trying to handle things on our own

Daily Devotional for November 15, 2022 – Making yourself at home in the Vine, and serving as He commands…have you “pruned” too closely?

John 15:5-8
“I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing. Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire. But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon. This is how my Father shows who he is—when you produce grapes, when you mature as my disciples.

Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.

Each year I taught kindergarten, my class celebrated Thanksgiving by creating our own “feast” in the classroom. Every child was assigned something to bring…canned or fresh vegetables for the stew, marshmallows or pudding mix for the “cold salad,” cranberries, and ingredients to make a dessert. We created hats and headdresses, placemats, and decorations. We invited a few parents and special guests (like the principal – and one year, a local television news celebrity, Chuck Dovish) to come and eat with us.

Everyone had a part to play. If all the ingredients were not supplied, the meal wouldn’t come together. Yes, I had “backup” plans, but the point was for each student to do his/her part to bring about this delicious and momentous meal. And I will say, most years the feast came together well (although there was that one time when the potatoes in the stew did not want to cook for some reason, but we persevered!).

Unlike today, when students are out of school the entire week of Thanksgiving, we held classes on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. For several years, I scheduled my classroom feast on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. I always let the cafeteria ladies know that my students and I would not be coming for lunch that day, and we ate in our room. If memory serves me correctly, these ladies graciously even baked our pumpkin pies for us.

But one year, the cafeteria manager approached me and said, “You are being disrespectful!” I was perplexed, and she continued… “Your class always skips our special Thanksgiving meal. We work really hard on that, and you just dismiss it.” In my defense, I did not believe 5-year-olds were especially fond of turkey and dressing. But I saw that I had clearly hurt the feelings of these lovely cafeteria ladies by stepping away and doing things differently. I promptly rescheduled my classroom feast to a different day – and it remained so for the rest of the years I taught.

My point is this…sometimes even when we think we are doing things right and working together, we get it at least a little bit wrong. When we strike out on our own and fail to consider the much bigger picture, we often cause unnecessary hurt and heartache toward others – and in the Kingdom of Heaven.

You may think that everyone in your church interprets scripture as you do, so it’s okay to embrace certain rituals or tenets and trust they are “God-ordained.” Meanwhile, you may be excluding others and making it abundantly clear to them that “their kind” is not welcome or included. This is NOT God-ordained…it does not represent the teachings of Jesus. Not only is such behavior unproductive – it can do great damage to the missions and ministries of Jesus Christ. Sometimes, this can even sully the name we claim as “Christians” – or members of a certain religious belief or denomination.

Thanksgiving Day is a time to be thankful…but it is also a time to celebrate unity. Sadly, a lot of folks have separated from the Vine these days and decided to have things their own way in some manner. This will surely affect the “harvest.” Jesus reminds us in this passage to stay attached to the Vine…to make ourselves at home in Him and listen for His voice. When we keep the words of Jesus in our heart…and demonstrate His commands in every utterance and action, there is plentiful bounty and more than enough for all.

Ask Jesus to show you where you have started to “prune your branches” a bit too closely – and where you need to draw closer to Him and pay attention to serving all others in His name. Do the necessary work to let this be the year that your Thanksgiving Feast is a celebration of Christ’s blessings and abundance for all of us. And let your words and actions bring glory and honor to His Kingdom, forever and ever. Alleluia!

Daily Devotional for January 25, 2022 – Trusting God’s “GPS” to guide you in all things…it’s time to get on track!

Proverbs 3:5-8
Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
don’t try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
he’s the one who will keep you on track.
Don’t assume that you know it all.
Run to God! Run from evil!
Your body will glow with health,
your very bones will vibrate with life!

Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.

Last week, Greg and I drove to a community across the lake to hike a few trails located within the city. We’ve been to this area several times, although it had been a few years since our last visit. Greg turned on the GPS in our car and programmed each trail, and the service guided us to our destination with commands like, “Turn left in 1000 feet on XYZ street” or “Drive approximately ¼ mile to ABC street,” and “Your destination is on the right.” Without this guidance, we might have found our trails…but we would surely have wasted a lot of time getting to them – and we would have become exasperated in the process. I won’t tell you that GPS is perfect…but trusting this guidance got us where we were headed with a fair amount of ease and accuracy.

You see where I’m headed, don’t you?! God is our ultimate GPS. When we trust in His will and way to keep us on track, we always reach our destination. If you were to read ahead in Proverbs 3 a few verses, you would see an acknowledgement that God sometimes corrects us when we wander off course – and we should welcome this. Had Greg and I decided to go our own way last week, we might very well have returned to the GPS to figure out where we missed the mark – and our destination. Sometimes, we need to ask God to correct our course and show us where we are making mistakes or getting off track, as well.

