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 Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2007 1:44 pm
Stand in Awe
By: Criston Fehr
Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. Psalm 46:10
Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but my ears you have pierced [or opened] [or ‘but a body you have prepared for me’]; burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require. Psalm 40:6
For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgement of God rather than burnt offerings. Hosea 6:6
What do you think, from these verses, is more important to God? Our sacrifices to Him and our work for Him, or that we just above all, stand in awe of Him? God does not desire sacrifices if we aren’t truly acknowledging/praising and being thankful for the One to whom we are sacrificing! Have you ever done that (given something of yourself for God, without really having a reason for doing it)? Sure, the Bible gives us plenty of reasons why we should be thankful to God and praise Him, but do you actually have a personal reason for why you are thankful to God? Or are you just in general ‘praising God’ without really thinking about why you need to praise Him?
Sometimes we need to slow down in our lives and take some time to just be with God, alone. We need to stand in awe of God, and we need to each have a personal reason for why we are thankful to Him. God doesn’t want our sacrifices if He really doesn’t mean that much to us in the end. In our lives, we should overall choose to live in awe of God and be motivated to love Him deeply above everything else. Above all else, God wants our hearts, and all of our hearts at that! So open your eyes to the world around you. Wake up and smell the coffee. What has God done in your life that is worthy of praise? Believe me, if you think and pray about it enough, you will definitely in time be able to give many reasons for why you are thankful to God.
Now, I’m not saying that sacrificing different things for God and serving Him is wrong in any way, but when it comes down to it, we should only do those things if we are doing them out of our awe and praise for God. God smiles at sacrifices that come out of truly thankful hearts, but it really does not please Him when we do things for Him only out of a heart that feels like it must do things for Him to be accepted into His embrace. That is not a good reason to serve God. So, in the next week, ask yourself this: Why do you serve God? What are truly thankful for that God has done/given you in your life? Could you honestly say that you serve God out of a heart of love for and awe of Him?
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Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2007 6:02 pm
Sunday November 25th
The Door Was Shut!
While they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Matthew 25:10
Shut the door! Don’t let the heat out. Don’t let the dog in. A door keeps some things in or out, and allows other things to enter or exit. An immovable door is of little value; it might as well be an open window or a solid wall. But a door that separates good from evil is invaluable.
God shut the door of Noah’s ark. The door shut in the redeemed to live and shut out the condemned to die. God rescued and destroyed in one swift act. He holds the keys to heaven and hell.
Christ gives the keys of heaven to His Bride, the Church, so that we might proclaim His work of reconciliation and open the door to heaven. Through Word and Sacrament, the Bridegroom opens the doors of our hearts that He might bring us into His mercy and then keep us in His grace.
On the Last Day, the Bridegroom shall close the door, just as God shut the door of the ark. Once again, the condemned will be shut out to everlasting separation from God, in hell. But Christ will shut in His redeemed. Having opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers, Christ will bring us into everlasting bliss and keep us safe in His ark forever.
Lord Jesus, keep us steadfast in Your Word, that we may enter the door of heaven. Amen.
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Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2007 4:27 am
Monday November 26th
Christ the Living Bread
I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is My flesh. John 6:51
In the wilderness, God fed manna to the Israelites so that they would live. God offers us heavenly manna, His only Son, so that we may never die. Mortal men do need the blessing of earthly bread and water. But Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4); “I am the bread that came down from heaven” (John 6:41); “One’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:15).
All earthly delights vanish when death comes. Those who find satisfaction only in carnal appetites will lose heavenly joys and suffer an everlasting hunger. But God fills us with divine nourishment, Jesus Christ.
How? The Holy Spirit leads us to believe and trust the revelation of God’s Son, the sufficient sacrifice for our sins. Christ guarantees our resurrection and promises us a place at His eternal banquet. He also gives us a foretaste of the heavenly feast, feeding us His flesh in the Holy Supper of His body and blood.
Heavenly Father, thank You for Jesus Christ, the living bread, who gives and sustains life. Feed us and keep us steadfast so that we may eat at Your heavenly table. Amen.
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Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2007 9:10 pm
The Master Architect
A professional architect sometimes complains that clients will approach with the request to design a home. After he accepts the work and begins the plans, he discovers that the client has practically designed the house himself and is merely coming to the architect for sanction of the plans. The professional architect says, “The client really just wants the satisfaction of seeing me draw on paper what he already has in mind.”
