Stained

DAILY DEVOTIONAL, JULY 29

Posted to Matthew 26:28 on Jul 27, 2010 at 09:45 AM

Matthew 26:28 ESV NASB

for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.

Stained

It had been one of those days. Busy, disjointed, and generally out of sorts. So I was less than thrilled when I opened the dryer to discover a red marker without its cap among the load of newly washed clothes. Assessing the damage, I sighed heavily as I realized only a few pieces of the large load had been left untouched by crimson stains.

Knowing anger would prove fruitless, I grabbed the stain remover and went to work. Later, when the load had finished rewashing, I was thankful to see that all traces of red ink had disappeared.

When it comes to sin, no amount of manmade stain remover will ever work. Like a marker in the laundry, sin becomes visible, marking everything it touches. Our best efforts to make it go away leave us profoundly soiled and without hope (Isaiah 64:6). We are desperate for Jesus.

Both the Old and New Testaments tell us there can be no removal of sin without the shedding of blood (Leviticus 17:11; Hebrews 9:22).

While we attest to this truth verbally by confession, do our hearts grasp the enormity of it? We are covered by the precious blood of the spotless Lamb of God (1 Peter 1:18-19). Pure, undefiled— undeserving of our sin—Jesus’ blood was spilled on our behalf. Not a casual marking here and there. It was a saturation, leaving an indelible mark of love and mercy. For the believer, real life flows from a bloodstained Savior.

His sacrifice demands a response, not because He is demanding, but because His gift leaves us without excuse (Ephesians 1:7). When the magnitude of His sacrifice brings our sin and His hope to light, we realize: Repentance is a way of life (1 John 1:7-9) and our hearts should be filled with gratitude to Jesus for His blood-stain on our lives (Colossians 1:12-14). —Regina Franklin

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Do not fear - God Is Coming

DAILY DEVOTIONAL, JULY 28

Isaiah 35:4 ESV NASB

Say to those with anxious heart, “Take courage, fear not. Behold, your God will come with vengeance; The recompense of God will come, But He will save you.”

God Is Coming

Recently, two pygmy sperm whales lay stranded near a New Zealand beach. Though volunteers, led by conversation officer Malcolm Smith, worked tirelessly, they couldn’t coax the beached whales back out into the open water. Just as they were about to surrender hope, a local bottlenose dolphin named Moko arrived, made a few shrill noises toward the whales— and immediately led them into the sea. “I don’t speak whale, and I don’t speak dolphin,” Malcolm said, “but there was obviously something that went on . . . [Moko] did what we had failed to do.”

Each of us responds to our anxiety and distress uniquely. Some of us go into feverish activity, attempting to scratch a way forward. Some of us turn silent or depressed, overwhelmed with a sense that our efforts will all be futile. However, each of us share the same core need: for someone to approach us where we are and to know how to help us.

Since we are helpless on our own, the prophet Isaiah’s instruction may seem cold. “Say to those with fearful hearts, ‘Be strong, and do not fear’ ” (v.4). Don’t these words strike you as something odd to say to a person rung out with fear? Don’t be afraid. Or to a worrier: Don’t worry. Or to one overcome with loneliness: Don’t be lonely. Far from flat admonitions to buck up and change their behavior, however, Isaiah was calling them to look forward, to look up and see that they were in no way alone. A divine rescue was on its way. “Be strong and do not fear,” Isaiah said, “for your God is coming . . . to save you” (v.4). The prophet invites us out of our fear (and out of our worry and loneliness and everything gripping us) because God is here, ready and able to lead us out of our prisons. Will we follow? —Winn Collier

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Christian Music Band - Hillsong : The One Who Saves

HILLSONG DEVOTIONAL, JULY 26

Psalms 27:1 ESV NASB

The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread?

The One Who Saves
Psalm 27
This song is a call to worship, to turn from old ways and surrender to God; A God who gives us hope, peace, and rest, who is desperate to know us and to reconcile us back to Himself. In fact He loves us so persistently that the scriptures say "His love endures forever."

