Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.
Philippians 4:5

The Lord is Near

The Lord is near. He is coming back from heaven to judge the world. But believers in Jesus have nothing to fear. They know and trust the Savior who has taken away sin’s guilt and freed them from condemnation. Jesus has removed the fear of the final judgment with his sure promise of eternal joy with him. This comforting message leads us to rejoice always in the great love of God!

Because the Lord is near, let your gentleness be evident to all. Let people around you see the calm, confident spirit that you have because you rejoice that you are a child of God and an heir of eternal life. Imitate the gentle spirit of Jesus, always ready to help and serve others with a humble attitude and unselfish actions.

The love of Jesus working in your life through his word helps you to be gentler in your relationship with others, as he is with you. Think how conspicuous that will make you against the backdrop of the dog-eat-dog world in which we live. That can create all kinds of opportunities to tell people of the gentle love that Jesus has for them, too.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, fill me with a gentle nature that reflects the joy I have for the forgiveness of my sins which I rejoice to have by faith in you. Amen.

People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.
Luke 13:29,30

Part of the In Crowd

I have vivid memories of my High School cafeteria. That was where the pecking order was established. If you sat at the right table with the right people, you were cool—you were in and accepted.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t cool enough to be at that table. I didn’t have the looks or the skills. I didn’t know how to tell the right jokes or wear the right clothes. So even when I mustered up the courage to sit with those people, I knew I didn’t belong.

Is that how Christianity works? Is Christianity about doing the right things, wearing the right clothes, and speaking the right way so that somehow you become a spiritual insider? Some people in Jesus’ day sure thought so—the religious elite assumed they were part of Jesus’ inner circle. They also thought that anyone different than them were outsiders and unsaved nobodies. But Jesus had a surprise for them.

He said that on the Last Day, there would be many people from faraway lands that they considered outsiders who would get in. And those who thought they were obvious insiders will be cast out. In other words, those who were last will be first, and the first will be last.

Why is that? Often those people who are last in this world recognize their need. They tend to humbly call out to God for help and rescue. They welcome Jesus’ salvation. But those who are first in this life often believe the lie of their own self-sufficiency. They are self-reliant to the point of being self-righteous. They are so full of themselves that there is no room for God.

Here is the good news: If you feel like a spiritual outsider, someone God could never love—know that Jesus came to save just such people. He came to save you so that you who deserve to be last can be first.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for welcoming me to your table. Show me what it means to be accepted by you. Amen.

[Jesus] said to them “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.”
Luke 13:24

Walk Through the Door to Heaven

Maybe you heard that all you have to do is “believe in Jesus,” and you will be saved. And so maybe you thought that the Christian faith is easy. Just believe, and that’s it. But when Jesus describes salvation, he says, “Make every effort” and “enter through the narrow door.”

So, what is this door? And why does it take so much effort to enter through it?

First, you’ll notice that Jesus is describing a singular door. There are not many doors to heaven. There is one. Jesus said that he is that one and only door. “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep” (John 10:7). Every other religion doesn’t offer a doorway but a mountain of religious rituals and rules to gain their god’s favor. But because of the work of Jesus, the doorway to heaven has been swung wide open for all.

But why does Jesus describe this door as “narrow” and that many will not enter it? What does that mean? The doorway to heaven is narrow because no one who is puffed up with pride can squeeze through. Before we enter this doorway, we must recognize our great need as we go through the process of repentance. As we trust in Christ, our self-righteousness is deflated, and we can fit through that narrow door.

Getting to heaven is hard. In fact, on our own it is impossible. By nature, we reject our need to be rescued. But the Holy Spirit makes our unwilling hearts willing to receive Jesus.

Therefore, by the Spirit’s power, enter through this narrow door. Shed your pride and self-righteousness. Cling to Christ in faith and walk through the door to heaven.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I thank you for all that you have done throughout history to open a way for all to be saved. Now, continue to work a miracle in my heart. Lead me to believe and trust in you, so that I might always be confident in my salvation. Amen.

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
Philippians 4:4

Rejoice Always

Can we really feel joy in our hearts when we are troubled by past sins? Can we rejoice when we or those whom we love are facing life’s sharp edges of unemployment, financial problems, sickness, uncertainty, pain, and death? How can we rejoice under some of the harsh circumstances we face in life?