I am thankful for modern-day devices like GPS. I was never good at reading maps! But I am more grateful for the guidance of God Almighty, and I know how to “read” His directives through prayer, scripture study, and fellowship with other believers. I know that God’s directions are always perfect – and take me straight to where I need to be. The more I listen for God’s voice and trust His plans and instructions, the better everything about my life becomes.

The hikes we take help to keep our body healthy and our bones strong…and GPS often helps us find our destinations. God’s guidance will help us find His will for our lives…and the ultimate “good health” – mentally, physically and spiritually. Trust in the LORD with all your heart. Don’t depend on your own “intuition” or ideas, but always defer to His guidance and will. God will keep you on track in every area of life and bring about a perfect outcome that glorifies His Kingdom. This should be our goal in all that we say and do. It’s time to turn on God’s “GPS” and head in the right direction! Alleluia!

Daily Devotional for February 2, 2018 – To whom will you give your power?

February 2 ~ 2 Thessalonians 1:3-10
You need to know, friends, that thanking God over and over for you is not only a pleasure; it’s a must. We have to do it. Your faith is growing phenomenally; your love for each other is developing wonderfully. Why, it’s only right that we give thanks. We’re so proud of you; you’re so steady and determined in your faith despite all the hard times that have come down on you. We tell everyone we meet in the churches all about you.

All this trouble is a clear sign that God has decided to make you fit for the kingdom. You’re suffering now, but justice is on the way. When the Master Jesus appears out of heaven in a blaze of fire with his strong angels, he’ll even up the score by settling accounts with those who gave you such a bad time. His coming will be the break we’ve been waiting for. Those who refuse to know God and refuse to obey the Message will pay for what they’ve done. Eternal exile from the presence of the Master and his splendid power is their sentence. But on that very same day when he comes, he will be exalted by his followers and celebrated by all who believe—and all because you believed what we told you.

Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.

If you have been following the news at all, you know that a “doctor” (I give him this title loosely) in Michigan who has been convicted of multiple counts of sexual assault on young women – most of whom were gymnasts supposedly in his “medical care”. This man pretended to be “treating” these girls medically as their “team doctor”…while in truth, he was violating them sexually.

Testimony has been allowed from more 156 victims, so far, and their tearful accounts have been heart-breaking and horrific. This man has been sentenced to between 40 and 175 years in prison, based on various counts. Because of consecutive sentences, he will never walk free again.

This morning, during a sentencing hearing, the father of three young women who all were all victims of this man asked the judge if he could address the perpetrator. Specifically, he requested that she “grant me five minutes in a locked room with this demon.” The judge denied the request…as well as one for one minute with the man. When she told the father that he could speak to the assailant, as long as he did not use profanity, the dad charged forward in an attempt to directly assault this plaintiff. This father was quickly wrestled to the ground and handcuffed.

After the deputies cleared this father and others from the courtroom, one of the Prosecuting Attorneys addressed the court directly…”No one can behave like this. This is letting him (meaning the man on trial) have power over us.” Later, when the judge returned to the courtroom, she acknowledged that the event had been scary…and that she fully understood this father’s angst. She noted that it was hard for her to hear the testimony, so she could only imagine what it was like for parents and family members. But she pled with the court…”please let the criminal justice system do what it’s supposed to do.”

Now you might be wondering what this has to do with Paul’s writings to the Thessalonians in this passage…or how this relates to you and me. And the short answer comes in the form of a question…”To whom will you give your power?” Will you allow God to work in your life – even in the troubling and most difficult times? Will you trust Him and believe that He’s got your back? Or will you try to take matters into your own hands…and in the process, surrender your power to the devil and his agents?

Will you trust that God is still in complete control…even on the days when it seems like “the world has gone mad”? Will you stay calm and demonstrate steadfast faith, regardless of what is going on around you? Will others look at you and see someone who is confident that our Savior is in complete control and will mete out justice perfectly? Or will you be known as someone who trades in angst and frustration over situations that are beyond your control?

Who truly has the power over your life…and is this obvious to others? Don’t you think it should be? Are you ready to operate in steadfast faith and confidence that Jesus is coming back…and His “court” will do what it is supposed to do? Are you really fit for God’s Kingdom – and showing it in how you trust Him for everything? Isn’t it time you were?

Daily Devotional for September 7, 2017 – Who are you listening to?

John 5:19-20
Jesus told the people:I tell you for certain that the Son cannot do anything on his own. He can do only what he sees the Father doing, and he does exactly what he sees the Father do. The Father loves the Son and has shown him everything he does. The Father will show him even greater things, and you will be amazed.

“I’ll do it myself!”
“Stop trying to help me!”
“Leave me alone…I know what I’m doing!”
“I know a better way!”

At one time or another, you and I have uttered at least one of these phrases. Children are notorious for thinking they have all of the answers…or don’t need any help with everything from tying shoes and fastening clothing to carrying loads larger than their own bodies. To some degree, this is a sign of independence and self-sufficiency. But somewhere along the line, it often morphs into arrogance…if not downright stupidity!