Psalm 27 starts by saying "The Lord is my light, and the One who saves me."

I began writing this song after receiving a bad report about the health of one of my family members. I take great comfort in knowing that we are not left alone in our own capacity or that we need to strive to know or encounter God in those moments, but rather He is vigorously pursuing us, making clear the way to Him. As we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us and we will find HOPE, PEACE, and REST.
- Ben Fielding

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Christian Artist Hillsong - "The Greatness Of Our God" song

HILLSONG DEVOTIONAL, JULY 23

Deuteronomy 32:3 ESV NASB

“For I proclaim the name of the LORD ; Ascribe greatness to our God!

The Greatness Of Our God
Deuteronomy 32:3
"The Greatness Of Our God" was a fun collaboration with my friend Jason Ingram and Stu G. Jason had been reading something about not ever being able to diminish God. No matter what my doubts are, no matter what my thoughts are, there's nothing that actually restricts how good God is and how great God is; hence the lyric "no sky contains, no doubt restrains, all You are, the greatness of our God." To me, that line encapsulates the song.

God is able. God is strong. God is able to answer and He is faithful. No matter what I think, no matter what I do, God is God and I absolutely love that somehow we can sing that.
- Reuben Morgan

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The Holy Riddler

DAILY DEVOTIONAL, JULY 19

Matthew 13:35 ESV NASB

This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: “I WILL OPEN MY MOUTH IN PARABLES ; I WILL UTTER THINGS HIDDEN SINCE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD .”

The Holy Riddler

Mighty, majestic, awesome. Gracious, loving, kind. Such descriptors for God are common, and rightly so. But how many of us would add “playful” to the list? How many of us think of God as the One who toys with us—the holy riddler? “Son of man,” God commands Ezekiel, “give this riddle, and tell this story to the people of Israel” (Ezekiel 17:2). What follows is a warning of judgment couched in a tale of two eagles. “My loved one had a vineyard,” sings the prophet Isaiah, with a description of Israel’s fruitlessness following (Isaiah 5). The prophet Nathan, led by God, told King David a story about a “little ewe lamb” that exposed the shame of David’s infidelity (2 Samuel 12:1-10). The meaning behind such riddles may be dire, but the method is playful—God being coy and indirect with us, using puzzles and parables to see if we have “ears to hear.” “The kingdom of heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed . . . like a mustard seed . . . like a treasure . . . like a fishing net” (Matthew 13:24-52). When the holy riddler took on flesh, He came telling tales of farmers and fishermen, of lamps and tenants (Mark 4:21- 23, 12:1-12), of salt and children (Luke 14:34-35; Mark 9:36-37). Jesus taught little without using such riddles (Matthew 13:34) and while His audience was often let in on the riddle’s meaning, the practice often frustrated His disciples! (John 16:29). But the holy riddler delivers His puzzles with a purpose. He speaks in parables to reveal spiritual truth (Matthew 13:35), but also to weed out those who don’t truly want to hear (vv.11-15). He throws out a hook to see if we’ll bite. Our response to God’s riddles shows how much we really want to know of Him. —Sheridan Voysey

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Community or clique?

DAILY DEVOTIONAL, JULY 16

James 2:1 ESV NASB

My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism.

Community or clique?

Birds of a feather flock together. That’s why you never see a robin flying wingman in a “V” formation of geese or a crow hanging out with hummingbirds (actually, crows are mean enough that they don’t even like the company of other crows). But we who are filled with the Holy Spirit are empowered to buck this law of nature and follow the example of Jesus. He shared His life with an unusual group of guys who were not like Him or even each other. What do the Son of God, a tax collector, an anti-government zealot, and a handful of fishermen have in common? This kind of community was not natural, and—sadly— the first generation of Christians began separating over class and racial differences. Jews looked down on Gentiles, masters thought less of slaves, and the wealthy abused the poor. James ordered the church to stop giving preferential treatment to the rich (James 2:1-9) and Paul admonished the Corinthians to eat together rather than divide by class (1 Corinthians 11:33-34). He reminded the Galatians that “there is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). Henri Nouwen defined community as “the place where the person you least want to live with always lives.” Philip Yancey explains: “Often we surround ourselves with the people we most want to live with, thus forming a club or a clique, not a community. Anyone can form a club; it takes grace, shared vision, and hard work to form a community.” Do you start conversations at church with those who are different from you? Do you invite people to dinner that you don’t particularly like? This kind of community is not natural. But it changed the world once, and it can do so again. —Mike Wittmer

