Friday, January 16, 2015

God's Gaps

GOD’S GAPS                                          
John 11:1-6
John 11:3-4,6:  “So the sisters [Mary and Martha] sent word to Jesus, ‘Lord, the one You love is sick.’
“When He heard this, Jesus said, ‘This sickness will not end in death.  No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.’
“Yet when He heard that Lazarus was sick, He stayed where He was two more days.”
            The New Year began with a four devotion series showing how beloved are God’s kids.  So, why is God sometimes silent?  The opening Scripture adds depth to gap-reasoning.  Jesus purpose to arrive late wasn’t to be hailed as the hero.
            He could just as easily have gone straight to them, and healed Lazarus.   Why the delay, then? Humans wonder why the delay when God is silent.  We’re commanded to pray.  Why does God sometimes delay in answering our prayers?
            What fills in God’s gaps?
            Prayer and trust fills in God’s gaps.
            We understand that prayer is building a relationship with God.  God is not a genie in the bottle we rub and get immediate delight.  He won’t be treated as such. 
            Jesus taught us to pray to our Father, hallowing His name.  His kingdom come, and His will be done.  It’s all about God first, before asking for daily bread, forgiveness and protection.  Let’s allow holy God to be God—before stomping our feet and demanding attention to our problems.    
            Jesus says in Matthew 6:8: “But don’t be like them, [babbling pagans] for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.”  Your needs, even the smallest detail of your life, is His concern. Sometimes He needs to prepare us to receive His answers. 
            Rough edges need smoothing.  Relationships need restoring.  Faith needs testing.  God’s gaps build trust and grab our attention.  Jesus wanted that attention.  His delay tested faith.  Martha affirmed hers in John 11:25-27 after Jesus said, “He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies,” he asked Martha, ‘Do you believe this?’”
            “‘Yes Lord,’ she told Him.  ‘I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.’”  Jesus rewarded her trust by raising Lazarus from the dead!
            Certainly, anyone living in rebellion may not receive rewards from a holy God. 
            Did I hear you sigh? 
Take Home Nugget
            God’s silence won’t last forever.  We can fill His gaps with repentance, growing our trust and faith. Let’s keep in mind: Anything other than God’s plan carried out God’s way in God’s timing results in human self-reliance.  Racing ahead of God is not the correct way to fill His gaps. 
Your silence is deafening, O Lord!  Help me grow.  Speak to me through Your Spirit and Your Word. 
J.D. Griffith


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Tuesday, January 13, 2015

God's Own

GOD’S OWN
Fourth of four devotions in Chosen People Series
1 Peter 2:9, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.” (Emphasis mine)
1 Corinthians 6:19-20:  “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?  You are not your own; you were bought at a price.  Therefore honor God with your body.”

             “A people belonging to God” should make you feel even more special than being set apart (from the world) for God.  Belonging to God is position.  It specifies whose you are.  You are worth so much that God purchased your eternal salvation by the death of His one and only Son.
            Nothing about you takes God by surprise.  He is omniscient [om-NEESH-ent].  (All knowing).  He is omnipotent [om-NIP-o-tent].  (All powerful).  He is omnipresent [om-nee-PRES-ent].  (Ever-present, a universal presence).  So, you are never alone.   God hears and sees all.  He’s watching how you represent Him to the world.
            Do you remember this and does your life reflect your God-given position?
            Believers recognize that other people are precious to God, too.  In this light, we ought to honor their positon in God as well.  This means that we don’t make fun of the opposite sex—for any reason. Boys and girls develop at different rates.  And when development becomes apparent, how should we act towards one another?
            Adults remember difficult adolescence.  Awkward moments of insecurity cause inappropriate laughter and crude comments.  These are embarrassing.  But sexual development is normal.  Let’s figure out ways to swim through sexual development without causing rip tides that tear away one’s personal dignity.
            We’ve come to know several ten year old kids through these devotions.  Age ten is unique.  Age ten is where boys and girls stop being kids of like abilities and preferences.  Age ten is when kids become sensitive to whom they’re growing up to become.  The lesson linked below teaches acceptable sexual behavior for God’s kids, and why.  Let’s remember to whom we belong!       
Take Home Nugget
            Jeremy teased Cassie, “Hey Cassie” he croaked, then cleared his throat.  “That’s a nice sweater …have you put on Christmas weight?” he said in a lower voice, looking at Cassie’s chest.
            Cassie blushed.  She knew that he was referring to two bumps that clearly showed under her sweater.  Recovering, she quipped, “Not Christmas weight.  But it seems that you won’t be singing soprano in choir anymore.”
It’s okay to point out our differences, but keep in mind that as we grow, we’re the same people!
J.D. Griffith