We often approach God the same way. Instead of seeking His divine direction for His plans for our life, we tend to approach Him with our plans merely wanting Him to bless them. That's not reflective of a spiritually mature disciple. The mature Christian wants to be where God is working and desires to be in the very center of His will.
Since the Bible tells us that God never leaves us and never fails us, it's easy to rationalize that He's simply following us everywhere we go . . . kind of like a puppy. But God doesn't work that way. Yes, He's committed to being with us. And no, He's not going to leave us hanging. But it's not His job to follow us around and “magically” bless our actions.
When we refuse to slow down enough to sincerely seek His will for our lives, we're in essence coming to the Master Architect with our own plans and saying, “Ready, Jesus? Okay, let's go! Follow me here, then follow me there. This is where I'm headed, and this is what I'll be doing . . . in Your name, of course. So bless it all, okay?”
The wise Christian approaches life in the opposite manner. A spiritually mature disciple will say, “God, where are You working? What are You in the midst of doing? Because wherever that is . . . I want to be in the center of it. I want to be where You are.”
Think about your goals, your dreams and your plans. Have you actually sought the will of your heavenly Father, or have you simply made your own plans and are merely asking Him to bless them. If you're a good person, doing good things, it can be difficult to discern between your own good plans and the will of your Father.
Know It!
God wants to do more than just bless your efforts. He wants to instill His plans in your life. He wants to guide your every step. Will you trust Him?
Read It!
Jeremiah 29:11-14; Jeremiah 31:10; Jeremiah 31:33; Jeremiah 32:17.
Pray It!
Spend some time in prayer seeking God's direction for your future. Be willing to give up your plans if they're not truly from Him.
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Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2007 3:34 am
Tuesday November 27th
God’s Deadly Blow to Death
But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. Now He is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to Him. Luke 20:37–38
People carefully map their futures. Weddings are planned months in advance. Nurseries are furnished weeks before the baby arrives. Bank accounts are built for college and retirement. Care during old age is planned while one is still young. Funeral expenses are established years before death. Wise are they who prepare such plans. But many ignore their eternal future.
Christ secures our eternity. Christ’s death and resurrection seal the redemption of our bodies and souls and the resurrection of our bodies. The God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the saints in heaven is not a God of the dead, but of the living. The everlasting, living God is God of an everlasting, living people. We shall live in purity, love, joy, and obedience with no decay or death. Yes! Christ the Son of God, Christ the Savior, Christ the Resurrection and Life, and Christ the Son of Man will raise all believers unto eternal life. This is our future. This is God’s deadly blow to death.
God of the living, forgive us, sustain us, and give us life eternal with You. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
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Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2007 5:22 pm
The Master Designer
Let's imagine that you moved into a giant mansion and lived there alone. You're having a great time in the indoor pool, you're working out in the gym, and you've invited all your friends to view the latest movies in your state-of-the-art home theater. You're loving this mansion; it's huge. But after a while, you become discouraged. It's so big, you're not able to enjoy all the rooms. It's filled with the latest technology, but you've never learned to work it. For instance, your air- conditioning and heating system is run by special computerized controls that are operated by your fingerprint. So when you enter a room, all you need to do is touch your finger to the wall. It immediately picks up your print and adjusts the room temperature specifically to your liking.
It has other adjustments to your friends fingerprints. You love this feature, but you haven't figured out who to work it yet. You quickly realize you're not really getting the most out of the house that you could be.
So you approach the designer and say, “Sir, I love my home. You did an incredible job of designing it. But it's so big and so wonderfully complicated, I'm not really getting the most out of it. Would you mind moving in with me and showing me how to take advantage of the potential of this home? I need to learn how to operate all the special features.”
The designer moves in, and you immediately begin giving instructions: “You can have the guest room. I don't mind you using the kitchen, but I really don't want you in the study. Oh, and I have my own collection of movies in the theater. Please leave those alone as well. I have a specific way I want the lawn mowed, so check with me before doing that. Otherwise, make yourself at home.”
He begins to show you how to get more out of your home, and you definitely notice a difference. You're learning how to operate some of the complicated technology that makes your home the envy of everyone else. But a few months later, you approach him again: “I'm really glad you're living here and helping me with my home,” you say. “But something is still missing.”
He looks at you tenderly and says, “I designed this home and know it better than anyone. I know it inside and out. I'm familiar with the wiring, the installation, the sprinkler system for the lawn, and I know every crack in your walls. I really can show you how to get the most out of it, but to do that I have to have total control.”
