Category: Devotions

Jesus’ Heart Monitor

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matthew 7:21-23)

This passage always seemed vaguely menacing to me. After all, the deeds listed sound so good and spiritual. Aren’t they all things that God loves seeing done? So what is wrong? Do we need to be scared that Jesus would say ‘I never knew you’ to us, after we thought we were living for him?

Here’s a clue: We know that Jesus says he wants us to put his words into practice. And there is a way we can know we are on the right track as we try to do that. When I go running, I like to wear a heart rate monitor to track my level of effort. And Jesus has given us a spiritual heart monitor.

How does that work? First, note that all three of the activities in verse 22, prophesying, exorcizing and healing, are activities that are done in public. But that means there’s a huge danger that they can become public displays that draw attention to the doer rather than to Jesus!

The Beatitudes give us a remedy for this risk: they focus not on what we are doing but on our heart attitude. Look at this one especially:

 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.(Matthew 5:8)

It’s far better to be doing quiet stuff that few people see while having the right heart attitude, than to do flashy visible stuff with the wrong heart attitude.

So now we see that Jesus kicks out people who seek after self-glory rather than his glory.

Do you ever wonder whether you are seeking his glory or your own glory? Sometimes it is hard to distinguish.  But the mere fact that you are even bothering to wrestle with this issue, admitting that it might be a problem, is a great sign that you are on the right track.

We press on with good deeds, not worrying about publicity or recognition. Inviting Christ to keep working in our hearts leads to an excellent result: At life’s end, Jesus welcomes us into his kingdom, saying “Well done, good and faithful servant”!

Busywork or Fruit?

I love the online Bible commentaries of Bob Utley[1] and refer to them often in my personal study. He takes scripture 100% seriously as God’s word, but he is not a dogmatic follower of any theological system. He inspires me to reexamine my own interpretations; sometimes he leads me to change my mind. And when I disagree with him, he at least inspires me to examine why I believe what I believe.

I recently read a comment he made saying that forgiveness and mercy are the most important measures of growing Christian maturity. That struck me because I have always been curious about how you measure Christian maturity.

Unfortunately, maturity is too often measured quantitatively. You show you are mature by racking up the right totals of ministry activities and volunteering for things. But then you are never sure what the right total is. You might think you are doing OK, only to have someone tell you “You should be volunteering more!” Driven by guilt, you then put in even more volunteer time. Does that increase in quantity mean you are more mature … or that you are afraid of what people think and get bullied into doing things?

Another bogus Christian maturity measure is the quantity of Bible knowledge. Someone has memorized a mass quantity of Bible verses. And taken plenty of Bible courses, obtaining more knowledge of each book in the Bible than just about anyone. But has that created maturity…or just arrogance?

So I love that Utley is saying that the measure of Christian maturity is qualitative. And certainly forgiveness and mercy are important qualities. After all, what good is it if I am busy doing virtuous deeds while silently seething, replaying various grudges in my mind, and not releasing them and bringing them to the cross?  Or if I have very harsh feelings towards those who don’t participate in ministry things the way that I do?

That said, I’d like to make Utley’s point a little wider, by bringing in the fruits of the spirit. These fruits are all great qualitative indicators of maturity that grow in our own lives and allow us to encourage people instead of laying guilt on them.

 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23a)

Looking at these fruits has been beneficial during the pandemic. Since the quantity of stuff to do is being cut back, then the quality of what’s going on in my heart, head and brain is laid bare. A good opportunity to replace any slop there with fruit!

[1]    http://www.freebiblecommentary.org/

Taking Up your Cross: Grim Duty or Joy?

 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.  For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. (Luke 9:23-24)

Over the years, I have heard a distorted version of  “You need to take up your cross” — it was  used as a motivational (or guilt-instilling !) pitch to urge people to give more money or to be involved in more church ministry volunteering.  I’d try to obey this command with a kind of grim determination, gritting my teeth and getting on with it.

But if being a Christian is a  grim duty, then I don’t have much motivation to  woo someone towards  the Christian life as something beautiful. I was far from saying “this lifestyle is a joy, you should join me.”

Certainly I don’t believe the prosperity gospel’s teaching that Jesus guarantees “your best life now”, but in denying this false teaching I went too far to the other extreme —- I overlooked the ways that Jesus does give  something wonderful right now. Remember, he says I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:10b)

Jesus offers a delicious paradox:  by living in a sacrificial way, we end up getting so much more!

Jesus’ invitation is great for life during any time frame but especially during the pandemic:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

So I Take up the cross, take on Jesus’ yoke and end up getting rest for my soul.

He is not promising freedom from obstacles, but rather rest during them. I do get a lot, just in a vastly different way than the prosperity gospel says.

Now that’s an offer I can’t refuse!

Secret Knowledge?

secret bible codes

The Apostle Paul warns that we can end up always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. (2 Timothy 3:7)

But what’s the difference between learning and knowledge?
I couldn’t find a big difference between these two Greek words so the context must be key.  

Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” So knowledge of the truth is given to everyone who follows Jesus. To know the truth is to know Jesus, since he is the truth.

Therefore the learning that Paul is talking about in this verse must mean something outside of truly knowing Jesus. As you see above in The Sun’s front page, this “learning” is information that will be revealed to the select few —- note the words “hidden” and “secret.”

Unlike the writers in the Sun, I don’t know secrets like where Jimmy Hoffa is today. Nor do I have a quick, secret shortcut to give you lasting peace of mind and your best life now.

If I learn a lot of hidden linkages and connections in the Bible along with secret number codes, how does that increase my compassion for anyone?

I have been reflecting on the simple message of the gospel. I like how Jonathan Leeman says it:
The gospel can be summarized in four words: God, man, Christ, response.
God is holy and loving.
Man sinned and earned the judgment of a holy and loving God.
Christ lived and died in our place to defeat sin and death.
We are called to respond in repentance and faith.

There isn’t anything secret about the gospel. It’s the knowledge that we really need!