Date: 11-10-2020

Title: Pride

(S) cripture:
    1 Corinthians 10:12 (NASB) Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.

(O) bservation:
    Paul is using some illustrations from the Old Testament to warn the people about pride. He tells the Corinthians that these things happened as examples for them. He then gives this warning about pride, “let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.”

(A) pplication:
    My grandfather used to say, “If you ride a high saddle you have a long way to fall.” It was his warning about the dangers of pride. He was not and the scripture is not talking about a pride that drives me to excellence but rather one that puts my nose in the air as better than others. It is the “snooty” pride that leads to a fall. I must admit that I have, in the past, taken some sinful delight, for which I have confessed, in the fall of some high and mighty politicians and preachers. Those who have set themselves up as better and higher and “the laws don’t apply to me”, when exposed the crash is great. I know pastors who call themselves “God’s anointed” and dare anyone to challenge their authority or instructions. Many times, this authoritarian rule is used to cover their personal sin and immoral behavior. The illustrations are many from both politics and the religious world. In my life I must never let pride separate me from the people I am called to serve. The only place where I can boast is in the cross of Christ.

(P) rayer:
    Lord, make me aware of areas of pride that hinder your work in and through me. Let me be so consumed with you that pride has no chance to grow in me. Amen

Date: 11-09-2020

Title: A Fond and Funny Memory

(S) cripture:
    1 Corinthians 7:1-2 (NASB) Now concerning the things about which you wrote, it is good for a man not to touch a woman. 2 But because of immoralities, each man is to have his own wife, and each woman is to have her own husband.

1 Corinthians 7:9 (NASB) But if they do not have self-control, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

(O) bservation: Paul is giving instructions on marriage to the Corinthian church. He gives instructions to the married and unmarried.

(A) pplication:
    Becky and I were married on April 8, 1978, in the Mount Vernon Baptist Church in Scott Depot, WV. The pastor of our church in Kentucky and Becky’s home pastor shared the service. There were a number of humorous things that happened at the ceremony that day. I chose these verses because they are the verses that Becky’s home pastor chose to read as he began our wedding service. It was hard to keep a straight face when he read these verses. Here I am on my wedding day and the preacher is saying it is better not to marry but it is better to marry than to burn with passion. We have laughed about that over the years. I am sure there have been times when Becky wonders why she didn’t take the preacher’s advice. God has blessed us with two incredible daughters. Both are now out of the house and off the payroll. Both are active in their faith and churches. Both are married to wonderful men who also love the Lord. Sarah and Ryan have four daughters and Bethany and Justin have three sons. The two and their families continue to bring great joy to us. Becky and I continue to enjoy married life, nearly 43 years now. As I read the scripture this morning it brought back a fond and funny memory for which I thank God.

(P) rayer:
    Lord, thank you for bringing Becky to me and for the life we have together. Thank you for our girls and their families. Thank you for fond and funny memories that I can share with others. Amen

Date: 11-08-2020

Title: Talk Versus Power

(S) cripture:
    1 Corinthians 4:19-21 (NASB) But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I shall find out, not the words of those who are arrogant but their power. 20 For the kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power. 21 What do you desire? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love and a spirit of gentleness?

(O) bservation:
    In dealing with this troubled church Paul assesses part of the problem. There are arrogant people, those pushing their own agenda. They use words to persuade but there is no power in those words to change a life. It is not enough to talk a good game you must live it with power. The kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. It must be more than talk.

(A) pplication:
    The church seems to be full of folks who talk a good game. These people want to influence the direction of the church and yet their hearts are only filled with cheap talk rather than the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul wanted to assess the real power of people and we should do the same. Living out our faith must be more than lip service. We cannot talk one way and live another. For our talk to be filled with power it must come from a life that is surrendered and committed to God. We must be walking by faith in the power of the Holy Spirit. We cannot be satisfied with simply talking a good game because that leaves our lives empty and powerless.

(P) rayer:
    Lord, fill me with your Spirit today. Let my walk with you be filled with power. Let my talk match my walk today, keep me from hypocrisy. Amen

Date: 11-07-2020

Title: Foolish Wisdom

(S) cripture:
    1 Corinthians 1:17-31 (NASB) For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void. 18 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written, “I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE, AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE.” 20 Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22 For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, 24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 26 For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; 27 but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, 28 and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, 29 so that no man may boast before God. 30 But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, 31 so that, just as it is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.”

(O) bservation:
    Wisdom was something important to the people of Corinth. But the wisdom they sought was made foolish by God. They wanted a faith that made sense to them, but the power of the cross does not come from human wisdom. In fact, human wisdom empties the cross of its power. Even though it may not make sense to us, the power of the cross is rooted in the message of Christ crucified. It is not in miracles or wisdom but in the preaching of Christ crucified.