You hesitate but finally give in. The first thing he does is put you in the guest room, and he takes over the master bedroom. Then he goes through your personal movie collection and suggests changes. Gradually, you make the changes he suggests and notice that you're happier than you've ever been before.
Know It!
God doesn't simply want to live in your life; He wants to be your life. He wants your happiness and fulfillment even more than you do, and He's committed to producing joy and peace in your life. But He needs total control.
Read It!
Exodus 20:1-4; 1 Kings 8:61; 1 Kings 15:14; 2 Chronicles 16:9.
Pray It!
Is there anything in your life you haven't given the Master Architect control of? If so, commit that area to Him right now.
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Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 5:38 am
Wednesday November 28th
See and Know
We know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true. 1 John 5:20
Gnostics of John’s time believed that Jesus was simply the human son of Mary and Joseph. Today, too, many people believe that Jesus was an ordinary man. Yes, these people think Jesus was a great teacher and philosopher, but they acknowledge only Jesus’ humanity. They grossly deny His deity.
With deep conviction, John speaks in the clearest terms about this most important truth. He said of Jesus, “The Son of God has come.”
The Son of God has come because the world can’t save itself. Political programs, progressive education, and moral improvements do not meet man’s need for a Savior. But Christ rescues man by His work of salvation and continual intercession. He comes not to condemn but to save.
The Son comes to give understanding, that we may know the One who is true, the Father. Of all the magnificent works the Lord has done, bringing salvation to a depraved world far exceeds the rest. By His cross, Christ encompasses us with His love. His salvation of man is the clearest picture of the Father and His love. We see and know the Father through the Son.
Heavenly Father, give us an ever-clearer understanding of You through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen.
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Posted: Thu Nov 29, 2007 3:30 am
Thursday November 29th
Ransomed and Redeemed
Shall I ransom them from the power of Sheol? Shall I redeem them from Death? O Death, where are your plagues? O Sheol, where is your sting? Hosea 13:14
Memories flood our hearts at funerals and memorial services. We try to keep our memories of our departed loved ones alive through pictures and reminiscences.
But the Lord speaks to the living when He says that death and the grave have no power over us.
Yes, He warns us: Everyone will succumb to the tomb. We are like withered grass. Life on earth is swift and but a shadow. The wages of sin is death.
But He also promises: Death will not hold us forever. The Son of God, our living Redeemer, has rescued us from the grave. He is the firstborn of the resurrection.
On that great day when God’s trumpet calls, Christ will break the grip of death forever. He will command the dead to rise, and we who are buried with Christ in Baptism shall come forth. In our flesh we shall see God. For the believer, death is but the threshold to heaven. Christ’s atonement has made us at one with our Father in heaven. Death has no plagues! Sheol and the grave have no sting! Yes! We have been ransomed. Yes! We have been redeemed.
Heavenly Father, comfort us with Your promise to open our tombs and to live with us eternally in heaven, where there are no graves, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
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Posted: Thu Nov 29, 2007 3:52 pm
Set Apart
You may be familiar with the Old Testament story of Daniel. The part most people remember was that he was thrown into a den of hungry lions, yet God spared his life. But let's take a closer peek at Daniel. There are other memorable things in his life that are often overlooked.
King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, besieged Jerusalem (Daniel's home) and took captives. But he didn't just take any captive; he wanted the best young men he could find. Daniel was among the best in the country. He was smart, healthy, had a great reputation and was full of integrity. Naturally, King Nebuchadnezzar wanted Daniel. He was specifically looking for quality young men that he could train in his own political views who would eventually reflect his leadership and personality.
When Daniel and several other young men were brought into Nebuchadnezzar's quarters, they were given a specific diet of food. The king had ordered the very best for them and wanted to make sure they continued to develop into strong, healthy men. Daniel was probably in his mid-teen years at this time.
It didn't take this godly young man long to realize that King Nebuchadnezzar was a wicked man involved in all kinds of things that were displeasing to God. So Daniel refused to eat the special foods and drink the wine the king had placed in front of him. He was determined to maintain a godly lifestyle in the midst of a heathen court.
Later, Nebuchadnezzar began to have disturbing dreams. God gave Daniel special wisdom to discern and interpret the dreams. He was able to tell the king what they meant in great detail. This helped the king place a huge amount of trust in Daniel. But some of the other captives weren't too crazy about Daniel, so they lied and told the king that Daniel was against him. They mentioned that they had seen him praying three times a day. They talked the king into believing that Daniel was praying and plotting against him. So the king made a special decree that ruled no one was allowed to pray unless they wanted to pray to him. And if someone was caught praying, he would be immediately thrown to the lions.