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Power isn't happiness

DAILY DEVOTIONAL, JULY 15

Isaiah 50:11 ESV NASB

Behold, all you who kindle a fire, Who encircle yourselves with firebrands, Walk in the light of your fire And among the brands you have set ablaze. This you will have from My hand: You will lie down in torment.

Power isn't happiness

I recently watched Ghosts of Girlfriends’ Past. The movie (which is a loose adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol) is about a hedonistic, womanizing bachelor who despises the idea of love and marriage. The night before his younger brother’s wedding, he is visited by ghosts representing his past, present, and future girlfriends. By the next morning, he opens his broken heart to love again. Personally, I don’t recommend the movie—except for maybe the last 10 minutes. In particular, the best man’s speech was positive: “Someone once told me that the power in all relationships lies with whoever cares less. And he was right. But power isn’t happiness . . . happiness comes from caring more about people—rather than less.” The “power” referred to above is the power of selfprotection. You know—those games we play to try not to care too much for someone. And, yes, it may keep a broken heart from getting hurt again, but there is no joy or life in it. It only ends up incarcerating the soul in a prison of fear, emptiness, and selfishness. The Old Testament prophet Isaiah described the dangers of self-protection. Figuratively speaking, he said that when we try to protect ourselves in the darkness with our own self-generated light, we will end up in torment (Isaiah 50:10-11). Protecting ourselves by deadening our hearts may seem to make sense, but it only makes things worse. It reminds me of the proverb that says, “There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death” (Proverbs 14:12). Nothing is greater than the power of love. Only the willingness to care and be cared for is what brings us true joy and life and the freedom to be who God made us to be for others. First comes love, then comes joy. —Jeff Olson

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Abortion

DAILY DEVOTIONAL, JULY 14

Exodus 20:13 ESV NASB

“You shall not murder.

"Memory before birth"

Got a good memory? Recent research conducted in the Netherlands and published in the medical journal Child Development reveals that babies can remember things quite well—even when they’re still in the womb! The sonogram-based study showed that at 30 weeks, babies in utero display short-term memory. By 34 weeks, they can store information and retrieve it up to a month later. As scientists continue to study the early stages of human life, one fact shines brightly: Babies in the womb are living, growing persons. That’s why abortion is a big deal.

In Exodus 20, when God gave Israel the words to help them follow His ways, He stated “you must not murder” (v.13). The wanton destruction of another human being is despised by God, for people are made in His image (Genesis 1:26-27, 9:6). Persons, even the tiniest ones, are precious image-bearers of Him. The Hebrew word for murder used in verse 13 is found just 47 times in the Old Testament. Of the seven possible Hebrew words that mean “to kill,” it’s the one that speaks the strongest of premeditation and intentionality—words that describe the act of abortion. God allows for the taking of life in certain instances such as killing an animal for food (9:2-3), the execution of murderers by the government (Genesis 9:6), the death of a burglar attempting to rob your home (Exodus 22:2), accidental killings (Deuteronomy 19:5), and certain types of war (Joel 3:9-10). Abortion is not acceptable to God, however, for it involves the killing of innocents—babies who are individual persons created in His image.

By God’s grace, those who have been involved in abortions can find forgiveness in Jesus. But today, regardless of the past, each of us should remember that even babies in the womb display memory. They are persons— made in the image of God. —Tom Felten

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None of my business?

DAILY DEVOTIONAL, JULY 13

Obadiah 1:10 ESV NASB

“Because of violence to your brother Jacob, You will be covered with shame, And you will be cut off forever.

