SERVING GOD
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June 27 NOT ASHAMED TO WORSHIPSo David and the elders of Israel and the commanders of thousands went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD from the house of Obed-edom with rejoicing.... And as the ark of the covenant of the LORD came to the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David dancing and rejoicing, and she despised him in her heart. 1 Chronicles 15:25,29 God’s servant David celebrates with all his might, not caring what anyone else thinks of him, as the ark is triumphantly brought into Jerusalem. His wife cares, and she “despised him in her heart.” I think it’s not because he embarrassed himself—which he didn’t—but because he embarrassed her, for a couple of reasons. One was that the noble king was her husband, and everything he did reflected on her. His indignity really galled her, and she felt it made her look bad. Another reason, much more important, is that Michal didn’t love God. I don’t personally think she ever did. She didn’t even understand what worship was about, and episodes like this only highlighted the enormous difference, spiritually, between her husband and herself. I think it’s why it bothered her so very much, and why it still bothers people who aren’t in love with God, to see what they consider excesses in worship, when deep down they realize that they themselves have no true love at all for God. Consequently, the love others show only makes them look and feel bad. Michal’s heart seems to be like her Dad’s. Both seemed to be pretty well self-centered, and never fully committed to what God wanted. A “servant” like Saul—or his daughter, Michal, is never going to be much of a blessing to the Master. Sad. A servant who is so in love with the Master that he doesn’t care what anyone else thinks, who is in constant, adoring communication with Him, cannot help but be a blessing to the Master. A servant is not embarrassed by acts of service or worship, because it’s not about the servant; it’s about the Master. (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) June 28 SCHOOL BUS RELIGIONAnd he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside, and began to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” And he called to him the crowd with his disciples and said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? For what can a man give in return for his life? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” Mark 8:31-38 It is ironic that in a world crammed full of hideous sin, we should find ourselves bashful about being aligned with Jesus Christ, and we would shy away from identifying with His words. After all the Lord has done for us, not only dying that we might live, but also enduring the humiliation and shame surrounding that death, to think we would be ashamed of Him! But I have been, on numerous occasions. I vividly recall tucking the book of Acts inside Newsweek magazine for the bus ride to high school. I knew I needed to study for Bible quizzing, but I didn’t care to take the heat that reading the Bible on the school bus would be sure to generate. I slyly thought I was getting the best of both worlds, as I studied the Bible in an open magazine, undisturbed. I wanted to be a Christian, but was ashamed to be labeled one. Why? It wasn’t like I had any “cool” to protect! Looking back, if I was going to be a geek, anyway, I wish I would have gone ahead and been a geek for Jesus! I could have had a ministry on the school bus. Instead, all I had was a headache. If we’re ashamed of Jesus in a sinful world, He would be ashamed of us in a spotless heaven. If the world is so great, we ought to go ahead and just forget Jesus. But it’s the other way around. Jesus is great. We ought to just forget the world. (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) June 29 SECRET SAINTSAnd he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:23-27 “And he said to all” (not just the Twelve). The standard is set. If I’m not willing to lose my life for Christ, I’m not a follower of Christ. This requirement is not just for those “called into full-time Christian service,” but for every follower of Christ Jesus. In that respect, we’re all “called into full-time Christian service.” Nor is there a “middle ground,” where we can choose to be neutral, neither fully supporting nor opposing Jesus. His own words, from Luke 11:23 close the door on that one: “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” Then there is the “secret disciple” route which has been chosen by many—myself included, far too many times—which reasons that being an undercover disciple is better than being no disciple at all. That plan bears very unpleasant rewards: “And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God.” (Lk 12:8-9) “Secret saints,” seeking to keep the favor of the world while simultaneously trying to be an incognito Christian, instead of garnering the best of both worlds, find themselves faced with the worst—a Savior who grants them their wish of not being identified with Him, and the disdain of a world that never cared about them in the first place. Far better to “lose” our lives—including reputation, friends and whatever—and gain Christ, than to try to hang onto it all, and end up eternally empty-handed. (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) June 30 THE WONDERFUL PLACE OF DISGRACEWe have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat. For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. Hebrews 13:10-14 This passage is referring to the sacrifice Christ made, “outside the gate,” and how he suffered there. We are to go to Him, bearing the reproach He bore.... because Jesus is our Sacrifice, not the food offered on the temple altars, where only the priests can go. Just as the common person doesn’t have the right to eat that sacrifice (only the priests), we have a sacrifice in Christ which is only for those willing to go outside the camp. Being a servant is not something which commands respect from the rest of the world. Jesus was despised by many; His followers will be, too. He was willing to endure disgrace, in order to purchase our redemption. His followers need to be ready to suffer disgrace, as well. Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. (Hebrews 13:13) Why? For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. (Hebrews 13:14) We’re like workers, stationed in a foreign land. We’re in their culture, but we’re not like them. We’re there on a temporary assignment, and then we’re going home. We Christians are here on this earth on temporary assignment, and then we’re going home! So what if, for now, not all the privileges of earth are not accessible to us? We have access to a table from which others have no right to eat. It’s O.K. that the table is outside the camp, in the place associated with disgrace. That’s where our Savior is. Wherever He is, it’s home. (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) July 1 BULLET-PROOF DISCIPLES“...no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall confute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD and their vindication from me, declares the LORD.” Isaiah 54:17 This verse ends a chapter on God’s protection; the next verse begins a chapter on God’s compassion and provision. The bases are covered for God’s servants. The Lord wants His children to know that we are under His protection. This does not eliminate the fact that we will from time to time endure suffering of one form or another, but it is a reminder that a loving Father watches over our every move, and is never caught off-guard by the enemy. Notice the nuances in this verse. It doesn’t promise us a conflict-free existence where weapons are never formed against us; He says “no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed.” We aren’t promised freedom from attack, but servants of the Lord are propped up by the promises of a