Holy Thinking

HOLY THINKING (Part 2 of 3)
1Corinthians 2:11-16
V. 14: “The man without the Spirit does not accept things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

“Trevor, you do believe in God, right?” Jesse asked.

“I, uh, never attend church, if that’s what you mean.” Trevor swallowed, looking directly at Jesse, and then his Mom. (See 195 devotion The Faith Road).

Jesse’s Mom smiled and said, “Stay overnight, Trevor, if that’s alright. Let’s go downstairs now.”

TV off, Jesse’s Dad was informed of this meeting. “Do you know that in the Old Testament, 4,000 years ago, this is exactly how the Israelites met and worshipped?”

“No way!” Jesse exclaimed.

“Yes, indeed. In fact, the people assembled inside what was called the ‘Tent of Meeting’”. (Exodus 40:34).

Trevor and Jesse exchanged glances. Trevor began, “I’ve heard about Jesus, of course…who hasn’t? I’ve never read the Bible. But now, my life is totally messed up.”

Jesse’s Dad talked about Almighty God’s Son, Jesus, who died for the forgiveness of our sins…of which we all are guilty. “When a person accepts Jesus as Savior and forgiveness of sins, (s)he becomes a new person. Instantly, the Holy Spirit indwells the person—guiding thoughts, desires, and actions from then on. He is the deposit that assures us of our salvation, sealing us for eternal life.”

“I want what Jesse has. Hope. Security. Salvation.” Trevor quivered, his eyes misting.

The four of them knelt on the floor as Trevor accepted Jesus as his Savior.

Jesse’s Dad said, “Welcome to God’s family, Trevor! Now that you’ll be led to love God with your whole heart, soul, and mind, you’ll also be led into holy living. Our actions are based on thoughts, which spring from what we believe. Our heavenly Father wants to replace unrighteous, impure thinking, with holy thinking.”

Trevor and Jesse’s eyes looked blank.

Jesse’s Dad laughed. Patting a hand on each of the boy’s legs, he said, “It’s not that hard! I know that you can do this, guys! All it takes is your cooperation with the Holy Spirit, and commit your mind to the Lord. You are separate from the rest of the world now. I urge you both to read the Bible every day. That will keep your resolve strong as you continue growing in the Lord.”

“This is my August resolution, instead of a New Year’s resolution.” Trevor announced.

Take Home Nugget

Holy thinking is a lifelong process. But through it, we grow more like our Savior every day.

God is pleased when our walk matches our talk.

J.D. Griffith

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The Faith Road

THE FAITH ROAD (Part 1 of 3)
2Corinthians 5:7
“We live by faith, not by sight.”

BANG, BANG, BANG! Opening His front door, Jesse’s wrinkled brow showed concern for his friend. “What’s up, Trev?”

“Oh Jesse, I don’t know what to do” Trevor admitted. Sniffling, he walked into the house. “Can we talk privately, upstairs?”

“Sure.” Jesse said, looking at his watch in the dusk. “We’ve got hours before bedtime.”

“Who is it, Jesse?” his mom yelled.

“It’s Trevor, Mom. We’ll be in my room.”

Trevor threw himself face down on the bed. Jesse said softly, “Tell me what’s wrong.” He sat in the chair opposite…waiting silently.

Reaching for a tissue, Trevor wiped his nose. “Know how my Dad was going to take us camping?" Jesse nodded. “Well not now…He and Mom are getting a divorce.”

Jesse’s heart flip-flopped. “That’s tough, Trev.” He thought about his own parents, and wondered what he’d do if he got this news. He wondered how to ease his friend’s horror. Then a thought erupted out of his mouth, “God loves you so much, that you can’t even see the end of it.” (Ephesians 3:18).

“What?” Trevor sat up, wondering what Jesse was talking about.

“Instead freaking out, let’s look at your problem through the eyes of faith, buddy.”

Jesse’d learned a lot during the grounding he got after pulling that prank on Cassie. (See dev184Things God Hates).

“Huh?”

“Through Jesus, all your needs are met.” (Philippians 4:19).

“Oh brother! What happened to my friend, Jesse? I want to talk to him!”

“I am your friend, Trev—just trying to help you through this awful mess. I learned lots after what we did at the pool. When Jesus died on the cross for our sins, He forgave us for what we did to Cassie.”