None of my business?

When we first read the book of Obadiah, it’s easy to regard its contents as little more than a prophetic tirade in which God’s wrath is directed toward Israel’s enemies. We see His wrath and the reality that evil does not go unpunished. But the book has far more to say than simply those two truths.

Some other key points include the fact that we should be careful about what we plant, because the time of harvest will come quickly. God is offended by wrongdoing, and He brings justice for the oppressed.

Obadiah details the main reason for the judgment of Edom: “Because of the violence you did to your close relatives in Israel, you will be filled with shame and destroyed forever” (v.10). The details of the violence against Israel are given in the next four verses: They stood aloof and withheld assistance (v.11).

They rejoiced over Judah’s downfall (v.12). They plundered Jerusalem (v.13). They prevented the escape of Judah’s fugitives (v.14). Edom’s sins against Israel progressed downwards. At first their sin was simply indifference, but then it became the promotion of evil and, finally, participation in the evil. This reveals sin’s downward path. While writing this article, I received a text message. A church friend was asking for my help. I was tempted to ignore it, as it would inconvenience me. However, I was reminded that Edom’s downfall began with withholding assistance. So I quickly attended to the request. Often we’d like to think that somebody else’s trouble is none of our business, but Galatians 6:9-10 reminds us, “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.” —Poh Fang Chia

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Maybe?

DAILY DEVOTIONAL, JULY 12

John 10:28 ESV NASB

and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.

Maybe?

I sat in the dark atop a mountain overlooking a lost city. Above my head, a Mindanaon downpour assaulted the tin roof of the bungalow I called home. I had just learned that my best friend from high school had died. Along with the torrential rain came a flood of memories, both good and bad. About the time my friend turned 20, he had trusted in Jesus. But just a couple of years ago, he told me, “I no longer believe in the so-called God.” That statement haunts me. I can’t vouch for my friend’s spiritual beliefs; neither can I vouch for the beliefs of the band Collective Soul. Still, much of their music resonates with my spirit. And on this dark night, their song “Maybe” captured my thoughts precisely: Where am I to take refuge when the storms of pain release. Shelter me. This blessedness of life, it sometimes brings me to my knees. I call on Thee. And I have not the words to write a farewell to you tonight. Maybe God you found. “Maybe” is all that you can offer now. It’s that refrain “maybe” that gets me. How much more comforting is another song by Collective Soul! “Once was blind but now I see; salvation has discovered me. This precious declaration means I believe all hope is dead no longer.” I don’t know where my friend is. But through it all, my faith remains in Jesus, who made this precious declaration: “My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from Me” (John 10:27-29). In the end, it isn’t about idle words we may say; it’s about what Jesus did and said! And it’s about our heart-belief toward Him. I’ve chosen to believe Him. Life is far too short to trust in maybe. —Tim Gustafson

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Christ comes incognito

DAILY DEVOTIONAL, JULY 9

John 21:12 ESV NASB

Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples ventured to question Him, “Who are You?” knowing that it was the Lord.

Christ comes incognito

The board game Articulate challenges players to help their teammates guess the object, action, or location they’re describing without saying it outright. You can’t give the first letter of the word or say what it rhymes with, and on “all play” rounds you have to work fast as your description may help another team win. The way to win Articulate is to play with someone you know really well and exploit your shared experience. “We visited this place in 2006,” you say. “India!” your wife replies, as you win the point. “When you do this in the kitchen, I always laugh,” your wife says. “Dance in my underwear!” you say, and win the point! You win by alluding to what no one else could know. At the end of John’s Gospel, we find Peter, John, and some other disciples fishing on the Sea of Galilee. They cast their nets all night but the fish elude them. Then a man on the shore calls out to them (John 21:4). “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat,” He says (v.6). They follow directions and can hardly haul in the catch. Suddenly, a flood of memories fill John’s mind. Three years before, on this same sea, Jesus had performed an identical miracle, calling John and his friends to discipleship (Luke 5:1-11). “It’s the Lord!” he cries— solving the puzzle, winning the point! Something similar had happened to Mary Magdalene (John 20:11-16) and to a couple on the Emmaus road (Luke 24:30-35)—Jesus appearing incognito. But with just a word (“Mary”) or an action (breaking bread), they suddenly knew who He was. Jesus can come to us incognito—an oblique figure on the horizon. Yet with a word, an action, an allusion to shared experience, we recognize His ways and cry out, “It is the Lord!” —Sheridan Voysey