Even in the midst of this incredible pressure, Daniel continued his daily prayer time with God. You probably know the rest of the story: He was tossed into the lions pit, but God locked the jaws of the animals, and they didn't harm him. The next morning, Nebuchadnezzar pulled Daniel out of the pit and listened to respect as he told about his faithful God.
Know It!
God understands the world you live in; He created it! Though He doesn't approve of the sin around you, He understands the pressures and temptations you face, and He wants to empower you with His Holy Spirit to help you live the godly life He calls you to live.
Read It!
Daniel 1; Daniel 2; Daniel 6; Daniel 7.
Pray It!
Ask God to give you a pure heart and to help you stand out in the midst of a heathen world.
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Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2007 3:37 am
Friday November 30th
Following Jesus
If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. Mark 8:34
Christ often spoke about His mission to seek and save the lost through the cross. Moments before He spoke the words quoted above, He plainly said that He must journey to Jerusalem to suffer, die, and rise again.
But in this text, Jesus speaks of the certain journey of all disciples. We follow Him. Our first step is repentance and reliance on Christ’s redemption. The Savior’s holy, sacrificial, and forgiving life draws us to confess Him freely. Christ’s obedient Church follows His mandate: “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel” (Mark 16:15).
Jesus chose the way of the cross and suffered in our stead. Like St. Andrew, we follow Christ, take up our crosses, and suffer hatred, mockery, and persecution because of our relationship with Him. Jesus went to death and the grave. Through Baptism, we are buried with Christ. Christ rose from the dead and we, too, shall rise from our graves. The Son of Man ascended to heaven in glorious victory. When He returns, we shall follow Him unto eternity. We journey by faith in our Redeemer’s reconciliation. Our Savior picks us up, turns us around, and joins us to Himself on the road to eternity.
Lord Jesus, lead me through this weary world to Your joyful home in heaven. Amen.
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Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2007 5:29 am
Saturday December 1st
Immanuel: God with Us
“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). Matthew 1:23
The annual cycle of Advent and Christmas reminds us of God coming to be with us in our earthly hopes, dreams, struggles, and joys. We need Him with us to be cleansed of our sin and filled with the confident hope of eternal salvation. This is why the faithful looked forward to the coming Messiah and why we celebrate His coming in the person of Jesus.
A child wound up his toy train and watched as it went around the track, through the dark tunnel, and out again into the light. He got up and went out of the room, but the little train kept running until it finally wound down and stopped. Some people think God also set everything into motion but that now we are left alone to wind down and eventually stop.
That view of God is not true. God has always desired to be with His human creation. Advent whets our anticipation of God’s coming among us, just as He has said and promised. Christmas is the coming of God into the world to restore communion between God and humankind. This is the season of Immanuel: God with us.
O come, Immanuel, to be with us during this holy season. Receive our sorrow over sin and our joy in the forgiveness You bring to us as our Savior. Amen.
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Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2007 12:29 pm
Dan the Man
Daniel truly was an incredible young man! Let's focus even more closely on a few special things he had going for him:
1. He had a pure heart. It wasn't easy. Daniel had everything imaginable at his disposal. But he said no to the things that would have broken God's heart, and he said yes to the things of the Lord. It's never easy to say no to things that look enticing and are tempting. But God will never allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear. We can lean on Him to say no to evil.
2. He maintained a godly lifestyle in the midst of a heathen court. You, too, are living in a heathen world. God wants to help you maintain a holy lifestyle even though you're surrounded by people who have no morals and even though you're bombarded with temptation. In the dark world in which you live, God wants to help you shine as a star reflecting His purity and His holiness.
3. He set himself apart. By living a life of integrity, the king took special notice of Daniel. Nebuchadnezzar admired Daniel's character and trustworthiness. In fact, Nebuchadnezzar had planned on putting Daniel in a distinguished position of leadership. That's why some of the other captives started the rumors about him; they were jealous.
4. He chose godly friends. Even though Daniel was surrounded by non Christians, he chose to become very close with three other godly young men who shared his faith, his values and his morality. You know those three men as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. They were Daniel's best friends and they drew strength from one another.