God who says our enemy won’t win over us as long as we’re serving and trusting in Him. Hey, that’s pretty good! We even get the promise that we will be victorious against the verbal attacks waged by judgmental tongues lashing out at us: “and you shall confute every tongue that rises against you in judgment.” I don’t think that means we win all arguments, especially ones we started; I think it means God makes sure we are vindicated when we are reproached for His name’s sake while we are trying to honor Him with our lives. Why does the Lord make His servants bullet-proof? “This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD and their vindication from me, declares the LORD.” With service to God comes God’s promised protection. It’s part of the heritage He offers. He promises vindication as well, so we don’t have to worry about retaliating against those who try out their weapons on us, or use their tongue as one. He is a really big God, and He has promised all the protection His servants need. He hasn’t told us we’ll never encounter hostility aimed in our direction, but He has given us the assurance that if we will stand with God, He will make sure that when the onslaught is over, we’re still standing. No weapon, no word. Nothing prevails against God’s servant. (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) July 2 FEARLESS SUFFERINGFor God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me. 2 Timothy 1:7-12 When our lives are plagued by fear, we can rest assured it didn’t come from God! The spirit God gives is one of power and love and self-control, not one of fear. There is a peace which is our birthright, even in the midst of our worst trials and scariest circumstances. Another part of our birthright is suffering, despite what some modern-day health-and-wealth-gospel proponents fervently promise. On more than one occasion, we are given the heads-up that when suffering arrives, it should not come as a big surprise to us. Paul knew suffering was just part of the bargain of being a disciple of Jesus. He also was very aware that what he had been given was a trust from the Lord. A faithful servant is willing to suffer. He also learns to see everything as a trust from God, including trials and suffering. Because he understands this process and the nature of the Spirit within him, the servant does not give way to fear, but instead allows the Spirit to build in his life a power, love and self-control which points like a compass back to God. It’s like a trademark. The Spirit of God is not one of fear. The powerful, loving life of self-discipline is the life which bears the mark of the Spirit’s control. That’s the life every believer gets to have, if we simply live surrendered to His Spirit. (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) July 3 THE KEY TO GOD’S FAITHFULNESSRemember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself. Remind them of these things, and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:8-15 Mis-handling God’s truth is a serious thing. Evidently, so is “quarreling about words.” It seems to ruin both participants and spectators. I’ve been in some theology classes where that seemed to be the theme—and outcome. On the other hand, there are “trustworthy sayings” we are to hold on to, and pass along to other believers, for their benefit. This four-line proverb packed with promises is apparently one of them. There’s a lot of theology crowded into four simple couplets which would fit on a coffee cup. The first two couplets are beautiful, solid promises: “If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him”; the third couplet is a warning: “If we deny him, he also will deny us”; and then there’s the fourth one, the one I love the most: “If we are faithless, he remains faithful—" Wait. Shouldn’t that be like the others? Shouldn’t it say, “If we are faithless, he will break faith with us, too”? No! Because this is our glorious Heavenly Father, who is faithful, always, regardless of what we do! We’re not the key to His faithfulness. No one is. Our God is always faithful, and there’s no “key” to it. Pass it on! (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) July 4 BLOOD-STAINED HANDPRINTSAnd now, behold, I know that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again. Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all of you, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish everyone with tears. And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. And there was much weeping on the part of all; they embraced Paul and kissed him, being sorrowful most of all because of the word he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they accompanied him to the ship. Acts 20:17-38 It’s been twenty centuries, but the pathos of that moment still lingers. The dedication, the determination shown by those early believers! Those were our spiritual parents—people who were willing to lay down everything, in order to follow Christ. The Ephesian elders were informed they would never see Paul’s face again—now it was up to them. Would they watch over the flock, follow the example, work hard, finish the course? The torch had been passed. And what of us? Are we willing to accept what has been passed down to us? Our spiritual ancestors are gone. Now, it’s up to us. Will we mirror their determination, and go forward with Christ? As we look at the blood-stained handprints on that torch, we know there’s really no choice. We must go on. (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) July 5 SIGNS AND SINS“And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God.” Luke 12:8-9 This is not just a minor point in serving God. If we are not willing to be fully identified with Christ, we cannot be true disciples of His. If we are not willing to suffer or to pick up our cross in order to follow Him, we cannot be His servants. He’s not looking for “sympathizers;” He’s looking for disciples. In these days of rampant, belligerent and public sin, it’s very important that we not be ashamed to align ourselves with Jesus Christ, or His Word, and it is very important that we are willing to take the heat that comes with that alignment. The days for being an incognito disciple in America are about over. A servant is not ashamed of his Master. He’s not ashamed of his Master’s words; he’s not ashamed to suffer for the sake of the Master, or even to die for Him; he’s not ashamed to be identified with the Master; he’s not embarrassed or ashamed to worship the Master with utter abandon. Does this mean we’re to be obnoxious in our faith? I’m thinking of people who have gained media attention by tormenting those with unpopular sins, carrying their signs about hell’s judgment and seeming to exult in the prospect, as long as it’s somebody else and not them. The way I read it, Jesus said that without Him, we’re all lost, not just the ones whose sins look the worst on a cardboard sign. I could fill a sign or two with my own sins, but they’re under the blood. And that’s the point, for me. My Savior is Jesus—no one else! My self-righteousness isn’t going to get me very far! My only hope of avoiding the penalty of my sins is the forgiveness offered me by the Son of God, who paid the price in full, for me. But if I think I’m going to just live my life however I please, refuse to be identified with the Christ who died for me, then be welcomed into heaven by a Savior whom I treated as an embarrassment to my dying breath, I’m as mistaken as I can be! Salvation is serious business. We can’t have it both ways: We belong to Jesus, or we do not. I want the world to know I belong to Jesus, and they can, too. Everyone who wants to can avoid hell, no matter what our sign used to say. (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) July 6 A PLAGUE FOR JESUS"For we have found this man a plague, one who stirs up riots among all the Jews throughout the world and is a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. He