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Friday, January 9, 2015

Set Apart

SET APART
Third of four devotions in Chosen People Series
1 Peter 2:9
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.”  (Emphasis mine).
             “A holy nation.”  How does this apply to me?  The word holy just means set apart.  Believers in Christ are set apart for God.  The Holy Spirit seals everyone who believes in Jesus as one of God’s kids. Ephesians 4:30 says, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”
            That should make you feel very special.  Nothing you do can ever tear you away from being God’s kid.  Sure, sin messes with one’s friendship with God.  But that’s true for every friendship.  Check out how one friendship almost got destroyed, and how that was restored, below:
            Ten year old Scotty threw the ball hard at classmate Brad during dodge ball at recess from fifth grade. 
            “What are you doing, Scotty?” Brad yelled.  “Are you trying to hurt me?”
            “What about it?” Scotty replied.  “Just get out of the way …this IS dodge ball!”
            Kids laughed at that.  The targets always tried to get out of the way!
            After recess, as they climbed the stairs to their classroom, Brad asked Scotty, “No, really, why are you mad at me?”
            “You’re not ‘all that,’ being a football player, Brad.  I can do anything you can do!”
            Being set apart for God is a daily challenge.  Believers often don’t understand why others are angry or hold a grudge at them.  Typical human behavior is to attack back when someone attacks us. That’s called retaliation.  Or revenge.
            God talks about avenging someone for any harm they do to us.  Brad learned in Sunday school what Romans 12:19 says:  “Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written [from Deuteronomy 32:35]: ‘It is Mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.” 
            So Brad didn’t replay with a nasty comment.  He remembered, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him,” (from Romans 12:20a).
Take Home Nugget
            It’s not easy for people to behave as set apart for God in this world.  Responding with kindness when others are rude is seen as weak today.  But that’s the better way, the set apart way, God’s way.
            Walking to the school bus after school, Scotty caught up with Brad.  He said, “Sorry for how I acted at recess.”
            “Not everyone likes playing football.  You’re a baseball player, right?” Brad asked.    
Let’s shut up when someone attacks.  This leaves room for them to open back up to us again.
J.D. Griffith
           


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Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Double Portion