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Fooling Ourselves

DAILY DEVOTIONAL, JULY 2

Obadiah 1:3 ESV NASB

“The arrogance of your heart has deceived you, You who live in the clefts of the rock, In the loftiness of your dwelling place, Who say in your heart, ‘Who will bring me down to earth?’

Fooling Ourselves

Almost 30 years ago, according to a magazine story, an unusual work of modern art was put on display—a chair attached to a shotgun. It was to be interacted with by sitting in the chair and looking directly into the gun barrel. The gun was loaded and set on a timer to fire at an undetermined moment sometime in the next hundred years. Amazingly, people lined up so they could stare right into the shell’s path! They all knew the gun could go off at any moment, but each one took the chance that the fatal blast wouldn’t happen during his or her minute in the chair.

Yes, it was foolhardy. Yet many people who wouldn’t dream of sitting in that chair live a lifetime gambling that they can get away with sin. The book of Obadiah brings this foolhardiness to the fore.

In chapter 1, we read that the Lord sent a messenger among the nations to stir them up to war against Edom (v.1). The people of the nation of Edom thought they were indomitable. In order, to attack them, foes had to enter through a narrow rocky passage. So even if you had a million-man army, you could still only enter one soldier at a time.

God was against Edom for her pride and her sin against Judah—His people. And He had spoken, so destruction was certain. It was to be so thorough that nothing of value would be left (vv.5-6) Sure enough, in 553 BC the king of Babylon burned down the cities of Edom. And between 600 to 400 BC, the nation was infiltrated and displaced by Arab tribes. In the end, Edom symbolizes people who know that their sin is against God, yet who still try to get away with it. God has one word for them: Fools (Proverbs 1:32). —Poh Fang Chia, Our Daily Journey

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Simple

DAILY DEVOTIONAL, JULY 1

2 Chronicles 16:9 ESV NASB

“For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His. You have acted foolishly in this. Indeed, from now on you will surely have wars.”

"Simple"

Life seems so much simpler in the Old Testament. Obey God = get blessed. Don’t obey Him = expect trouble. It’s a simple theology that satisfies our craving for justice. The story of King Asa offers a textbook example of this apparent cause-and-effect relationship with God.

Asa was an excellent leader who turned his people from worshiping false gods (2 Chronicles 15:8). But late in his reign, he depended on his own strength and judgment instead of on God (16:2-7).

Eventually, Hanani the prophet told Asa: “The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him” (16:9). Asa’s heart was evidently not fully in tune with God, for the balance of his life was marked by war and disease (v.12). It’s easy to look at this story and say that people get what they deserve. But we don’t always see that happen in life. Good people often suffer. Bad people sometimes get away with murder.

A closer look at Scripture reflects these deeper nuances accurately. Even in the Old Testament, we see how the wicked seem to prosper while heroes of the faith suffer terribly. Joseph, an innocent man, languished in prison for years (Genesis 39:19–41:1). Asaph lamented that the ungodly seemed to prosper, before concluding that justice would eventually prevail (Psalm 73). In raw honesty, Jeremiah actually accused God: “You misled me” (Jeremiah 20:7). Does God care? Yes, He does! The greatest injustice in all of history took place when Jesus suffered and died on the cross. God permitted His innocent Son to pay the horrid penalty for our sins. Is there justice in that? “God helps those who help themselves,” some say, But the truth is, God helps those who are fully dependent on Him. —Tim Gustafson, Our Daily Journey

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