even tried to profane the temple, but we seized him." Acts 24:5-6 Serving God doesn't mean that everyone likes you! When you have done everything Paul did, and endured the kind of hardships and persecutions he endured, what must it feel like to have your service presented before the governor like this?! Paul’s enemies told numerous lies against him, but to little effect. The governor, Felix, had enough sense to realize who was telling the truth and who was not, even though the Jewish leaders did their best to butter him up. In fact, Paul’s message so penetrated Felix’s heart that he summoned Paul often to converse with him, though he never made the step of becoming a believer, himself. Back to the name-calling. “For we have found this man a plague,...” What does it feel like to have repeatedly risked your life for no other reason than to try to save strangers from eternal ruin, only to be publicly labeled a “plague”? “Plague”—a disease, something to get rid of, something inhuman, worse than no value. Am I willing to so associate myself with Christ that I would let people lie about me before governors and kings, for His sake, then calmly make my defense, all the while honoring the name of Jesus? Am I willing to be a “plague” for Jesus? And which one is it, anyway—“plague” or “missionary”? It all depends on whose side we’re on. To one, it’s the sweet smell of eternal life; to others, it’s an obnoxious plague which won’t go away to leave them in their sin. May my life be so marked by His Spirit that wherever I am, the Gospel spreads like a plague! (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) July 7 DUMPED BY THE WORLD“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the words that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father also. If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’ But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.” John 15:18-27 The mark of Jesus upon our lives separates us from a world which chose to hate and persecute Him. When we join up with Jesus, we are no longer part of the “world,” and the popularity we may formerly have enjoyed as one of its residents will often be jerked away. What’s the difference? It’s the scandal of the cross. An unresponsive world rejected the Savior who came to earth to save them. Ignorance turned to rebellion, as the sacrifice was delivered up before their very eyes. Ever since, it only takes the slightest reminder—the symbol of the cross, a fish sign, a head bowed in prayer—and the rebellion is reactivated. We remind people of Jesus! If that reminder exposes sin rather than salvation, we catch the consequences of a wrath directed toward God, but which lands on whomever bears His name. It’s all part of being a witness. And it’s all part of having to choose a side. When we pick Jesus, we may as well get used to the idea that the world won’t love us like it used to. So what? (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) July 8 FREE FROM FEAR"And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death." Revelation 12:11 The weapons which are effective against Satan are clear: The blood of the Lamb, the word of our testimony, a willingness to die serving the One who died for us. The blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God, is most important of all—without His shed blood there is no salvation, and the accuser of the brethren prevails against us. When our sins are covered by the blood of our Savior, the accusations of the enemy must fall silent; the devil has no choice. It is the blood of Jesus which saves us, and we are His. The word of our testimony completes the circle of power represented by His blood. Salvation is available to all who will receive it, but those who ignore or reject it are yet liable to the accusations of the enemy. When we receive the gift of salvation, and we testify to what Christ has done for us and in us, the circle is completed, and Satan is shut out. Any claim he may have had to us is canceled. We move from death to life. Then there’s the last piece: “for they loved not their lives even unto death.” Satan’s tactics have always centered on lies and intimidation. When we proclaim the truth of Jesus’ lordship and we trust in His promises, the power of the lies is broken. But there is still intimidation. Satan can threaten to harm us or kill us, if we don’t succumb to his plans. This is where the last hold is severed. If we have determined in our soul that we are willing to give anything in order to follow Jesus, including our very life, we are set free from the intimidation Satan attempts to use on us linked to our instincts of self-preservation. He’s out of bullets! If he can no longer lie us into submission, because we believe only God’s truth, and it no longer works to scare us with threats of death or injury, because we’re no longer afraid of death, what does he have left?! There’s no more foothold on our life. We overcome him by the blood of the Lamb, by our testimony about that Savior, by the fact that we’re no longer afraid to die, since it only puts us even closer into His presence. When we love Jesus more than we love life, the enemy loses his grip, and we get to live free from fear. (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) July 9 THE ANOINTING IS WORTH ITSaul was afraid of David because the LORD was with him but had departed from Saul. So Saul removed him from his presence and made him a commander of a thousand. And he went out and came in before the people. And David had success in all his undertakings, for the LORD was with him. And when Saul saw that he had great success, he stood in fearful awe of him. But all Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in before them. 1 Samuel 18:12-16 Just because you’re God’s servant doesn’t mean that everyone will like you! On the contrary, sometimes that’s precisely the reason they don’t! In this situation, the praise of the people only made the king increase in his jealousy of David, the champion who had saved the day for the Israelites. It didn’t help that everyone seemed to recognize God’s Spirit on David’s life, and though they probably didn’t mention it, publicly, His absence in Saul’s. At one time, the anointing had obviously been upon Saul’s life. He had repeatedly been given opportunities to trust God and gain favor through obedience. He had repeatedly failed those tests. Now the anointing was gone, and he knew it. The presence of this youth who defeated giants and handily succeeded in every task, with God’s help, was such a threat to the errant king that he chose to devote the rest of his life to eliminating him. The focus in Saul’s life, from here on, is going to be getting rid of David, rather than challenging Israel’s enemies, the Philistines. Yet another waste, in a life characterized by waste. Why did Saul hate David? Saul saw that God’s Spirit was upon David, and had left Saul, and Saul was threatened by what he saw in David. Hence, he was David’s enemy for the rest of his life. Had David not been under the anointing of God, Saul wouldn’t have even known who he was, much less hated him. But the anointing is worth it! Having God’s favor is worth everything—even if it seems that the whole rest of the world is mad at you! (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) July 10 THE GIFT OF A REBUKEAnd the LORD sent Nathan to David. 