DOUBLE PORTION
Second of four devotions in Chosen People Series
1 Peter 2:9-10
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.  Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”
            2015 is beginning just the way God intended.  If you read the devotion God’s Memo, you learned that you:  1) Are saved, 2) Are identified as God’s kid, 3) Are positioned for Jesus’ protection and provision, and 4) Have a mission to demonstrate God to the world. 
            You belong to God.
            You may even have resolved to be faithful to God in 2015, from Promised Return devotion.
            The opening Scripture offers so much more.  As a chosen people, Christians did not have to fight to be in God’s family.  He chose us!  The Creator of the universe actively sought you out—from all others—to have a forever relationship with you!
            “Royal Priesthood” is something new.  In the Bible’s Old Testament, a person could be a king.  Or a person could be a priest.  But no one was EVER a king/priest.  Or priest/king.  But you are!
            Revelation 1:5-6 says, “and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.  To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve His God and Father—to Him be the glory and power forever and ever!  Amen.”  (Emphasis mine.)
            Ecclesiastes 8:4 says, “Since a king’s word is supreme, who can say to a king, ‘What are you doing?’”  So, as kings in Christ, our words are supreme too. 
            Deuteronomy 21:5 says, “The priests, the sons of Levi, shall step forward, for the Lord your God has chosen them to minister and to pronounce blessings in the name of the Lord and to decide all cases of dispute and assault.” (Emphasis mine.
            King/Priests have a double portion of speaking power.  That’s you.  That’s me.  It’s important that Believers-in-Christ be very careful with the words we choose to speak. 
Take Home Nugget
            The devil delights when believers put down or curse one another.  Let’s get used to saying only positive life-affirming words that bless…even more powerful when speaking God’s Word.    
              Negative words only curse and defeat people.  Check out the lesson linked below to practice saying only words that bless.
Let’s blow peoples’ minds!  Let’s watch blessings come after putting our double-portion of speaking God’s Word power to use.
J.D. Griffith
           


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Friday, January 2, 2015

God's Memo

GOD’S MEMO

First of four devotions in Chosen People Series

Romans 8:14-17

Romans 8:13-14:  “For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.”

            If you agreed to the Be faithful to God in 2015 New Year’s resolution, He has a memo for you.  There are truths that He wants you to know that do not apply to other people:

            One of the Holy Spirit’s job is to convict people of sin.  Understand that Jesus died to forgive us even for that particular sin that we may be considering right now.  But after receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior, we are united with the Father.  We have full fellowship with God.  That includes friendship, cooperation, brotherhood with Jesus and fellow believers, companionship, and even partnership.

            Our sin debt is paid-in-full.  We’re free from guilt.  Don’t believe the devil’s whispers.  He’s a liar.  He is desperate because his time is short.  He’s very angry at those who’re sealed by God’s Spirit forever for Salvation.  He wants to lure believers away from being set apart for God’s service.  His goal is to tempt you into sin and disrupt your fellowship with God.

            Does this change your mind about committing the sin that you may be considering now?

            Brotherhood with Jesus and fellow believers marks us as children of God.  That’s who we are, our Identity and to whom we belong.   We’re joint-heirs with Christ.  !!!  We’re transformed from sinners into saints.  A saint is someone who Jesus saved for eternal life and is set apart for God’s purpose.

            Saints have instant access to the Father.  God’s Spirit provides guidance as a constant companion.  Jesus’ presence and provision is evidence of our Position in Him.   This is like believers wearing a T-shirt proclaiming I BELONG TO GOD!

            Are you still pondering the sin that may be tempting you?

            Believers’ Mission is to be Jesus Christ demos.  Other people who know us and watch our lives ought to see at least a hint of Jesus at work.

            So, why not forget the sin that’s trying to entrap you?  Of course you’re tempted by something—we all are.  Let that be what reminds us why we made the 2015 New Year’s resolution  to be faithful to God.

Take Home Nugget

            Let’s praise God for the wonder of our Salvation, our Identity in Christ, and Positon to the Father—then fulfill our Mission to demonstrate Jesus to the world.

            And when others wonder why you’re always happy and secure, it’s okay to share God’s memo with them.

Have you seen God’s memo?  Do you want to share it with others?

                                                                                                                        J.D. Griffith


Click here for Interactive-Online-Lesson for God’s Memo


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Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Promised Return