“No way!”

“Yeah, and there’s more. When we let Jesus into our hearts, we’re secure eternally. As adopted children of God, we’re heirs to His kingdom.” (Romans 8:17).

“And this helps me, how?”

“Even though our world crumbles around us, we’re tight with the Lord…and that relationship is forever. Jesus will never let us down!” (Hebrews 10:23).

Trevor stared at Jesse. Shaking his head, he said, “OK, tell me more.”

Take Home Nugget

Jesse’s Mom knocked on the door and came inside his bedroom. “Is everything alright, guys?”

Trevor looked up at her, then at Jesse. Jesse said, “Trevor’s Mom and Dad are getting a divorce.”

Jesse’s Mom hugged Trevor, and said, “This is not your fault, Trevor! Trust the Lord, and He’ll see you safely past this. You’re welcome here, anytime.”

True love and compassion is love in action.

J.D. Griffith

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Believer Citizen

BELIEVER CITIZEN
Romans 13:1-14
The Message V.1: “Be a good citizen. All governments are under God. Insofar as there is peace and order, it’s God’s order.”

God does not differentiate between the secular (SEC-u-ler, meaning “of the world”), and the spiritual. So, how can believers—as citizens of a country—be set apart from the world?

Every existence is ranked in order of value. Hierarchies (HI-RA-ark-ees) establish various places for each living thing. You may have learned of the “food chain”. Lions, being near the top—feed on lesser life forms—cascading all the way to the bottom. (The smallest particle known today, in subatomic protons and neutrons, are quarks—the size of a dot).

God’s pecking order places humans just beneath the angels in Hebrews 2:7—ranked very high in the food chain.

Besides the food chain, humans are also subject to the government. What different kinds of government exist in the world? Dictatorships represent a single tyrant ruler. Royal government has a king, or queen, who is born to rule over commoners. Democracy is signified by social equality, with citizen vote choosing a leader. Every government has leaders who are given their positions by the Lord. (Daniel 2:21).

Believers and unbeliever citizens behave differently from each other.

God’s Word details believers’ responsibilities as citizens. #1: Law-abiding. Regardless of whether people think the laws are unjust, believers are expected to obey them. What do you think the ratio is between godly and ungodly people in prison?

#2: God desires His children to pray for the country’s leaders. 1Timothy 2:1-5 urges believers to make “entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings…for kings and all who are in authority.” This is so that we may lead tranquil and peaceful lives, “in all godliness and dignity.”

#3: Our actions and words should demonstrate a righteous influence on the government. This means to avoid acting and speaking with a superior, arrogant, or superior attitude. Rather, we’re to cooperate with others in humility. Collaborative (ko-LA-bor-a-tiv means mutual, shared) working together within the system can effect healthy change.

#4: Always remember that our first allegiance is to the King of kings.

Take Home Nugget

S Salve
A Additive
L Light
T Taste

Jesus called His followers to be “the salt of the earth” in Matthew 5:13. Salt changes food’s flavor (taste). It is often a healing agent (salve). As a preservative (additive), it makes a difference. Representing the gospel, we shine (light). Can you be SALT to your community?

J.D. Griffith

Lord, help us to obey Your Word,
To heed Your still, small voice;
And may we not be swayed by men,
But make Your will our choice.

D. De Haan

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Liberty Check

LIBERTY CHECK
Galatians 5:1-6, 16-21
Vv.1,6b: “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free…The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.”

Cassie and Missy, Girl Scout Juniors, went camping with their troop before entering sixth grade. One August weekend, the girls graduated from Juniors to Cadettes. Missy bandaged Cassie’s knee, after a fall scraped her skin raw.

Her life-saving badge, sown on her sash, showed her competence. The girls cheerfully displayed their proficiency in hiking, swimming, tent pitching, and cooking. Before roasting hot dogs in an open camp fire, the girls scampered to collect rocks. The fire’s flames would be safely contained by rimming the fire pit with rocks.

The ceremony traditionally began and ended with singing songs, bringing tears to many campers’ eyes. “I’m so glad to be part of this troop!” Cassie announced, sniffing.

Ms Marshall, the leader, replaced each girl’s green Junior beret with a Cadette brown. As their smiles sparkled in the fire’s blaze, the girls admired each other’s new look.