Yes, there are times when an “old dog” can learn a “new trick”. I recently discovered that for nearly 60 years, I’ve made scrambled eggs all wrong. I saw a world-renowned chef prepare them on a television show, and his method is indeed far superior to mine! But there are countless times in a week where I remember something my grandmother or my mother told me. There are times when I think of one of my parents or grandparents and wonder, “What would he/she do in this situation?” There are also moments when I have actually said of a loved one that has passed…”I’m so thankful that he/she is not here to see this!”

We’ve all learned valuable lessons from the “parents” and “grandparents” in our lives…and we often “channel” those examples or messages and apply them to our daily living. These are critical to who we are in this world. To try to come up with our own ideas and methods for everything would be ludicrous – and exhausting. So why do we do this in our Spiritual life?

When will we learn that we can do nothing apart from God? Even Jesus said that God spoke through Him…that when others saw Him, they were “seeing” God…that God’s words were Christ’s words – and His thoughts and ideas were what Jesus shared with the world. So when we speak, act, and minister…our words and actions should come from God. We should prayerfully ask Him to work in and through us and enact His desires and plans.

But here’s the thing…we have a bad habit of wandering off on our own. We can “tie our own shoes” and represent God. We know what we are doing! And before you know it, we’ve essentially decided that God wants what we want. So we start saying and doing the things we claim come from God…but they are really fueled by our own selfish desires and egos. We’ve allowed the evil to help us spin things to the point that we truly believe we are doing God’s will…and in reality, we’re so far off course that it’s ridiculous!

We can correct this! We can stop and ask God to forgive us and set us straight. We can humbly petition our Heavenly Father to speak directly to us and show us where and how He wants us to speak and act. And anything in our lives that doesn’t line up with this can be kicked to the curb, along with the devil. If we are serious about representing Jesus…and in turn, representing God…we have to be sure that what we say and do comes from Him. If we truly want to minister and serve in His name, we have to be certain that we offer nothing and no one else…that we have no hidden agendas…and that we never are arrogant enough to think that we’ve got this on our own.

Psalm 51:10 says…” Create pure thoughts in me and make me faithful again.” This is my prayer…will it be yours?

Daily Devotional for May 29, 2017 – Are you tired in the waiting?

Romans 8:26-28
Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.

After dating for three years – and almost forty-three years of marriage – Greg and I can pretty well finish each other’s sentences. Sometimes, I will open my mouth to say something, and he beats me to it by speaking the very same thought! It’s almost uncanny at times…but in a good way. Often, we will sit together in a room and not say anything for a long time…but there is almost a “telepathic” exchange of thoughts and ideas. We have been blessed to spend virtually every waking minute together for the last 30 years – as business partners and partners in life – and the end result is that we have gotten to know each other incredibly well.

Not everyone is fortunate enough to have this kind of relationship with another human being…and we do not take ours for granted. None of us is perfect…we have our “wordless sighs and aching groans”…and we work through them. But we could not do any of this without God’s Spirit. He has worked the details of our lives together into something good…and we trust Him to continue to do this for us for many years to come.

I’ve kept several prayer journals in my lifetime. They help me collect my thoughts and make mental notes of my joys and concerns. But just as importantly, these books offer me a chance to reflect on God’s answers. I can look back and see how He worked out this situation or that one…where He fulfilled my petitions…and where He answered in a totally different – and unexpected – manner! These journals serve as a physical accounting of God’s goodness – and His presence in all situations and circumstances.

Lately, there have been several situations in which I honestly have not even known how or what to pray. In other areas, I’ve talked to God and asked Him to help me…and then I’ve picked up the concerns and “worried” them – a bad habit I’ve never completely shaken. If you have any notions that I have it all together…you are sadly mistaken! But last night, as I lay down to sleep and began to talk to God about several things with God, I clearly heard Him ask, “When are you going to really let ME have those?” I have to tell you, it was like being doused by cold water!

Who are we to think that we know better than God? How can we look at the situations and circumstances of our lives and not see that He is with us, orchestrating it all even before we think to bring it before Him? Don’t we get that He knows what we are thinking even before we do…that He anticipates our “wordless sighs and aching groans” – and has a solution already in the making?

When are we going to really let God have everything…and trust Him completely to handle any and all areas of our lives? Will this be the day? Are we ready to quit wallowing in things that we should have given to Him a long time ago, so that we are free to enjoy the blessings He has bestowed upon us, like family, friends, personal relationships, freedoms, abundances of all kinds – and most importantly, salvation and the promise of Eternal Life in His presence?

Will this be the day that you truly surrender to God, give Him control, and let Him work everything together for good in your life? Don’t you think it should be?

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