The Bible answers, “Rejoice in the Lord.” Our joy as Christians is changeless because it is based on the One who never changes. Unlike people and possessions and positions of power, God never changes. He loves us just as much today as the day he was nailed to the cross for us. He is just as powerful today as the day he defeated death for us.

Your job may have changed. Relationships you have with others may have changed. The sense of security and satisfaction that you once had may have changed. But your God hasn’t changed. And neither has your reason for rejoicing.

In the Lord, outward circumstances do not and should not determine the condition of our hearts. Even when everything around us is dark and gloomy, God’s changeless love fills our hearts with joy. That inner joy flows from sure promises of the gospel: the joy of daily forgiveness, the joy that God is with us, the joy that God works out all things for our good, the joy that Jesus is returning again to take us to be with him in heaven.

Reflect on that joy today as you think how greatly God loves you through Jesus. And then REJOICE! ALWAYS!

Prayer:
Lord, amid the difficulties and disappointments of my life, shine through to my heart with the largeness of your love. Thank you for choosing me to be your own and giving me a changeless and incomparable joy in you, my Savior. Amen.

[Jesus said] “Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division.”
Luke 12:51

The Way Jesus Divides

The well-known Christian author C.S. Lewis once commented that being a follower of Jesus is not like a horse training to jump better and better. Instead, it’s like turning a horse into a winged creature. The point Lewis makes is that sometimes people think that becoming a Christian will lead to a few small changes in their lives. But in reality, being a Christian is nothing less than a transformation.

Becoming a Christian is not like adding a backsplash and changing the paint color in your kitchen. It is a full demo—it means stripping everything down to the studs and starting over. That kind of transformation is sweeping and dramatic.

Jesus knows that this kind of change will impact families and relationships. It’s a transformation that will sometimes cause division because Christians no longer conform to the pattern of the world; instead they conform to the pattern of Christ. That type of change means leaving behind sinful situations and temptations. It may even mean leaving family members who reject Christ and mock his followers. When some family members follow Jesus and others do not, divisions will naturally arise.

Jesus’ goal was not to divide families. His goal was to divide people from their sins. Jesus came to separate us from our selfishness. He wants to split us from our guilt and shame. Jesus promises that all who believe in him will be divided from their sin and united to him instead. This good news really does create a transformation in people.

This transformation might mean division for a time on earth, but it also means a far greater peace has been achieved between God and us. Jesus took it upon himself to unite us with God so that we are no longer just his creatures but his sons and daughters. Because of Jesus, we will have peace forever in God’s family.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, help me to bear the divisions that come from following you. Thank you for your great sacrifice and for uniting me with you and all believers forever. Amen.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:1,2

Run With Perseverance

The concept of a race is universal. Nearly all people have participated in some sort of race at one point in their lives. Races have a starting line, a finish line, and other people to race against. The person who crosses the finish line first wins.

Our Bible reading for today encourages followers of Jesus to run with perseverance. But he is not writing about a track event. He is writing about the race of life. And in this race, winners don’t have to finish first; they just need to finish. It is a life-long race, an ultra-marathon that takes perseverance and striving.

Crossing the finish line of this race means entering eternal glory. Runners win the prize of heaven and life forever with Jesus. This prize never perishes or tarnishes.

But how do you know if you’re running the right way? How do you know if you’re going to cross the finish line and win?

Listen to the coaching in our Bible reading. The key is to fix your eyes on Jesus. With love for you, Jesus ran his race straight to his cross. Along the way Jesus faced temptation and rejection. But he never stumbled over sin or let rejection get in his way. He just kept running. Though the cross would bring him immense pain and shame, he never faltered. As Jesus ran, the joy of you being with him in heaven kept him going. He ran the perfect race in your place. When it was over, he confidently said, “It is finished.”

So, keep looking at what Jesus has done for you. And keep looking to Jesus as you follow him all the way to the heaven he won for you.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, keep my eyes on you until I see you face to face in heaven. Amen.