Just as their leader’s vigilance--and rock-rimmed pit, prevented the campfire from starting a forest fire—the new Cadettes’ excitement needed songs’ calm before falling asleep. Prudent living requires conscious attention to details (PROOD-nt means sensible, cautious, wise).

As God’s children, we are free from sin’s curse, penalty, and guilt. In Jesus, these are replaced with peace, forgiveness, and liberty. No one has greater liberty than the person who is free in the soul’s depths, made complete with a peace-filled heart.

But here’s where believers often mess up: many relish these luxuries by living selfishly, and end up self-indulgent. Others claim ownership to that which is merely entrusted to their care—and fail godly stewardship. As custodians of Earth, for example, have we responsibly tended to and protected our planet from destruction?

The proper use of liberty is “faith working through love” in service to others. By relying on God’s Spirit, we apply our energy to loving and helping others. (Sound like the Girl Scouts?) We strive to build up others instead of tearing them down, because the sinful nature is restrained.

God’s check-valve for believers’ liberty is the conscience, where the Holy Spirit leads. He WILL convict us of wrong!

Take Home Nugget

Just like a raging fire, liberty without check is perilous. Potentially fatal. But checked liberty is a freedom that blesses all.

Honest freedom doesn’t give us the right to live how we please, but to live according to what pleases God.

J.D. Griffith

Christ came to give us liberty
By dying in our place;
Now with new freedom we are bound
To share His love and grace.

D. De Haan

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Discernment

DISCERNMENT
Philippians 1:9-10
“And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ…”

Jesse felt anxious after returning home from swimming. He’d been grounded from the pool for three weeks after his prank humiliated a friend. But his pool freedom came with a price—something which he’d not paid in full. At dinner, his guilt was exposed. (See devotions Things God Hates, Belief Stand, and Rationalization.)

“Did you go swimming today, Son?” Jesse’s Dad asked him between mouthfuls of salad.

Jesse stabbed a tomato before replying, “Yeah, and it was great, Dad. I came home after two hours, just like you said.”

“So, Cassie accepted your apology?”

Jesse looked down at his salad, lancing a crouton with his fork. He mumbled, “Well, she wasn’t exactly there.”

“What?”

“Well, Dad, I found Missy, her best friend. I told her what you sent me to do, and she gave me a hard time at first.”

“Go on, Son” the man’s voice grew tense.

“I told her how sorry I was for humiliating Cassie like that. But Cassie was babysitting today.”

“But you went swimming anyway?”

“Yeah, Dad, Missy forgave me, and said she’d tell Cassie tonight. She told me to catch her tomorrow.”

“But you went swimming today, anyway?” Jesse’s Dad repeated, throwing down his fork.

Jesse gulped, his eyes burning holes into his salad.

“Look at me, Son.”

Jesse looked up. “Missy forgave me, Dad. I can clear this up with Cassie tomorrow.”

“That was not the deal, Jesse, and you know it!”

Jesse meant well. He wanted to do the right thing, but he was confused when Cassie wasn’t at the pool. His going swimming disobeyed his Dad’s clear instructions.

When we walk by faith, our focus is to be on the Lord, and not our circumstances. When we’re torn between doing two things, how do we know what’s right? When we pray first and lay our troubles on the Lord, He’ll guide our steps. He wants us to seek Him, then trust His lead.

The fog of uncertainty clears when we trust God. Trusting the One Who is in control separates truth from deception.

Take Home Nugget

Jesse apologized to Cassie next day at the pool, but was not allowed to go swimming for another week. The devil tempts us into doing things we want to do, but separating his deception from God’s truth is usually hard. This is called discernment.

“Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults.” Psalm 19:12

J.D. Griffith

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Rationalization

RATIONALIZATION
1Samuel 15
V. 22: “But Samuel replied: ‘Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord’”

Jesse’s grin was ear-to-ear as he biked to the pool. “Hey Wally!” he cried out, locking his bike to the rack. “Have you seen Cassie yet?”

Wally shook his head. Looking around, he said, “I just got here, but I’ve seen her here most every day.”

Jesse ran into the entrance, and searched the pool grounds. Finding Missy, Cassie’s friend, he asked, “Is Cassie coming today?”

