Sunday, January 24, 2016

Matthew 22:20-22 – Rendering to Caesar

Daily Devotional Bible Verse
And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said, “Caesar’s,” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” When they heard it, they marveled. And they left him and went away. (Matthew 22:20-22 ESV)
The Pharisees were plotting against Jesus, attempting to “entangle him in his talk” (Matthew 22:15). The Pharisees, being cowards like many overly religious people, sent their disciples to Jesus with a controversial question, hoping to provoke a condemnable response. The Pharisees’ lackeys approached Jesus and prefaced their question with flattery to deceive him, and then asked, “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” Matthew records here that, “Jesus, aware of their malice” (Matthew 22:18) asked the hypocrites why they put him to the test, and proceeded to give a gospel answer that encompasses all of life.
He held up a coin and it was plain that Caesar’s image was upon it, stamped as a sign of ownership, validating Jesus’ response to “render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s”. That answered the deceitful question, but Jesus went one phrase further saying, “and to God the things that are God’s.”
These men each would have been well acquainted with the Old Testament, and given the context, would have understood the implication of Jesus’ statement. It was an unstated question, “Whose likeness and inscription is on you?” It was a gospel answer to a sinful question, encompassing the whole of life. We bear the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27), and we are to render unto God, that which is God’s; our life. Marvel at the brilliance of Jesus today, knowing that we bear his image and likeness, and are made alive through the Holy Spirit who lives within us (I Peter 3:18).
What have you not rendered to God today?

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Micah 6:6-8 – Walking With God

Daily Devotional Bible Verses
“With what shall I come before the Lord,
and bow myself before God on high?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
with calves a year old?
Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,
with ten thousands of rivers of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”
He has told you, O man, what is good;
and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:6-8 ESV)
God does not want just our sacrifices or our good deeds. He will not share us with our ambitions or hobbies. He wants all of us. Sunday mornings and a few quick prayers said before we lay down to sleep are not enough. He wants us to relentlessly pursue him. Not because he needs us, but because we need him.
We were created for worship and to bring honor and glory to his name. When we don’t give ourselves fully to God, we are the ones who suffer. The endless pursuits of personal pleasure always lead to emptiness. God is jealous, not because our rejection hurts his ego, but because it hurts his heart. He knows our greatest needs and that he can only truly fill us with joy.
When Jesus said, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matt6:33). He made it clear that everything we needed would be given if we would simply put him first. This is in no way a prosperity gospel. Jesus made no allusions that the Christian life would be easy. He meant that He is all we truly need. Paul got this. He learned to be content no matter what his circumstances. He learned the secret of true happiness. When he said “What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ” (Phil 3:9). He was essentially saying Jesus is enough.
Jesus is not one of many great things, He is the only great thing. I am tired of serving the god of self. I am tired of giving Christ only part of my heart. I want to do the will of my Lord. I will seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with my God!
Are you walking humbly with God, or are you serving the god of self?

Sunday, January 17, 2016

Isaiah 43:2 – Growing Pains

Daily Devotional Bible Verse
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you. (Isaiah 43:2, ESV)
Endurance. Perseverance. We hear these words, but usually we secretly hope we never have to exercise these spiritual muscles. We face a myriad of problems in life, usually involving loss of some sort. How we handle that will determine whether our faith strengthens or fades. We can sound lofty and idyllic all we want, but if we fade with the coming of trials, all our speech is for naught.
The really hard trials, the loss of a child, a terminal disease, prolonged unemployment, the loss of one’s home, etc. These things can break us, but that is not always bad. When we are truly broken, we find we are not enough in ourselves to make it through. It is at that moment that we either let bitterness and depression get a foothold, or cry out to God for help, which He is always faithful to give. He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. (Psalm 91:4 ESV)
God may not always change our circumstances, but has promised to see us through and never leave us. At first this can seem like little comfort and help, but as we grow and mature, we see the true gift that it is. Quietly trusting, even when our hearts are absolutely breaking, will bring us through to the other side with a confidence in our God that we had not before experienced. Which leads to greater faith for whatever comes. We are strengthened, with an unshakable belief that God will never fail us, which enables us to minister to those around us. Literally being a trail blazer to another sojourner in need of a scout to show the way.
I pray that we all experience this kind of intimacy with the Savior, resulting in an even closer bond with the One who is Everything.

Monday, January 4, 2016

The Walking Dead are all around us.

The Walking Dead are all around us. They're at work, at the market, on the streets, even at church.