(A) pplication:
     Over the years I have read many “church growth” books and tried some of the programs. It seems that many are based on the best advertizing and marketing skills that can be offered. I was always suspicious of those that told me to identify a target group. I thought Jesus already that in the Great Commission. I wonder if we have not emptied the power of the cross by trying to make that message fit into our slick schemes. When I think of myself and when I was called, I fit what Paul described, unwise, non-influential and not of noble birth and yet God has chosen to use me. Why then would I turn to the wisdom of man to accomplish the things of God? This is not a call to be ignorant, but it is a reminder of just Who we are to listen to and follow. Today I choose to follow the Lord and the Word God has given to us. Whatever wisdom I need will be found there. Today I must remember that power comes from the cross, the resurrection and God’s Spirit living in me and not my worldly wisdom.

(P) rayer:
    Lord, I do not ever want to empty the cross of its power by substituting human wisdom for the gospel. Help me to get this right. Amen
    

Date: 11-06-2020

Title: Serve One Another

(S) cripture:
    Galatians 5:13-14 (NASB) For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”

(O) bservation:
    Paul reminds the people that their freedom in Christ is not a freedom to sin but rather it is being free to show our love by serving one another. Paul has picked up on Jesus’ teaching and again emphasizes that the whole law is fulfilled in the statement, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” Here it is again, and it is so simple and yet so profound. We are to love God and others.

(A) pplication:
    I wonder why we make things so complicated. We get so caught up in the details of theology that we miss what we are called to accomplish. Mostly, in the church, we argue over the traditions and non-essential things like: the method of baptism or dress codes and Jesus says, “love each other.” When will we get it right? The love that we receive and are to show others isn’t wishy-washy or gushy or dismissing of the truth. Rather it is tough and addresses sin and corrects bad behavior. Speaking the truth in love is hard and difficult at times and requires an element of personal risk and yet we are compelled to speak it. The verses I chose today from Galatians 5 and its theme is to serve others. We just can’t get away from this call to show our love through serving others. It is something that we should try. Today I will focus on serving others as an expression of my love for God

(P) rayer:
    Lord, too often I want to be served rather than to serve others. Keep me focused on serving you by serving others today. Help me to make this a habit and a daily expression of my faith in you. Amen

Date: 11-05-2020

Title: Living By Faith

(S) cripture:
    Galatians 3:1-3 (NASB) You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? 2 This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?

(O) bservation:
    Paul was addressing a problem in the Galatian church. The believers who had received the Spirit by faith were now trying to live by keeping the law. There were those among them that were teaching that very idea. The idea was to become a Christian by faith and then live that out by keeping the law. These false teachers were encouraging the believers to give up their freedom in Christ for slavery to the law. Paul challenges them and reminds them of the direction they should follow. They began and should continue by faith. Their trust and security is in their faith in God not in keeping the law. They were justified by faith in Christ and not by keeping any law.

(A) pplication:
    This is still a trap that many Christians fall in to. There are still those who teach that the way to please God is to focus on and keep the law. We too, are foolish if we think that we receive Christ by faith and then try to live out our faith by keeping the law. The problem is that we set up artificial standards and if we keep them, we think we must be OK with God. God’s grace has set us free to be all that God wants us to be. That freedom is not a license to do whatever we want but rather it is a freedom to do what is right and godly. Before we became Christians, our sin nature was a slave to sin and we could only do things that displeased God because they were not from faith. We are now free to do what pleases God. Church Swindoll in his book “The Grace Awakening” calls these artificial standards “Grace Killers” and that is exactly what they do. The “laws” we put in place to show how righteous we are only kill grace in us and others.

Today I want to be a Grace Giver not a Grace Killer. I want to live by faith in the power of the Holy Spirit. I want my faith to be revealed and seen in what I do but it comes from my relationship with the Lord. In no way do I want to think or even imply that what I do in any way merits God’s favor or grace. What I do comes out of my submission to Christ not from an obligation to keep the law. Today I desire to live free in Christ and in that freedom to impact people around me with the gospel of Christ.

(P) rayer:
    Lord, help me to live free and to trust only in you. Let me live by faith, filled with the Holy Spirit and trusting in you. Make me aware when I am killing grace in others and myself. Let me make a difference for you today in someone’s life. Amen

Date: 11-04-2020

Title: What A Testimony

(S) cripture:
    Galatians 1:24 (NASB) And they were glorifying God because of me.

(O) bservation:
    Paul make this simple but profound comment in sharing about his ministry and travels for the sake of the gospel. The churches in Judea had not yet met Paul but had heard his story. They praised God because of what they had heard about Paul. His changed life caused them to praise and glorify God.

(A) pplication:
    I want the Lord to work in my life in such a way that when people hear about it, they glorify God. I want to live in such a way that when people take notice it causes people to glorify God. I want my life to point people to Jesus. I can think of no greater testimony that others could give about my life than, “they were glorifying God because of me.”

(P) rayer:
    Lord, do your work in me, knock off the rough edges and help me to live for you. Fill me with the Holy Spirit and let me point others to you today. I pray that my life will cause others to praise and glorify you. Amen

Date: 11-03-2020

Title: Discipline

(S) cripture:
    Job 27:2-6 (NASB) “As God lives, who has taken away my right, And the Almighty, who has embittered my soul, 3 For as long as life is in me, And the breath of God is in my nostrils, 4 My lips certainly will not speak unjustly, Nor will my tongue mutter deceit. 5 “Far be it from me that I should declare you right; Till I die I will not put away my integrity from me. 6 “I hold fast my righteousness and will not let it go. My heart does not reproach any of my days.