“Oh, it’s you, Jesse. What do you want with her? We had a great time swimming in peace while you were suspended from coming.”

“Well, my restriction is lifted today.”

“Great.”

“Um…I need to talk to Cassie.”

“Oh sure…you just want to talk?”

Jesse sighed, looking at the ground. “I deserve that” he mumbled. “Yeah, really, Missy, I need to apologize for what I did.” He looked into Missy’s eyes, his brow wrinkling. “It’s important that she know how sorry I am for my behavior.”

Missy squinted into Jesse’s eyes. He really looks like his apology is genuine, she thought. “OK, Jess. She told me that she’s babysitting today, but should be back tomorrow.”

“Oh.” Jesse said, his heart sinking. “I’m supposed to apologize to her today, before I go swimming.” (See devotion 190, Belief Stand).

“I’ll tell her, Jess. You look sincere to me. I forgive your—immaturity.” Missy said.

“Thanks, Missy!” His mind free, Jesse dove into the pool. I tried to apologize to Cassie he thought. Missy accepts my apology, and says that she’ll tell Cassie. That’s all I can do until tomorrow. I may as well swim; the water feels so good after the blistering heat I suffered through these last three weeks. I earned this swim! “Ahhhh! This is heaven!” Jesse said aloud.

Do you agree that Jesse obeyed his Dad’s command? Does Missy’s forgiving Jesse get him off the hook for needing to apologize to Cassie? Does partial obedience justify a decision to ignore the rest of a direct order? Do you think that Jesse acted logically?

When you get a chance, I urge you to read the entire chapter 15 in 1Samuel. Saul’s partial obedience didn’t change God’s mind. And Saul’s excuses failed to win Samuel over, too. Saul rebelled against God’s command, plain and simple.

Do you agree?

Take Home Nugget

Having good reasons that rationalize our wrong choices don’t change God’s mind. Bargaining with God won’t help, either. Is any sin worth being outside of His will? Our Father delights in faithful followers.

Rationalization and justification are words that argue insubordination.

J.D. Griffith

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Belief Stand

BELIEF STAND
1 Peter 3:13-16
V. 15: “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to anyone who asks you to give a reason for the hope that you have.”

“I can return to the pool today, Dad.” Jesse announced.

“Your suspension over?”

“Yeah. I’m ready for a swim—after a three-week heat wave.”

“What have you learned, Son?”

Jesse blew out a lungful of air, and looked squarely into his Dad’s eyes. “I acted like an idiot, Dad. Cassie didn’t deserve to be humiliated like that.” (See 184 Devotion Things God Hates).

“Your suspension was the pool’s punishment. Mine was your maintaining the yards, and Mom gave you plenty to do around the house.”

“She sure did. I know how to clean and cook, now!” Jesse admitted, smiling.

Jesse’s Dad threw his head back, laughing out loud. “That could come in handy!” he said. “But more importantly, you endured your punishment cheerfully…Will you ever resort to this kind of mischief again?”

“No way, Dad!”

“So, you’ll behave like a young man, instead of a thug from now on? How did remain happy these weeks?”

“Jesus replaced embarrassment with hope when I repented, Dad. I won’t mess up again.”

It’s been said, “If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.” Your belief system matters tremendously in how you address life, because it is the foundation of your character, conduct, and decisions. Our salvation depends on what we believe.

The person who trusts God and follows Jesus, believes in the promise of heaven—and acts accordingly. This person will live with a purpose, whose lifestyle mirrors obedience, faith, and responsibility. Jesus says indisputably in John 8:24, “Unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

The world’s cynicism confronts believers' belief stand every day. Often we’re afraid to challenge the status quo. (Status quo is the current condition of things.) Friends often challenge others to push living to the edge. Have you heard the phrase, “there’s no purpose of living if you can’t feel alive?”

Believers have boundaries. Our conscience warns us not to cross these limits, and make a stand for right living.

Take Home Nugget

“May I go to the pool today?” Jesse asked his Dad.

“One condition: apologize to Cassie—and mean it. If she is not at the pool, come home. If she forgives you, swim for two hours, then come home.”

“But Dad, I already apologized to Cassie, remember?”

“I want you to hear from her own mouth that she forgives you, Son.”

Everyone will fall into temptation when not standing against sin.

J.D. Griffith

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