2 Samuel 12:1 On the tails of David’s scandalous actions regarding Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite, including Uriah’s planned demise at David’s orders, God sends a prophet to the king of Israel. This was not a mission without peril! In fact, had Nathan gone on his own, without God’s direction, he would have never returned, and he knew it. Bringing bad news or correction to the sovereign of a nation is never going to be a welcome task, under any circumstances; it didn’t help that in David’s case, in times past, he had been known to kill the messenger, if he deemed it appropriate! David had already killed several men in this cover-up; what was one more? Not all jobs that a servant gets are easy ones. This had to rank as one of the hardest ever! God’s servant, Nathan, seems unafraid. I’m pretty sure that the “lamb” story Nathan tells David was divinely inspired. The result of the story is that David is unknowingly trapped into condemning himself, so Nathan isn’t the one doing it. Nathan tells the story, David reacts by angrily stating, “The man who has done this deserves to die,” (2 Sa 12:5) and all Nathan has to do is close the trap with four words: “You are the man!” (2 Sa 12:7) David had already pronounced judgment on himself, by that time; all Nathan was doing was pointing that out. One of the best things Nathan ever did was to bravely and graciously deliver a difficult message from God, not knowing if he would survive the day. When finished with his mission, he wisely made a quick retreat! He’ll live to be used of God another day. Interesting to me is David’s reaction, when rebuked. Instead of defending himself, or killing the messenger, he immediately owns up to it: “I have sinned against the LORD.” (2 Sa 12:13) Rather than another murder, or yet another attempted cover-up, David responds by writing Psalm 51. The man is overcome with repentance. Forgiveness and grace restore to him a clean heart. His relationship with God is renewed. As difficult as it was for all concerned, one of the best things God ever did for David was to send His messenger to David’s door with the gift of a rebuke. (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) July 11 COWARDS TO VOLUNTEERSIn the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!” Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for. And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.” Isaiah 6:1-8 When Isaiah sees the Lord, and the seraphim touches his lips, he suddenly wants to be a volunteer. Does he understand for what he’s volunteering? The cost? The consequences? Probably not, but Isaiah had already stopped caring about anything else. Close encounters with the Almighty do that to people. When God manifests Himself, there’s always a reason. He never does it just to show off; if we want to see God’s power and handiwork, all we need to do is look around at the constant witness of nature. But those rare and intimate times, when God chooses to display a glimpse of His glory to an individual always seem to precipitate something: A miracle, a promise, a commission. The initial human response is always pretty much the same: Fear, humility, feelings of inadequacy. Then comes the promise, the rebuke or the mission. The second response of the human who encounters God is also nearly always the same: “I can’t do this, but I also can’t ever forget this moment, and I have to obey you. O.K., I’ll go!” God turns cowards to volunteers. (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) July 12 FEARFUL KING, FEARLESS PROPHETIn the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, son of Uzziah, king of Judah, Rezin the king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah the king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to wage war against it, but could not yet mount an attack against it. When the house of David was told, “Syria is in league with Ephraim,” the heart of Ahaz and the heart of his people shook as the trees of the forest shake before the wind. And the LORD said to Isaiah, “Go out to meet Ahaz, you and Shear-jashub your son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Washer’s Field. And say to him, ‘Be careful, be quiet, do not fear, and do not let your heart be faint because of these two smoldering stumps of firebrands, at the fierce anger of Rezin and Syria and the son of Remaliah... Isaiah 7:1-4 It doesn’t take long before the servant who volunteered, “Here am I! Send me!” is indeed sent. And to whom? To one of the most immoral, idolatrous kings ever to rule over Judah, a man who had led his nation into apostasy and now was bearing the consequences, in facing an allied army of invaders. The fear must have been palpable in Jerusalem, in those days, particularly in the heart of Ahaz, Judah’s godless king. His father and grandfather had been good and righteous leaders, but Ahaz had purposefully strayed from his religious moorings, and plunged his country into new depths of depravity. What will God’s message be to the quivering king? In contrast to the judgment Ahaz deserves and probably expects to hear, the message Isaiah relates from God is one of grace and comfort—“calm down, do not fear, what they threaten is not going to happen.” Tucked into the conclusion of this word of hope is a timeless truth God wants Ahaz to hear and heed: “If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all.” (Isa 7:9) Unfortunately, the king ignores the gentle reminder that the faith of his fathers is his only hope for stability in life, and Ahaz continues to flail about in unrighteousness for the rest of his days, but at least he was told. In the time of his greatest fear, God sent him a fearless prophet. It’s too bad Ahaz didn’t make the connection between faith and courage. (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) July 13 REVOLUTIONARY FEARFor the LORD spoke thus to me with his strong hand upon me, and warned me not to walk in the way of this people, saying: “Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. But the LORD of hosts, him you shall regard as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread....” Isaiah 8:11-13 At a time when few are hearing from God, Isaiah is. And one of the things Isaiah is hearing from the Lord is the warning not to follow the crowd, not to adopt the assumptions or habits of those around him, and not to fear what they fear, but instead to fear Him. God’s servant is listening to God, not the crowd. God’s servant is going God’s way, not the crowd’s way. God’s servant isn’t even afraid of the same things; he’s only afraid of God, or of displeasing Him. If we’re going to be God’s servant, it means that much of the time, we’ll not be on the same page as everyone else! We may as well get used to it. “But the LORD of hosts, him you shall regard as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.” I’m thinking of the level of holy fear I’ve observed among American Christians, lately. It’s pitifully low. Fear of offending the Lord of the Universe seems to scarcely cross most people’s minds. More apparent is the fear I’ve seen (and experienced) when it comes to the possibility of ticking off a cranky church member than the fear of sinning against the Creator Himself. I think of the times when I have feared man’s anger more than God’s, and I wince. The attitude I’ve seen —and occasionally practiced—which says, “God will forgive me, but so-and-so never will,” has been used as an excuse for a lot of spiritual compromise and some outright sin. The casualness with which God is approached—when He is approached—is an indicator of the disturbing lack of respect many have for His power or wrath. God’s forgiveness is taken for granted far too much of the time, as if the free gift of salvation was also free to God. It wasn’t. The message Isaiah was getting is one I still need, today: “Don’t be afraid of anything, except offending God.” That’s the healthy fear which frees and revolutionizes my life. What could it do for our country? (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) July 14 ANXIETY-FREE WITNESSING“And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.” Luke 12:11-12 I’m noticing that He said, “when they bring you..., not “if.” Hmm. Although it’s obvious that, at least in America, not everyone claiming the name of Christ has been dragged before the rulers to account for our faith, things could change in a hurry. If (or should it be “when”?) they change, will we be ready? Jesus gives