Tuesday, March 29, 2011

House

HOUSE
John 14:20
“On that day [day of salvation] you will realize that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you.”

Sanctification—making God’s kids holy, Christ-like—can be described as remodeling a house. This parable, first penned by George MacDonald in Mere Christianity Book IV, Chapter 9, is roughly paraphrased here. But let’s start at the beginning with the continuation of previous devotions, Glue and Sanctification. Remember Keith, who discovered having fun playing with new friends at school during recess from their 3rd grade classroom?

“Why do you want to be my friend, Shakira?” Keith wondered.

“Jesus teaches us to love everybody.” Shakira explained.

“Oh. How come?” Keith asked.

“Are you a Christian?”

“Uh, is that a condition?” (Keith didn’t expect this).

“Well, yeah! First you have to believe in Jesus before He can help you.”

When someone accepts Christ as Savior, his body becomes a house for the Lord. The indwelling Holy Spirit begins making repairs immediately. What’s happening is getting the plumbing right at first. His new heart needs clean arteries for proper blood flow…so he accepts, rather than rejects the Holy Spirit’s work.

At first he notices that he’s more patient, and doesn’t quarrel as much. That’s to be expected, he thinks. He’s not unhappy with the process so far; people like him better, too. He agrees to play along, as long as he’s not changed too much. Piece by piece, room by room, he begins to shine—with the light of Christ. After many years, his life is working out better than he imagined. Things are smooth-sailing. He feels like he’s got a handle on living life correctly. He's ready to finally reap from life what he sowed, so to speak.

Then suddenly, his health fails and he’s in the hospital. He’s got to learn humility and dependence on others. The rooms he added to his house were being demolished from the inside. A new structure was emerging, different from his original house. This remodeling is painful, and very slow going. He had to boost his patience, and grow his aptitude (AP-ti-tude means ability or talent) for caring for others from a new perspective.

There were plenty of times when he wanted the remodeling to stop. Then God expanded his faith and strength, so that he could persevere (PER-se-veer means to continue on) to the end. Slowly, the rebuilding became gentler, and he realized that he had peace through it all. What he couldn’t see is that his house was remodeled into a palace.

That’s sanctification.

Take Home Nugget
Shakira invites Keith, “Come with me to Sunday school. You’ll love it—and learn more about Jesus there.”
God’s Spirit makes us one;
Giving others honor
Gives glory to His Son.

J.D. Griffith
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Friday, March 25, 2011

Sanctification

SANCTIFICATION
Ezekiel 36:25-27
The Message: “I’ll pour pure water over you and scrub you clean. I’ll give you a new heart, put a new spirit in you. I’ll remove the stone heart from your body and replace it with a heart that’s God-willed, not self-willed. I’ll put My Spirit in you and make it possible for you to do what I tell you and live by My commands.”

We’ve skated around the word, sanctification (sank-tif-i-KA-shon means dedication). We used it to describe how a believer is transformed into Christ-likeness. We stressed that it’s a life-long process. The best example that shows what it means is metamorphosis (met-a-MORF-o-sis means change, alteration). Check out: a slimy, spiky bug disappears into a cocoon (ka-KOON means insulated wrap), spun from its own body. Soon after, it emerges as a delicate, graceful, magnificent butterfly. Our change from the instant of salvation (accepting Jesus as Lord) is just as radical.

Remember Glue devotion? Keith found new third-grade friends on his school’s playground. The next day, recess found him bounding outside with Shakira and Bethany. “What do you want to do?”

“I say 4-Square” Shakira answered, claiming a spot on the painted blacktop.

“OK, I’ll get a ball” Keith volunteered.

When he returned, Bethany and Greg had claimed their squares. “Ready?” Keith challenged.


Today, Keith appears different to the kids—and indeed, he is. He no longer finds fault with everything. He’s pleasant, and helpful. Just as finding kids who want to be friends gave Keith a new outlook on life, God’s kids also have a new spirit dwelling inside them. The Holy Spirit makes Himself comfy and starts working immediately (1Corinthians 6:1). No time to waste making us Christ-like. No wonder it takes a lifetime to get us right!
God plucks out our death-bound, sinful, wicked heart and creates a new person. The new person is forgiven, honest, respectable. But our new self wrestles with the old-self. The “new creature”, or person, describes our new position in Christ—exactly. But, despite our being eternally secure as children of God, our flesh bodies continue to battle evil as long as we’re on earth. Sanctification will eventually win the war, but the battle rages on.

The Holy Spirit helps us oppose sin, and teaches us how to live—one day, one battle at a time. Our yielding to His urgings helps smooth our ascent to righteousness. Won’t you help by not resisting His efforts?

Take Home Nugget

The bell rang, signaling end of recess. Greg grabbed the ball. “I’ll return it, Keith” he said with a smile. “For the first time, I enjoyed playing a game with you.”

Lord, won’t You please lead me safely
With footsteps through this day?
Help my understanding so carefully
Weaving my path for future way.