5. He was consistent. Even when the rumors were flying about Daniel's unfaithfulness to the king, he didn't let the lies discourage him from doing what he knew God had called him to do. He simply returned to his knees and maintained a consistent prayer life. When threatened with death, he remained consistent. When threatened by jealousy of those around him, he remained consistent. God desires the same of you!
Know It!
It helps to surround ourselves with people who share our faith and our morals. If you're giving in to temptation, maybe you need to consider changing friends.
Read It!
Romans 12:1-2; Philippians 2:14-16; James 1:13-16; James 3:17-18.
Pray It!
Ask God to help you seek His power when you face temptation. Learn to lean on His mighty power so you can keep from yielding to sin.
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Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2007 10:52 am
Sunday December 2nd
I Am with You in Eden
And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. Genesis 3:8
They were not playing games in Eden. Adam and Eve heard God walking in the garden, and they hid from Him. They were ashamed because they had sinned against God by disobeying Him. The remarkable thing about this is that even though Adam and Eve deserved to be forever separated from God because of their sin, God still wanted to be with them.
We are also God’s creations. We, too, have sinned. Our sin greatly offends God, and yet He still loves us and wants to be with us. In the garden, God gave His human creation a promise of hope. He promised that a Savior would come to be with us to crush the power of sin and Satan for us. This Savior, Jesus, came to be with us to restore us to the garden and to walk with us in the cool of the day. His comforting presence in His Word and Sacraments gives us the confident hope of His loving and forgiving presence forever.
Thank You, Lord, for Jesus, who restores me so that I can walk with You in the garden, in Eden restored. Amen.
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Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2007 1:53 pm
Focus on the Truth
Stores waste no time in putting out Christmas decorations. Many don't even wait until Thanksgiving has passed to start the process of guiding their customers toward thinking about Christmas. As you move into the Christmas spirit this month, don't simply enjoy the outer appearance of what looks good. Keep listening and keep looking beyond what you see and hear until you get to the very Truth of Christmas.
Imagine that you've just arrived on planet earth and don't know anything about the approaching Christmas season. What if you based your view of Christmas from the following fractured carols children have mistakenly sung?
• “Deck the halls with Buddy Holly. . . .”
• “We three kings of porridge and tar . . .”
• “Later on we'll perspire, as we dream by the fire. . . .”
• “He's makin' a list, chicken and rice. . . .”
• “Noel, Noel, Barney's the king of Israel. . . .”
• “With the jelly toast proclaim. . . .”
• “Frosty the snowman is a ferret elf, I say. . . .”
• “Sleep in heavenly peas. . . .”
• “Oh, what fun it is to ride with one horse, soap and hay . . .”
• “Good tidings we bring to you and your kid. . . .”
• “O come, froggy faithful . . .”
If all we knew about Christmas was what we saw in stores and on TV, we'd have a skewed view of the season. Likewise, if all we knew about Christmas was based on what we heard, we'd also have a surface view of the season. God wants to move you beyond the surface into the very heart of Christmas this year.
Make a list of what you can do-beginning today-that will keep your focus on Jesus Christ rather than tinsel, store sales, sprinkled sugar cookies and midnight shopping sprees. Is there someone in your class or your youth group who's feeling desperate and alone? Do you have a friend who's angry because his parents are divorcing? Make time to look around you and focus on the needs of others.
Know It!
God wants you to have a fantastic Christmas, but He also wants to teach you to give in ways you've never thought of before. Let Him teach you how to give from your heart.
Read It!
Matthew 1.
Pray It!
Ask God to begin now-on the second day of December-to begin preparing your heart in a brand- new way for this most special of seasons.
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Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 2:29 pm
Monday December 3rd
I Am with You in Person
Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14
A married couple was invited to a business associate’s Christmas party. The wife said to her husband, “I know you need to be there for business reasons, but I don’t want to go. I will know hardly anyone there.”
“Don’t worry,” he assured her, “I’ll be with you.”
God also has always wanted to be with us. He wants to be with us at our parties and during the worst of times. He wants to be involved in the very center and core of our being. In the person of Jesus Christ, God became a human being to be with us. He accomplished this miraculously by being born of a virgin named Mary. “ ‘Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel’ (which means, God with us)” (Matthew 1:23). At the birth of Jesus, God came to earth to be with us and to take care of the serious business of saving us from the eternal consequences of our sins. God is with us in Jesus Christ. In Christ Jesus, God has promised to be with us always.
Thank You, Lord, for the miracle of Immanuel. Be with me, Lord Jesus, as I celebrate Your presence during this season and throughout all the seasons of my life. Amen.
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