the calm assurance that we don’t even need to be anxious about the whole episode—all we have to do is read off the teleprompter the Holy Spirit will provide for our turn in the hot seat. Something like that. No need to be anxious? Really? Most people can’t even get through an episode of friendly fire, such as high school speech class—no, that was a bad example—or let’s say, a preacher speaking to his own congregation (Hmm, another bad example; forget the examples) without sick-bag-level nerves. And we’re supposed to be able to face off with nasty bureaucrats and not lose any sleep over it?! I guess so! How’s it going to happen? This is how it happened to those who heard Jesus say it, in person. When the time came for them to face public persecution, as so many of them did, what the public witnessed was not a trembling, cringing religious coward. What observers saw, again and again, was Jesus. The witness was crystal clear. They were not hearing the words of an uneducated fisherman or tax collector; it was as though Jesus had hopped inside that body and was now speaking once again, with unheard of authority. It wasn’t them, it was Jesus. It’s why the disciples didn’t stay up late, huddled with their attorneys, crafting their defense in preparation for the trial of their life. In fact, when God answered the prayers of the Early Church and delivered Peter from prison, the angel had to smack him just to get him awake! Had it been me, I would have been making notes on a 3x5 card for what I was going to say. There’s a time to prepare. And there’s a time to just turn your tongue over to God, and see what He has to say through you. (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) July 15 BULLDOG LEADERSHIPNow when Sanballat and Tobiah and Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies heard that I had built the wall and that there was no breach left in it (although up to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates), Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come and let us meet together at Hakkephirim in the plain of Ono.” But they intended to do me harm. And I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?” And they sent to me four times in this way, and I answered them in the same manner. Nehemiah 6:1-4 I’m a fan of Nehemiah. He has those leadership qualities I have often envied, one of them being “focus.” Faced on all sides with intense and crafty opposition, Nehemiah refuses to be distracted from his God-given task of rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls. His enemies pull out all the stops, but no amount of threatening or trickery can induce God’s man to give up his mission. He won’t be intimidated, he won’t be swayed, he refuses to compromise. And he succeeds! The wall is completed in 52 days, despite incredible odds. The entire book of Nehemiah is like a workshop on leadership. It abounds in lessons on that subject. One of them is that a good servant (or leader) will not be distracted or intimidated into abandoning his duties. He knows his mission, and won’t be dissuaded. Like a bulldog, once he grabs on, he won’t let go, except at the orders of his master. He won’t bite on the temptations that are designed to get him to release his hold on the goal. His enemies can’t get him to quit by threatening him, or by damaging his reputation through rumors, or by negotiating him to death (he won’t even stop to negotiate!). A good servant will not let go of his assigned mission. We all need a focus from God that gives us the courage to endure distractions, threats and temptations. When we know our goal is God-given and so is our role, like Nehemiah, we can become successfully stubborn in refusing to let go until we complete the task before us. And when, like Nehemiah, we refuse to be intimidated or distracted, we bring inspiration to our friends, fear to our enemies and glory to our God. (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) July 16 WHO ASKED YOU TO JUDGE YOUR BROTHER?Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God, for it is written, ‘As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.’ So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. Romans 14:10-13 “Why do you pass judgment on your brother?” Good question. I’m trying to think of who it was that asked me to do that. I know it wasn’t God. It seems that maybe it was this snake-looking kind of thing that suggested it, I don’t remember. Anyway, passing judgment on my brother has been an interesting hobby, and one that helps me to feel better about my own relationship with the Father. Noticing the faults of others, which does have a way of helping me to despise them (the brothers, not the faults), keeps me from having to focus too much on my own faults. Plus, I have brothers who help to remind me of my faults, so I’m just returning the favor. And it’s not that I usually tell my brother his fault, anyway. I just make note of it, and let him sink a little further into the “despised” column. I’m forgetting something, when I engage in the sport of brother-judging. I’m forgetting that some day I will be standing before the judgment seat of God, and the account I’ll be giving won’t be of what my brother did, but of what I did. If I’ve spent my life judging people it was not my business to judge, and despising them for not following the rules according to me, I’m going to be in a lot of trouble if God starts judging me, using my standard. I’d better knock it off, and confess my own sins, and let God worry about my brother. (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) July 17 NOT MY JOB“As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. Romans 14:1-9 It’s not my job to critique God’s other servants, or to straighten out their theology, or to decide whether or not they’re true servants of God. It’s just not. The irritation it causes God when I choose to do those things must be similar to what parents feel when their kids are continually squabbling and lobbing things at one another, then coming to tattle on the evil behavior of their siblings and to suggest possible punishments, which they would gladly help administer. It’s not my job to pass judgment on a fellow servant! That’s God’s servant, not mine. He’ll deal with it. My job is to be the best servant of God I can be, which includes not picking on the other servants. (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) July 18 WHEN FAITH CAN HURT SOMEBODYDo not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.” Romans 14:20-23 Here’s one of the few times in scripture when we’re asked to “keep our faith to ourselves.” The “faith” to which it refers is the one that says, “I’m a strong enough Christian that I can watch this movie and it doesn’t affect me; if you were a strong Christian, it wouldn’t bother you, either.” Their deal was eating food which had sat under a false god’s nose for a few hours in a pagan temple, and which was now sold at discount in the marketplace. Explaining how there had been no chemical or spiritual change in perfectly good meat in its short tenure as idol food was not a particular blessing to the new Christian who used to serve in that temple. There was just way too much baggage. If his “mature” Christian friend convinces him to go ahead, because “it’s just food,” that nagging feeling in the pit of his stomach is going to turn into something more spiritually damaging. Every bite is going to feel like another step backward, into the painful past. There are connotations and temptations here of which the “free” Christian is completely unaware. It’s Satan’s trap. Why on earth should a Christian push his “faith” on someone, when it results in thrusting a brother back into the danger zone? Our problem is not food offered to idols. Our problem is practically everything else. Entertainments, habits, ethical decisions... Don’t let your baby follow you out into the street. What’s relatively safe for you may be disastrous for him. Serve God by helping your brother on his journey. Don’t allow your “strength” to dare him into danger. (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) July 19 NOT ON THE SAME SYSTEMNow the Jews’ Feast of Booths was at hand. So his brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” For not even his brothers believed in him. Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil. You go up to the feast. I am not going up to this feast, for my time has not yet fully come. After saying this, he remained in Galilee. John 7:2-9 I suppose Jesus’ brothers were just trying to be helpful. It didn’t make sense to them that He would do what He was doing, in a place off the beaten path. “If you’re trying to become a public figure, why waste yourself on Galilee? If you’re going to become well-known, it’ll have to be in Judea. Go there, so you can accomplish what you want.” They didn’t understand. The world never does understand. It’s because those who serve God and those who operate under the world’s standard are getting their direction from two completely different sources. For the one who operates by the methods of the world, pragmatism is the only thing that makes sense. “If it works, it must be right.” For the one who takes his cues from God, the leading that supercedes everything else is what comes from the Father. That even includes the timing. If the Father isn’t leading us this way, we don’t do it, no matter how logical it might seem to those around us. Let the rest of the world keep charging ahead, operating according to their own wisdom; we wait for God’s signals and God’s timing, because that’s who it is we’re serving. For the servant of God, life is not about reaching our worldly goals through worldly ways; life is about serving God. If unbelieving friends and family don’t understand, so be it. We’re not on the same system. (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) July 20 RESPECTFUL FAITHFULNESSBut Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself. And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs, and the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who assigned your food and your drink; for why should he see that you were in worse condition than the youths who are of your own age? So you would endanger my head with the king.” Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, “Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king’s food be observed by you, and deal with your servants according to what you see.” So he listened to them in this matter, and tested them for ten days. At the end of ten days it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king’s food. So the steward took away their food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables. Daniel 1:8-16 As a young captive in Babylon, confronted with compromise in the situation regarding the food offered him, instead of pushing his way through, Daniel asks permission of those in authority over him, and gains their favor, and as a result, is able to serve God faithfully without getting himself martyred. His approach garners respect for his God, and also elevates Daniel in the kingdom of Babylon. Daniel is one of the least obnoxious people in the Bible. At a tender age, he already has found that it’s possible to serve God and show respect and concern for others at the same time. This winsomeness of service would characterize Daniel’s lengthy career. He simply proved himself so invaluable, time and again, that he could maintain favor with nearly any king. Some magnificent inroads were gained by a persistent, faithful use of God-given gifts, combined with a respectful attitude. Daniel’s life is a reminder that just because we’re serving God doesn’t mean we have to be a pain in the neck to everyone else! (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) July 21 SUFFERING AS A CHRISTIANBeloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good. 1 Peter 4:12-19 There’s no glory in suffering because we were meddling. Ditto for stealing, murder and other acts of evil frowned upon by societies everywhere. Suffering is part of the bargain for a Christian, but it should be suffering for being a Christian, not suffering for being a criminal or a jerk! Insults will come to us because we bear the name of Jesus. They will actually bring us blessing! The insults which don’t bear blessing are those which are pretty much deserved due to our wretched behavior. We’re reminded to not be surprised at trials, suffering or persecution—it’s part of being identified with Christ. We are also reminded to not bring upon ourselves needless suffering, caused only by our bad conduct. The bottom line is: Check to be sure we’re not earning insults and persecution through obnoxious actions which only dishonor God, anyway. If we know we’re suffering for the cause of Jesus Christ, and not our own foolishness, we are encouraged to just entrust our souls to God and keep on doing good. (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) July 22 GRACE INSTEAD OF A LAWSUITAs she continued praying before the LORD, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli took her to be a drunken woman. And Eli said to her, “How long will you go on being drunk? Put away your wine from you.” But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the LORD. Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation.” Then Eli answered, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to him.” And she said, “Let your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad. 1 Samuel 1:12-18 The next time Hannah met up with Eli the priest, it was to present him with the son God had granted her in response to her prayer, and his blessing. Had a woman been falsely accused and reprimanded by her spiritual leader for drunkenness in America, these days, we might have expected their next encounter to have been in a courtroom, accompanied by their lawyers! Hannah’s firm but very polite correction and her subservient attitude toward Eli gives her well-meaning priest a chance to reverse course, gracefully, and turns a curse into a blessing: “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to him.” There’s a time for humility: I think it’s most of the time! Hannah could have let this episode be the straw that broke the camel’s back: “Not only am I barren, and ridiculed by my rival, but when I come to you, God, your priest chews me out for being drunken! I’m through with this!” It could have become a very deep-seated bitterness, and it also could have been used of Satan to damage or end Eli’s ministry. Instead, partly due to her gentle spirit, she gets a blessing; Eli gets to keep his job even though he made a pretty bad mistake; and Hannah goes away happy, not bitter! Not bad, for what could have been a disastrous encounter! Not only that, but God’s just getting started blessing Hannah. The barren woman becomes the mother of one of Israel’s greatest leaders—Samuel, plus five more children! She could have sued! She went away happy, instead. God is good. (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) July 23 THE PLACE OF GOD’S MERCYBut David’s heart struck him after he had numbered the people. And David said to the LORD, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done. But now, O LORD, please take away the iniquity of your servant, for I have done very foolishly.” 