J.D. Griffith
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Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Glue

GLUE
Isaiah 41:9-13
The Message v.13: “That’s right. Because, I, your God, have a firm grip on you and I’m not letting go. I’m telling you, ‘Don’t panic. I’m right here to help you.’”



We’re children of the Most High! Regardless of circumstances, whether good or bad, we’re called to stick close to our Awesome God. During times of smooth sailing, we forget how dependent we truly are on Him.


Keith shook his head, speechless. “Do you really want to be my friend, Shak?” (See Jesus’ Ambassadors of Peace and Out-of-Box Vision devotions). The third-graders were grouped outside for recess, and Shakira decided to befriend Keith

“Of course. You can’t have too many friends!” She turned to her girlfriend, Bethany. “Do you want to be friends with Keith?”

“We both live in the same neighborhood, and it would be nice to have a buddy close-by. What do you do for fun, Keith?”

Keith’s face blushed red. Looking at Bethany he said, “Ride bike, climb trees, throw ball…stuff like that.”

“That’s way better than playing doll house or school, Keith. Too bad we didn’t hook up sooner.”

Just like having friends close by, we need to keep God close, too. He’s fun, full of goodness, and has an incredible sense of humor. But, we also desperately need His direction, and care. When our lives are too easy, it’s natural for humans to settle into a self-sufficient attitude. Many people think: God’s there when I’m in trouble—but I can do things for myself—and not bother Him. He’s got the whole world depending on Him. He may be glad that I can take care of myself.

But when trouble strikes, they often feel too far away from their protector. They’ve forgotten to maintain a close relationship with God, and hesitate to “bother Him” in bad times. Remember: Jesus is your brother. He’s God, and even He didn’t feel self-sufficient to live apart from His Father for even a day. Jesus stuck to our Father like glue.

Painful situations trigger panic in our hearts. This ought to drive God’s kids straight back into His loving arms. Do we remember then how dependent we truly are on Him? He promises to deliver us from doubt, depression, anger, and everything we need to endure difficulty.

Remember Bethany and Keith when you’ve drifted away from your God. He’s in your neighborhood, close by, and wants to be your friend—on good days, and bad. Remember Him in your relationships with friends. Never forget to stick close, like glue, to your best friend, Jesus.

Take Home Nugget


Awesome Savior, keep me humble,
Without You, I’m sure to stumble.
Keep me close to You like glue,
Without you, I wouldn’t have a clue.


J.D. Griffith

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Friday, March 18, 2011

Out-Of-Box Vision

OUT-OF-BOX VISION
Matthew 28:16-20
The Message vv. 16-17: “…eleven disciples were on their way back to Galilee, headed for the mountain Jesus had set for their reunion. The moment they saw Him, they worshipped Him. Some, though held back, not sure about worship, about risking themselves totally.”

“Why do you always put someone, or something down?” Shakira asked Keith. (See Jesus’ Ambassadors of Peace devotion).

“I don’t!” Keith defended himself.

“Yes you do. If you were confident, I don’t think you’d always criticize everything.” Shakira insisted.

Keith’s brown eyes bore into Shakira’s green eyes. “I don’t have many friends, like you do, Shak.”

“I’ll be your friend, Keith.”

Jesus’ vision about the whole world receiving His offer of salvation still freaks people out. Most believers hold back—just as some disciples did. Why do you think Jesus’ command is called “the Great Commission?" When someone first hears it, they’re overwhelmed. But when we let go—and let Jesus steer our lives—we’re surprised at how do-able His command is.

People hide in boxes that they erect to protect themselves. Just as a few disciples wouldn’t worship Jesus in the opening Scripture, His kids hold back today—remaining safe in their comfort zones—their boxes. But their vision is blocked inside these boxes.

One side of the box is Fear. What will family and friends react to my going “all Jesus” on them? Although most of us won’t evangelize in foreign lands as missionaries, we worry about what others think about us at home.

Pride walls another side. People don’t want to surrender to another, even if it’s to God, Himself. No way! I want to control my own life. Isn’t that what free will is all about? they rationalize. Not true. The ONLY thing people have any control over is to either accept or reject Jesus Christ as Lord. All other actions spring from that decision—except perhaps what foods to eat, and other minor decisions. Truly, most things are out of our control.

Conditional obedience erects our box’s third side. Inconvenience (in-kon-VEN-i-ens means hassle, bother) is often what prohibits total obedience. How lame is that? (I suppose any excuse will do, when people disobey God). Feeling Unworthy for the God’s task is the fourth wall in the box. How convenient!

These self-made prisons inside our comfort box block our vision. But when we’re brave enough to kick down just one wall of our box, we’re amazed at how God can equip us to do the extraordinary!

Take Home Nugget


God’s love encircles and penetrates the whole world. Through His kids, everyone in the whole can hear about Jesus, if we just climb out of our own jail-house boxes.

We don’t need to see where we’re going, if we trust the One Who’s leading.

J.D. Griffith
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