“Am I only a God nearby,” declares the LORD, “and not a God far away? Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them?” declares the LORD. “Do not I fill heaven and earth?” declares the LORD.
Jeremiah 23:23,24

God Wants to Be With You

When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, they thought they could hide from God. They crouched behind bushes and out of sight. It was the first time that people were terrified of God, but it wouldn’t be the last.

When we sin, it triggers something in us called a conscience. Feelings of guilt, shame, dismay, and even terror overcome us.

We have those feelings when we sin because God has written his law on our hearts. We can try to run from God by eroding that law and dulling our consciences. We can even trick ourselves into believing that God does not care about us or what we do. But as God declares through Jeremiah, “Do not I fill heaven and earth?”

We choose to try to escape God, but God does not choose to escape us. And that is good news! Our sins make us repulsive to God, but instead of running away from us, God seeks us. As God sought Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, he looks for us lost sinners.

Instead of washing his hands of the mess of humanity, God decided to stay close. He wants to be with his people even though they sin and make mistakes. God even calls himself “Emmanuel—God with us.” God became like us. Jesus was born, lived a human life, and died a human death. Jesus did that because he does not want our death to separate us from him. Instead, he died to bring us to him in glory in heaven.

Until then, God is still near us. He guides us through life. He seeks us when we stray. He rejoices when he finds us. It’s all because he loves to be with us.

Prayer:
Dear God, thank you for finding me when I try to hide from you. Help me find comfort in your presence. Amen.

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:2

Fix Your Eyes on Jesus

What do you see happening…in your own life…in your world? No doubt, you witness joyful sights—the birth of a healthy child, a sports victory, a marriage anniversary trip, a graduation ceremony, a retirement party. But there are also plenty of troubling sights that you see with your eyes and that dwell in your mind—a terrorist attack, vicious activity on the campaign trail, a loved one laid to rest, job termination papers, divorce decrees, defeat, signs of mortality—sin in general.

We can easily become fixated on things good and bad in this life. But it’s important for us to deal with all of life’s experiences with the perspective of faith in Jesus as our Savior. The Bible passage today, gives this encouragement: “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus…” It is an encouragement that God gives to us when the things we see and experience in this life get us down.

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, who is the object and the source of our faith and hope. Who strengthens the faith he gives through his gospel promises. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, who now sits at God’s right hand in a position of all power and authority, ruling over the events of this world for the sake of his followers.

Jesus is the unchanging, unshifting, solid, and steady rock on which to base our faith and build our lives. By fixing eyes of faith on him, he gives us perspective, steadiness, and strength through all events of life, good and bad. He gives our life real meaning, joy during earthly sorrow, and the sure hope of glorious life with God forever. No matter what we see in this world with our eyes, let’s fix our eyes, the eyes of faith, on Jesus.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus Christ, there are so many things, good and bad, that I see in this world that threaten to divert my gaze from you. Help me to always focus on you and your forgiving grace, my Savior, brother, and friend. In your name I pray. Amen.

Do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it . . . your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
Luke 12:29-31

Heavenly Treasure

She’s lost everything. Left to raise her three children on her own, she often doesn’t know how she will be able to afford even basic things like food and clothes. Chronic medical conditions and unexpected emergencies left her in debt with little or no money to pay the rent.

Maybe you’ve been in her position. Maybe, even with far more, you worry. You worry about the rising cost of food, clothes, housing, and gas. You worry about paying your bills and preserving your savings.

She used to worry like that, but now she sees things differently. Three years ago, she was in a homeless shelter, and someone told her about Jesus. She learned that he left heaven to live in her place, to walk in her shoes, to fight against the temptation to worry and every other temptation she faced, and to overcome. She learned that even his closest friends and his heavenly Father abandoned him when he needed them most. For her, for you and for me, he died, giving up everything to give us everything. And then he came back to life to assure her that her worry, lack of trust in God, fears, and failures were all forgiven. He came back to life to promise that this life is not the end. Those who trust in him will live with him forever in heaven, where there is nothing to fear and no temptation to worry.

That news changed her life. She still works hard to meet the challenges she faces every day. But now, she knows that she has an eternal home waiting for her. She has a loving God caring for her. She doesn’t need to worry. Whether things are tough or life is good, she has learned to focus on God’s Word, God’s promises, and the treasure God won for her in heaven. Her focus on heavenly treasure drives out worry.