2 Samuel 24:10 The account of the census taken by David strikes me as strange. In 2 Samuel 24 it says God incited him to do it because He was angry with Israel; in 1 Chronicles 21 it says Satan was the one who incited David to number the people. When even Joab, David’s opportunistic, pragmatic and unholy general, begs him not to do this, it must have been a much greater sin than appears to modern eyes. The horrible punishment it brought upon Israel was proof that, for once, Joab was right about righteousness. So what could possibly be wrong with taking a national census? The main thing I come up with is “pride.” God wanted His people to take pride in Him, not in themselves. “National pride” is not always a good thing, particularly if it minimizes reverence for God. Had “No Census” been a rule God made up on the spot, David’s conscience would have left him alone, but David knew it was wrong, and didn’t express the least bit of surprise when his seer, Gad, came to deliver an ominous message from the Lord. Three punishment alternatives are given to David, who wisely refers the choice back to God. One of David’s strengths is that he is always more willing to depend on God than he is to depend on man. “Let us fall into the hand of the LORD, for his mercy is great; but let me not fall into the hand of man.” (2 Sa 24:14) David did well to lean on God’s mercy. God’s choice is the shortest of the three punishments, and that one is even further shortened when the angel working destruction reaches Jerusalem, and God gives the command, “It is enough; now stay your hand.” And the angel of the LORD was by the threshing floor of Araunuh the Jebusite. (2 Sa 24:16) An altar is built at God’s command on the threshing floor of Araunuh the Jebusite. When it comes time to erect a temple in Jerusalem, where will it be built? The place of God’s mercy. We worship a God of mercy! Even when we have offended Him, we’re better off to throw ourselves upon His mercy rather than man’s wisdom. “Let us fall into the hand of the LORD, for his mercy is great; but let me not fall into the hand of man.” His mercy is great, and regardless of what we’ve done, there is a place for us, there. (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) July 24 STUBBORNNESS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTIONTherefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. Hebrews 12:1-3 The servant of God is not a quitter. The roll call of saints listed in Hebrews 11 doesn’t include any quitters. It includes people like Noah, who heard from God and believed God, but who then had the unbelievable task of constructing an ark 450 feet long just to prove he believed God! I’m just finishing up a yard project for which I bought materials ten years ago; I’m trying to think how long it would take me to do an ark—with power tools! How did he do it? Simple. He never quit. After he heard from God and believed God, there was a very long period of time in which he had to keep on working, in order to prepare for what God had promised. I guess that’s all of us, in some ways. Our Savior, Jesus, on the way to the cross, set His face toward Jerusalem and refused to turn back. He was marching to His death, and knew it, but nothing could stop Him. He was doing it for us. We disciples of Jesus need a pretty good amount of stubbornness, when it comes to following Christ. There are going to be times when the mountaintop experience that got us started on this journey seems like a distant illusion. There will be times when we’re not hearing anything from God, when we’re weary and all of our friends are telling us to quit. We need to stubbornly refuse to give up. We need to keep following Jesus. Stubbornness is a good thing, if it’s what keeps us from quitting on God. (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) July 25 A BAD TIME TO QUIT“I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.” John 16:1-4 If we’re going to get smacked, it helps to know it’s coming, and why. Jesus told His followers about the coming persecutions so they wouldn’t be caught off guard. As His present-day followers, some of us may have experienced very little persecution, but if and when it comes, we really shouldn’t be surprised. More importantly, we shouldn’t quit! It’s only the fulfillment of scripture taking place within our very lives. Why do people do things like this? “Because they have not known the Father, nor me.” It’s really pretty simple. If they don’t know the Father, and don’t accept the Son, they’re going to be able to convince themselves they’re doing the right thing in tormenting Christians for living out their faith. Atrocities will be rationalized by people serving a god created in their own image. We’d better get ready to stand firm. We’ve been warned. We also need to remind ourselves that we’re not alone. Jesus has not deserted His Church; on the contrary, He has sent the Holy Spirit to empower us, comfort us, and convict a world of sin, righteousness and judgment. Our job? To love. God will take care of the matters of judgment. Vengeance is up to Him, too. Our task is to stand firm in His power, in the knowledge that we saw the enemy’s onslaught coming. Our Lord told us, in advance. It may be their hour, now, but ours is coming! Now would be a really bad time to quit. (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) July 26 ENDURING FAITHAlso it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb that was slain. If anyone has an ear, let him hear: If anyone is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain. Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints. Revelation 13:7-10 For those trying to follow Christ in the midst of the scenario when the beast is in power, it looks like the emphasis is going to need to be on endurance and faith, rather than self-preservation. It appears that when captivity or death has already been decreed for individuals, efforts to alter that fate will prove fruitless. So what is the answer? Endurance and faith, on the part of the saints! How do we develop endurance and faith? By practice. Rather than spending a lot of energy plotting how to spare ourselves and our loved ones from persecution, or whimpering in a corner as we worry over the bad things which might beset us, we are called to increase in our endurance and faith, by utilizing it on a daily basis, even when times are relatively easy. Endurance and faith grow through practice, through use. It shouldn’t take a beast on the throne to get me to exercise my faith; the more I exercise it and depend on my God, the more stamina I develop and the more determined I become to not give in or give up. When the time comes, the saints will need all the endurance and faith which can be summoned! Actually, we need it now. We might as well be working on it. (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) July 27 SAINTS WITH A LONG SHELF-LIFEFor when the horses of Pharaoh with his chariots and his horsemen went into the sea, the LORD brought back the waters of the sea upon them, but the people of Israel walked on dry ground in the midst of the sea. Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women went out after her with tambourines and dancing. And Miriam sang to them: “Sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.” Exodus 15:19-21 I’m glad they stopped to praise God on the other side of the Red Sea. (Too bad they didn’t continue praising Him, instead of getting into the nasty habit of whining)! But at least for a short period of time, the Israelites were filled with wonder and gratitude. They were singing songs of praise to the LORD, exalting the One who had safely led them through the middle of the sea and vanquished their enemies before their eyes. Leading the contingent of praising women is Miriam, who grabbed a tambourine and began to sing the refrain of God’s glorious victory. Somehow, the idea of a lithe teen-ager, dancing and singing to God, comes to mind. Then I do the math. This is Miriam, sister of Moses and Aaron, right? No other sisters are mentioned in the Bible as far as I know, so assuming Miriam is their only sister, this would be the one who watched over baby Moses as he floated in a basket on the Nile River, awaiting his fate. This was the one with the wherewithal to arrange with Pharaoh’s daughter to pay the mother to raise the son she was supposed to have killed! Smart girl. The baby had grown up. Life in the palace had taken a sudden turn when good intentions