(O) bservation:
    As Job responds to his friends, he reveals his faith and character. He will maintain his integrity and will hold fast to acting righteously. What a testimony. His has lost nearly everything and his friends are accusing his of all kinds of wrong and yet Job holds on to what he knows is right and just and Godly.

(A) pplication:
    God disciplines us because He loves us and wants the best for us. Sometimes he uses our brothers and sisters to correct us. Sometimes he uses us to correct others. The trouble is that our tendency is to protect and defend ourselves in times of discipline, trouble, and stress. We blame God for our circumstances. We ask God why he did this or that to us? At best we ask why he allowed something that he could have prevented. We fail to look for the big picture, what God is doing in us to prepare us for other things. Job’s wife had encouraged him to “curse God and die.” But Job held on to the truth of his faith. I want to do the same. In the face of accusation or even when I think that God has “embittered my soul,” I want to hold to the truth of my faith and walk with Jesus.

    It is not always easy, but it is the only path to take if I want to continue to grow as a Christian. What do you do when a friend needs to be corrected and you risk being misunderstood but your integrity compels you to talk with the person? How do you approach a brother or sister with their sin? How do I receive the correction from others? I want to be as confident in my walk with the Lord as Job was in his. I want this passage to represent my life

(P) rayer:
    Lord, when I am being corrected let me listen and respond with humility, truth and grace. When I must correct another let it be with redemptive words filled with grace. Let me never compromise your word in my life. I want to live for you. Amen

Date: 11-02-2020

Title: The Deity of Jesus

(S) cripture:
    Mark 14:61-64 (NASB) But He kept silent and did not answer. Again the high priest was questioning Him, and saying to Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?” 62 And Jesus said, “I am; and you shall see THE SON OF MAN SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF POWER, and COMING WITH THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN.” 63 Tearing his clothes, the high priest *said, “What further need do we have of witnesses? 64 “You have heard the blasphemy; how does it seem to you?” And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death.

(O) bservation:
    Jesus stands silent before the High Priest being falsely accused by person after person. Jesus refuses to answer or respond to any of the charges. The High Priest takes things into his own hand and asks Jesus, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?” Jesus answers this with, “I am.” The High Priest knows that Jesus has just claimed to be God. There is no mistaking what Jesus said or claimed. He then condemns Jesus to die.

(A) pplication:
    Many will argue that Jesus never claimed to be God but that it was something others claimed for him. Not true. In an attempt to make Jesus just a man like all other religious leaders some deny his claim to being God. Jesus was not just a good man or a great moral teacher. He claimed to be God. C.S. Lewis makes this argument in Mere Christianity, “A man who was merely a man and said the kind of things Jesus said wouldn’t have been a Great Moral Teacher, He is either a lunatic on the level of on who says he is a poached egg, or the devil of hell. You must take your choice. Either this person is the Son of God or a mad man or something worse. You can shut him up as a demon or fall at His feet and call him God, but don’t come up with any patronizing nonsense about His being a Great Moral Teacher. He hasn’t left that alternative open to us.”

    There is no mistaking what Jesus said or meant. The people understood it then and we know it today. Therefore, we must deal with the claims Jesus makes on our lives. It was 64 years ago when I gave my life to Christ and followed Him by faith. Today I affirm again my faith and trust in His death and resurrection. I thank Him for forgiving my sin and guaranteeing my life with Him eternally. I know He is God because He said so and has proved so in changing my life.

(P) rayer:
    Father, thank you for sending Your Son, Jesus, to pay the price for my sin so that I might have fellowship with you. Today I affirm again my trust and dependence on Jesus. Let me share that good news with others. Amen

Date: 11-01-2020

Title: The Simplicity of Following Jesus

(S) cripture:
    Mark 12:28-31 (NASB) One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the foremost of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD; 30 AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.’ 31 “The second is this, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

(O) bservation:
    The Jewish leaders have been trying to catch Jesus in something they can arrest him for. He simply outsmarts them at every turn. The leaders are afraid of a public revolt if they arrest Jesus without cause because the people are thrilled with Jesus’ teaching. In response to a question Jesus gives the foundation for faith. God is one not many and we are to love God with all that we are and then love others as ourselves. Simple and straightforward. There was no mistaking the message here. This was not a hidden truth in a parable but was a simple understandable answer.

(A) pplication:
    The Pharisees and teachers of the law had concocted so many rules for the “righteous” to live by that it was nearly impossible. They were filled with spiritual pride because they were better at keeping their rules than others. Too often we resemble these rule makers. We make following Jesus about rules rather than about loving him. Jesus strikes at the heart of such oppressive legalism. Our faith is simple and easy to understand. Love God with all we are and Others as ourselves. How simple is that. Easy to understand and tough to do. Today I need to return to the simplicity of following Jesus. Simple but not simplistic. How free would we be in our lives if we practiced this and this alone? Today I renew my commitment to Love God with all that I am and to love others as I love myself.

(P) rayer:
    Lord, help me to keep my focus on loving you and then loving others will fall into place. Let me do what you command. Amen