-25). In our next chapter we will be told how then to live as a result! COOL GOD STUFF! SO WHAT?! *What are you going through right now that seems overwhelming? 46 times Peter reminds us the focus is JESUS not our circumstances. Why not take a moment right now to give that circumstance to Him and focus on all the great things you have IN Him!?~ *According to this chapter, what % of your salvation are you responsible for? The answer is ZIP, nadda, zero, nothing!~ You & I can never earn our acceptance before God. It’s all based on what Jesus did for us that we could never do. Now that’s worth giving thanks for! *Finally, “prepare your minds for action, be self-controlled, set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance, be holy in all you do…”

260 in 2012 DEVOS - Day 222 - James 5: Warnings, Commands, Prayer

If yesterday’s rebukes weren’t enough, don’t fear, James has some more for us today – LOL!~ Let me begin by asking you – Are you rich? The question can be pretty relative, but I ask it anyway. I’m certainly rich! I live in the richest country in the world. I’m rich. I live in Castle Rock, CO, which is located in one of the most affluent counties in the nation. I’m rich. We have two vehicles, 4 TV’s, 2 computers, 3 cell phones. And most of all, we have JESUS! We’re rich! We may not have as much money as most of those around us, but we’re rich. And so are you! Which brings me to this point: James is addressing US in this chapter – YOU & ME. Five times he says it! YOU have hoarded wealth… YOU failed to pay the workmen… YOU lived on earth in luxury & self-indulgence… YOU have fattened yourselves… YOU have condemned & murdered innocent men… Whenever we earn or receive money and think it’s ours, instead of realizing we are managers of God’s money, it causes selfish problems: hoarding, stingy-ness, spending it all on ourselves and, sadly, “murdering” the poor – people in financial need who are dying for help – help we could give! I realize there will always be more needs than I can ever meet. But one by one I am to seek to meet needs with what the Lord has given! This takes patience – for it means sacrificially giving, and having to do without ourselves. AND we are not to grumble in doing it. It also takes integrity. If we say we will help, we must. God’s name is at stake! We are to let our “Yes” be yes and our “No” be no! Finally, James calls his readers to prayer! It could very well be that the trouble, unhappiness & sickness mentioned in 13-14 came from people being shown unfair favoritism, receiving tongue lashings, having promises broken and the poor being dissed. So we should PRAY! We need the strength of heaven to combat the stuff of this earth! SO WHAT?! *How are you managing the riches God has given you? Let’s not compare ourselves with others! We will never have to answer for what others have, but we will give an account to God of what He gave us. So, who could you & I help out today financially? Know of anyone going thru some financial troubles? Surpise ‘em! Doesn’t matter how much the gift, God will use it! *When was the last time you went to God desperate in prayer? I believe God loves to hear us cry out to Him because it shows we NEED Him – and God loves to be needed and CAN MEET our every need!

260 in 2012 DEVOS - Day 221 - James 4: Rebuke

Chapter 3 ends with “Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.” Then chapter 4 begins with “What causes fights and quarrels among you?” Quite the contrast huh?! It’s hard to read this chapter without feeling rebuked! And we all know how much we love that, yet rebuke is one of the very things God’s word is useful for (2 Timothy 3:16). Maybe the first 12 verses from God should be rephrased like this: “You selfish pig (1-3), choose your side (4-6), humbly repent (7-10) and let me take care of your brother (11-12).” Nah, that’s too convicting! Anyway, I believe the big idea here is submission to God. When we live a life of daily trusting the Lord to meet our needs, it helps remove selfishness, draws us closer in our friendship with God and makes us humbly treat others with the same mercy & grace we have received. James goes on to address the prideful spirit of making plans without God. It’s easy to forget that we’re really not here on this planet very long before we spend eternity elsewhere! That’s why James tells us “Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." So – will you do it? “Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.” Ouch. SO WHAT?! *Selfishness, pride and fear often get in the way of what God wants to do TO us and THRU us. What about you? Is there a relationship that has caused quarrels and now it’s strained? Why not ask God to give you the strength today to make it right?! “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” *Making plans is not bad. Actually I believe if you aim at nothing you’ll hit it every time. But when we make plans and leave God out of the picture, that’s when it’s bad. What plans do you have? Hopes? Desires? Dreams? Why not pray to the Lord and give them over to Him?! They may turn out even better than we could have ever hoped for!!! *Finally, I believe that most of the time we think of sin as things we DO. But the last verse of this chapter tells us that sin is also the things we know we should do but don’t! Has the Holy Spirit prompted you to do something recently that you ignored? Like maybe telling that friend about Jesus? If so, let’s ask God’s forgiveness and then ask Him to help us to DO what we know we should!

260 in 2012 DEVOS - Day 219 - James 2: Favoritism & Genuine Faith

James is in our face with two topics in chapter 2: Favoring some people over others and how works demonstrate true faith. 1-13: I don’t know about you, but if the events of theses few verses actually occurred in our church, I’d be furious! Maybe it’s because I have been that shabby clothed, poor outcast. Maybe it’s because I work with students and they always seem to get blamed for whatever is broken or stolen. Maybe it’s because deep down, I know that I too show favoritism at times…….ouch! If we’re honest, all of us are prone to partiality. Maybe it doesn’t look like these verses, but we do it. Maybe for us it’s the tendency to go talk with the good looking or funny or athletic person, instead of the plain or overweight or depressed person that requires a lot of maintenance. Maybe it’s not confronting someone in sin because they are your boss or in the church because they give a lot. Maybe it’s planting a church in an affluent neighborhood because you know they can financially help instead of planting a church in a poor area of town because it can drain resources – yet both need Jesus. Whatever the scenario, James (actually GOD) says it’s wrong! Why? Because it causes us to make unfair, inappropriate judgments on people; “have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?” Instead, we are to “Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!” Yikes! 14-26: These next few verses have often been used to say that the Bible contradicts itself. Paul says Christians are saved by grace thru faith, not works, and here it seems like James says it’s works. WRONG!~ Paul and James do not disagree. Paul is speaking of salvation, what it takes to be made right with God – by grace thru faith alone. Here, James is dealing with sanctification, how a person lives out their faith. To explain this he uses Abraham and reminds us, “You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.” Deeds are not what makes a person right with God but are a natural by-product of a person who HAS a relationship with Jesus! It can’t be just intellectual: “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.” SO WHAT?! *Who do you tend to favor? Come on, who is it? Will you ask God TODAY to help you quit doing that?! Ask Him also to remind us that we are no better than anyone else. And hey, I’ll do the same! *What makes a person right with God? GREAT question! What makes you or I right with God? It’s easy to get saved by grace and then try to keep up the relationship by works. Don’t do it. ALWAYS remember that our acceptance before God is never based on our performance! But that what we DO is just a “Thank You” back to God for all He’s done for us! Lord help our lives to be thank you letters back to You – today and every day!

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!