backfired, and Moses became a fugitive. God’s burning bush call brought his return to Egypt, in order to help free his people. How old was Moses, when they crossed the Red Sea? Eighty. That’s no teen-ager out there praising God with a tambourine in her hand, singing God’s praises at the head of the dancers. She has to be close to ninety. Maybe praise is a kind of fountain of youth. It’s certainly a fountain of blessing. (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) July 28 PREDICTABLE FAILURE“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” Peter said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.” Jesus said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me.” Luke 22:31-34 It’s one thing to fail miserably; it’s another thing to have someone warn us of the precise temptation, and still we fail miserably! Simon Peter’s situation gives us a slight glimpse into the spiritual battles raging around us. On the same night Jesus will be arrested, Peter glibly promises to share a prison cell with his Master if need be, or even to die with Him. Meanwhile, Peter is oblivious to the campaign of total destruction Satan has plotted against him, or the fact that only Jesus’ intercessory prayers prevent the devil from grinding the apostle into dust, permanently. Peter will rise again as a disciple, but it won’t be on his own strength; it will be on the grace, mercy and forgiveness of his Lord, gently granted him on the beach in Galilee, post-resurrection. Peter was a strong man, and like most strong men, tended to rely on his own strength. His own strength was sufficient for commercial fishing and making bold promises, but when it came to battling Satan, Peter didn’t have a prayer. The only thing that got him through this ordeal at all was Jesus. The Lord had enough strength and faith for both of them. The lessons Simon learned about whose strength was reliable were lessons he would never forget. When the restored disciple turned to help his fellow fallen, he had switched over to a greater power than he’d ever before known. With it came more humility, more grace, more empathy than anyone had dreamed could come out of the rough fisherman. God really does work everything for the good, in the lives of those who continue to follow Him and love Him. God can even take predictable failure and turn it into powerful ministry! And look what He does with obedience! (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) July 29 IT’S WORTH THE HEATThen I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision.” And I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, “Let us rise up and build.” So they strengthened their hands for the good work. But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they jeered at us and despised us and said, “What is this thing that you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?” Then I replied to them, “The God of heaven will make us prosper, and we his servants will arise and build, but you have no portion or right or claim in Jerusalem.” Nehemiah 2:17-20 It will get much worse before it gets better. From the first day, Nehemiah encounters opposition from some fierce, dastardly enemies. Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem begin an immediate campaign of slander and derision, directed at the new Jewish leader who has come to rebuild Jerusalem’s shattered walls. They try everything they can think of: Threats, tricks, ambushes, starting rumors, negotiation, intimidation. None of it pulls Nehemiah off task. He is determined to accomplish his purpose in Jerusalem. With God’s help and the cooperation of some everyday heroes who simply have a mind to work, the wall is up in fifty-two days. It’s to the glory of God! Had Nehemiah chosen to remain in his comfortable position as cupbearer to the king of Babylon, he would never have known the kind of attacks and challenges he would face in Jerusalem. He also would never have experienced the joys of seeing the miraculous take place, in answer to prayer and determined work. God’s way is very often a way of conflict, of opposition. We draw heat unlike anything we’ve ever known, simply because we’re engaged in Spirit-led activities which tear up Satan’s kingdom. It’s worth it! It’s worth the heat. There’s nothing on this earth quite like the experience of knowing we’ve been used of God to accomplish something to His glory. Sure, it draws fire. It’s worth it. (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) July 30 KEEP SWIMMINGTherefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. Hebrews 10:19-25 Satan’s tactics are many. Some of his most effective lies are the ones which convince us that we are unwanted by God, unqualified to even talk to Him, unworthy to be in His presence. In other words, we are on our own. That’s not an encouraging thought. It’s also not an accurate one. The very blood of our Savior, Jesus Christ, punched a way through to the places where only the holy may enter, and with Jesus as our priest, we are invited to come boldly into the presence of the Almighty. We have been cleansed. We who were not worthy have been made worthy, by the blood of the Lamb. There is not one thing Satan can do about it! So, he bluffs. If he can con us into dropping our confidence, foregoing our faith, he can minimize the sense of freedom which is our birthright in Christ, and thus limit our effectiveness as redeemed followers of Jesus. This trick works by far the best in isolation, where there is no other believer nearby to knock some sense into us in a kind sort of way. That’s why Part Two of Satan’s plan is almost always to drive some kind of wedge between believers and give them plenty of excuses to stay apart. That way they’re sure not to exchange notes and figure out the scam he’s pulling on them. If they develop the habit of encouraging one another and praying for one another, it’s basically all over for him, so he does his best to keep us apart, forgetful of the privileges awarded us at Calvary, ignorant of the blessings which would be ours if we just stayed with the body of believers. And the closer we get to the final bell, the more important it is that we aren’t falling for a pack of lies, or avoiding the God who loves us. (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) July 31 THE INCREDIBLE NON-SHRINKING FAITHBut recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls. Hebrews 10:32-39 Non-shrinking faith is a good thing to have. Apparently, it doesn’t come easily. I’m trying to imagine “joyfully accepting the plundering of (my) property,” maybe going around as thugs ransack my house, handing them things they might have missed, because “I’ve got more stuff than this in heaven—here, take it.” I can’t quite get there in my mind. Maybe I never will. Property has always meant more to me than it probably should, and putting “losing things of importance to me” and “joyfully” in the same sentence is something I don’t think I could do, yet. Maybe never. Endurance, though, I think I understand a little more. “Joyfully” needs some work, for me, but the idea of persevering for the sake of Christ and not quitting, not shrinking back from the challenge—I guess that one feels more natural, because that one has been tested repeatedly, while the other one has not. It’s nice to know we can still get the prize, just because we didn’t quit, even if we never quite made it to “joyfully.” We still made it. And our God is pleased. (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) Serving God is a year-long devotional book written by Dave Ness. The theme is "What does the Bible say about serving God? To receive a copy of Serving God, contact Dave Ness at connect@PrayingForAmerica.org or through the mail at P.O. Box 1747, Longview, WA 98632 (Suggested donation $17). All scripture quotations are from the English Standard Version of the Bible (ESV). |
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