Prayer:
Father, forgive me for worrying. Focus my heart on the heavenly treasure your Son Jesus won for me. Help me to trust you to meet all my needs. Amen.

Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
Genesis 15:6

Value the Treasure of Righteousness

The reward is what often makes the cost worth it. A diet and exercise regimen is rewarded with better health. Years of study and tens of thousands of dollars spent on education are rewarded with a satisfying and well-paying career. The struggle to bring young children to worship or have devotions at home is rewarded when those children show their childlike faith in Jesus in their words and actions.

Abram paid a high price to follow the Lord. He left home and traveled to an unknown land when God told him to. He lived in tents, never having a permanent home of his own. When God promised that he would have a son in his old age and that the Savior of the world would be one of his descendants, he set aside his reason, and he believed.

For the price he paid, he got nothing, at least from a human perspective. But there was a treasure that no one could see. “Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.”

Righteousness is being right with God. It is a life that is in line with what God says is right. Without righteousness, we can’t go to heaven. We can’t even approach God because we aren’t right with him.

God credited Abram with righteousness. He gave it to him. He deposited righteousness—perfection—into Abram’s spiritual account. Not because he left his home and family behind. Not because he was willing to live in tents. But because God put faith in his heart to believe his promises—to believe that he would have a son, to believe that God would send a Savior through his descendants. Through faith Abram was counted as right with God.

Because God credited Abram with righteousness, Abram could see beyond what he was lacking in this life and live in hope of the heaven.

As God moves your heart to believe his promises—in particular the promise of forgiveness and eternal life through Jesus—he credits you with righteousness too. He sees you as perfect and worthy of heaven. Now that’s a treasure, no matter what the cost!

Prayer:
God, strengthen my faith to believe your promises and receive and treasure your righteousness. Amen.

“Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?” declares the LORD. “Do not I fill heaven and earth?” declares the LORD.
Jeremiah 23:24

The Presence of God

When people do what they shouldn’t, they are careful not to get caught. Sneaky teenagers take note of when their parents will be away on business, believing the house will be free for them to throw a party they know mom and dad would disapprove of. A dishonest employee waits for the boss and everyone else to leave before taking company property and going home. Addicts feed their addiction in a dark room where they believe no one else will know their dark secret.

The sinful desires of our self-centered hearts blind us to the fact that the God who created the heavens and the earth fills his entire creation. We are so overwhelmed with feeding our sinful appetites that we fool ourselves into thinking that somehow God is too busy elsewhere in the world to take notice of us. But the one true God is omnipresent—is present everywhere. We can’t get away with murder, but we can’t get away with shoplifting a pack of gum either. The almighty God is present and watchful not only where major crimes take place, but also knows our inner thoughts as we plot our sins against others.

By our shameful thoughts, words, and actions we have forfeited our right to be in God’s glorious presence. By all rights we should be cut off from his blessings forever. But the One who fills all things came to be present with us in a special way. In the man Jesus Christ, the fullness of God’s presence came to live among us sinners. He not only occupied our space, but also took our place under God’s law. Jesus fulfilled God’s righteous demands of perfect love and laid down his life as payment for our disobedience. Through faith in Jesus, our guilt has been removed. After his resurrection, Jesus promised to be with his followers always and keep us close to him. And at the end, he will take us to live in his glorious presence for all eternity.

Prayer:
Lord, when I am anxious or afraid, comfort me with the knowledge that you are with me. Amen.

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
Colossians 3:1,2

Above

You would never watch the previews before a movie and then walk out before the main feature. You would never receive a love letter from your significant other and fall in love with the mailperson who delivered it. You would never have a builder construct you a home only to stay living in an apartment or hotel.

In the same way, God has given us wonderful gifts this side of heaven, previews of the joys that will be ours in heaven. But don’t miss the main feature. There is no joy here that will not be greater with Jesus in heaven. No gift that won’t be greater in the presence of Christ.

I am thankful for my Christian relationships, families and friends who share Jesus with me. I am thankful for the time and support I receive from them, but I should never forget to whom they are pointing me. To think of these relationships as only for this life fails to see the larger joy these relationships bring.

I don’t want to spend all my time dressing up this earthly and temporary home and fail to attain my heavenly home. A home filled with things and a life full of great experiences doesn’t mean much when their time is short compared to my perfect home with God.