PROMISED RETURN
John 14:1-3
John 14:2-3:  “In My Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you.  I am going to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you with Me that you also may be where I am.”
            “I can’t wait!” ten year old Cassie beamed to her friend Missy as they talked on the phone after Christmas.  “My grandma is coming to visit!  I haven’t seen her in-like-forever.”
            “Maybe she’ll bring you a gift,” Missy suggested, smiling when hearing her friend’s delight.  “I know you’re excited to see her again.  I’d really miss my grandma if I didn’t see her often.”
            Family.  What would we do without family?  When there are too many miles separating our homes, visiting family on holidays is very special.  We do enjoy looking forward to having a good time once we’re together again.  The same is true for the believers of Christ who are looking forward to being together one day.
            Perhaps Jesus is just as excited as we are to have all His family in one place.  His family is His church—all who believe in Him around the world.  Jesus talked more about His coming back to earth than about His death.
            And Christians know the significance of Jesus’ death.  Jesus knew that He was born so that He could die.  It was Jesus’ sacrificial death that paid for human sin.  We’ve seen from the previous devotions that Jesus was never sorry for having to suffer and die in order to offer people eternal life.  Our living together with God was always His plan when He created us in His image (Genesis 1:27).
            Searching Old Testament Scripture reveals that more passages talk about Jesus’ second coming than His first.  Consider God’s excitement for having all His children “under one roof.”  Since people were created in God’s image, our excitement for family reunions must be inherited from our Creator! 
            Our excitement for being with God eternally need not die as we suffer trials on earth.  Jesus is still coming back.  Prophets, apostles and teachers remind people to remain faithful to God throughout the Bible.  For He is faithful, even when we’re not.  Jesus urges in John 14:1:  “Do not let your hearts be troubled.  Trust in God; trust also in Me.”
            Can you resolve to Be Faithful to God in 2015?
Take Home Nugget
            Just as excited as we are to welcome Jesus’ return, the devil knows that his end is near.  For Jesus’ coming back is the devil’s final defeat, sealing his fate forever.    
“Behold, I am coming soon!” Jesus promises in Revelation 22:12
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
                                                                                                                       J.D. Griffith


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Friday, December 26, 2014

Relate to Messiah

RELATE TO MESSIAH
Luke 4:16-21
Luke 4:18-19:  “The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor.  He has sent Me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
            Jesus read this one Sabbath at the synagogue in Nazareth, where He had grown up.  After Jesus rolled up the scroll and returned it to the attendant,   Luke says that everyone’s eyes were on Him.  How uncomfortable! 
            Then Jesus said, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”  Was Jesus teasing?
            Jesus knew the people’s minds.  What do we guess they were thinking?  Were they wondering IF Jesus could be The One? 
            Nah!  “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they reminded one another. 
            Even before Jesus came to earth as a baby, He knew that this day was coming when His homies would turn against Him.  “No prophet is accepted in His hometown.” He commented in Luke 4:24.
            Would you have tried to console Jesus after He escaped their murderous rage in Luke 4:28-30? They wanted to throw Him off a cliff!
            Those who accept Jesus as Lord, and believe that He’s God’s Son AND anointed One, (Messiah, Christ), are adopted as children into God’s family.  (This is what it means in John 3:5-7 to be born again from above by God’s Spirit).  Now the very nature of our relationship with God is Him as a loving Father and we as loving obedient children.
            Hebrews 7:25 says that Jesus intercedes for us to the Father—making us look good to Dad.   
            When our siblings are under attack, we want to help.  Jesus does not need our help, though, like an earthly brother might.  What Jesus wants from His brothers and sisters is obedience (John 14:15). Jesus didn’t go around bragging that He is Messiah, flaunting His power. 
            That’s our job.
            His purpose was the opening Scripture’s job description.  But when necessary, He’d own up to being the Messiah.  See the lesson linked below for Jesus’ relating to a Samaritan woman, and she to Him.
            The opening Scripture ends with, “to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”  This is not a calendar year—but the period of time when salvation will be proclaimed—the Messianic Age. 
Take Home Nugget
            After people are (re)born into God’s family, nothing can destroy our relationship with God; although sin can disrupt fellowship.  The Bible is how God relates to people.  Prayer is how people relate to God.     
Holy Jesus, my King and Messiah, thank You for making it possible for me, a sinful person, to build a relationship with God!
                                                                                                                       J.D. Griffith



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