Don’t miss the main feature for the preview. Don’t fall in love with the messengers instead of the one whom the message is from. Don’t give so much to your temporary home that you miss your heavenly home.

Instead, “set your hearts on things above, not on earthly things.”

Prayer:
God above, change my focus from what is below to the things in heaven. Lead me to be where Christ now is. Amen.

And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”
Luke 12:16-21

Next

We spend a lot of time thinking about what is next. What is the next thing I need in life? What is the next job or class? What will we do next year?

There is nothing wrong with planning for what’s next. Planning for what’s next is necessary, especially if you are someone God has blessed with an abundance of things or talents.

In our Bible reading for today, Jesus tells us this parable because he doesn’t want us to have too short of a view when it comes to what is next. In the parable, a man does lots of planning for what is next: Build. Store. Relax. None of his plans for what is next matter because he doesn’t live to see them. He spent a lot of time planning for a day that never arrived instead of planning for the day that did arrive.

There is nothing wrong with making plans for this life, but we should also not neglect plans for the life to come. The things that God has given us are tools and instruments not only for here but also for eternity. Our wealth and talents are not just to be used to serve ourselves but to serve God and our neighbors.

In this way, we are ready for what is next.

Prayer:
Almighty God, give me a heart of wisdom that I may number my days aright. Amen.

“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun? Generations come and generations go.
Ecclesiastes 1:2-4

Pictures on My Phone

My phone is full of pictures of moments that I thought were so very important. I have picture after picture of meals with friends, a beautiful view, or even selfies in a place I have never been before. Yet I must admit, I don’t do much with these pictures. Many of them are great memories, but I rarely look at them. Few get printed out. Eventually, my phone tells me I am out of storage, so I end up deleting them in large groups.

The book of Ecclesiastes reminds us that so much of our life is like the pictures on our phone. Significant in the moment, but not so significant long-term. Yes, there is joy found in time spent with family and friends. There is good work to be done at our jobs, in our homes, communities, and churches. God has given us a beautiful and bountiful world, and he wants us to find satisfaction from that world.

The book of Ecclesiastes also confronts us with the truth that there is nothing permanently gained in much of our lives. Much of our life consists of things that are good for the moment but are soon gone. Like pictures on my phone, they are important for a while, and then they are soon forgotten and eventually gone.

Ecclesiastes instead invites you to find your meaning in things that truly last. Find meaning for your life in God’s gracious Word to you in the love, forgiveness, and mercy he offers. Find meaning for your life in the work of Jesus that promises you a life to come that has no end.

So much of life is only for a short while. All of Jesus’ work for you will last forever.

Prayer:
Gracious Father, thank you for the joys of this life but remind me that real meaning is found only in you. Amen.

“The LORD said, “If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.” Then Abraham spoke up again: “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes, what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city because of five people?”
Genesis 18:26-28

Pray With Bold Humility

Prayer is an awesome privilege! You and I get to talk to the almighty God.

How do you pray? Hands folded and eyes closed, or arms extended with your palms toward heaven? Silently in your mind or out loud?

God is less interested in the physical aspect of prayer than he is about the attitude with which we pray. Abraham gives us an example to follow when it comes to the attitude we are to have when praying.

Abraham was humble. He knew he was nothing but “dust and ashes,” and he had no right to expect the Lord to hear his prayer. Yet he asked anyway because he knew that God is gracious and compassionate.

This is an example for us as we pray. We approach God with proper humility, fully understanding that as sinners, we have no right to be heard by a holy God. We certainly have no right to expect him to answer us and grant what we have asked.

But Abraham was also bold. After his initial request, he went back to the Lord five more times. Each time lowering the number of believers that needed to be found for the city to be spared.

We can also pray with boldness. We know the love of our God. He sent his Son to die for us. Because of that sacrifice, we have been washed clean of all sin and given the privilege of approaching God with any and every request.

Be like Abraham and pray with bold humility.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I know that I have no right to approach you in prayer. It is only because Jesus has washed me clean of all sin that I have the privilege of talking to you. Help me to be bold when I pray, trusting that you always hear and answer. In Jesus’ name I ask it. Amen.