Don's Devotionals: Learning to love God

Luke 9:23  Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

If you’re like me, you take advantage of the resources available on line to seek answers to the ‘How To’ questions we have.  There’s stuff we need to do, and by going to Google we can type in our issue and find sources that tell us how to do it.  Today’s verse offers us a prime example of a ‘How To’ issue.  We might ask, “Please tell me ‘How To’ 1) deny myself, 2) take up my cross, and 3) follow Jesus.  We want to do these things, but how?

Some of the themes we’ve been writing about are walking in His ways; obeying His commands; loving God; and continuing in His word.  We have contrasted suggestions versus commands.  We’ve talked about the problem some of us have when we hear the word ‘commands’.  It’s like we have an allergic reaction to the word.  But we must get past that to recognize they are the answers to the great “How To’s” of our faith.

Our goal is to help us come to grips with the fact that the New Testament is filled with such ‘answers’ that we as Christians are to ‘do’.  Today let’s look at some of the ‘answers’ that are spread throughout the New Testament that describe denying ourselves, taking up our cross and following Jesus:

• Do everything in love.
• Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit
• In humility consider others better than yourselves
• Your attitude should be that of Christ Jesus
• Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling
• Do everything without complaining or arguing
• Rejoice in the Lord always
• Let your gentleness be evident to all
• Do not be anxious about anything
• Put to death whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry
• Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience
• Bear with each other
• Forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another
• Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts
• Be thankful
• Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly
• Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men

Do we understand that these are not suggestions!  And they are just a handful of what the Bible contains for us.  They are not elective or optional.  By embracing these things and allowing the Holy Spirit to do His work in us, we deny ourselves and take up our cross to follow Jesus.  This is the way – and the only way – to express our love to God.

Psalm 85:5  You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you.

I have kept journals for years.  I love to look back five or ten years ago to see what was happening in my life.  Sometimes I rediscover experiences that bring back such special memories of family or trips or things at work.  Other times I read about struggles and difficulties we’ve gone through.

One of the cool things that I’ve done with some of my journals over the years is to highlight with a marker special times with the Lord.  I get blessed again reading about the times when He has really blessed me by showing me things in my life or by manifesting His presence while I’m in prayer.  There are times when He just overwhelms me with joy – where I simply weep because I am so overcome with gratitude for His goodness to me.

It is so wonderful to be forgiven – and more than that – to be chosen; to belong; to be loved.  Years ago, when we were just married, we were about to become involved in a ministry to street people.  I prayed and asked the Lord how I could relate to them since I had basically been a good kid.  I never did drugs and I had a good home.  The Lord spoke so clearly to me.  He said, “You know what it’s like to be lonely.”  And I did.  Only half-jokingly did I talk about myself being left out, not-chosen and left behind.

But when Jesus made me His own – all that changed.  For 52 years, God’s forgiveness, His goodness and His abounding love have been life to me.  And the great news is that He has this for all of us.  He wants us all to be so caught up in the wonder of Him and His love that we want to live for Him more than anything.

He is not distant.  He is not aloof.  He does not leave us alone.  He never forsakes us.  He paid the greatest price imaginable for us to become His family.  The more we say ‘yes’ to Him, the richer our relationship with Him becomes.  These realities become bedrock within us – able to withstand any ‘storm’ that we go through.  What a thrill to be passionately in love with Him!

Daniel 10:11a  He said to me, “Daniel, you are a man treasured [by God].  – Holman Christian Standard Bible

How would we be described by our spouses, children, friends or co-workers, if they were asked what kind of people we are – and they answered with brutal honesty?  Their answers would say a lot about who we are; what we do; how we do it; what are we like to be around; how honest are we; how thoughtful; how ‘other’ oriented; do we brighten their days – and so on.  (Sounds like a candid eulogy, doesn’t it?)

How would God describe us?  This gets to the heart of the issue.  He loved us while we were sinners and showed that love by sending Jesus, through whom we have the opportunity to become His children.  But now that we are family, we need to recognize not only the responsibility we have, but the opportunity!

We want our children and loved ones to become people of quality.  It’s not a matter of us loving or not loving them – it’s a matter of the lives they lead.  We experience great joy and pleasure as we see them grow and mature in Godliness.  The same holds true with God.  How we grow – or not grow – in Godliness, is critically important to Him.  It impacts how He views and interacts with us.  (Don’t be thinking judgment here – but think as a loving parent.)

I rejoice that He has given us Daniel as an example of what will happen in lives that are totally given over to Him.  Consider how scripture describes God’s view of Daniel:

• you are a man treasured [by God].  – Holman Christian Standard Bible
• for you are very precious to God – New Living Translation
• for you are greatly beloved. – Amplified
• you who are highly esteemed, – NIV

Think of it!!  We have the opportunity to become men and women that God would describe as He did Daniel:  treasured, very precious, greatly beloved, highly esteemed.  By walking in His word, the Holy Spirit produces the character and likeness of Christ in every area of our lives.  This is the result of truly loving God.  We don’t pursue it for recognition – but for the wonder of pleasing and blessing Him.

John 14:15 “If you love me, you will obey what I command.”

When I was a student at Wheaton Grad School I was blessed to be able to take a course taught by Dr. Merrill Tenney, a great Bible scholar.  In one class we were talking about the importance of words – their meaning and the context in which they occur.  He mentioned that the two words ‘sight’ and ‘vision’ were perceived by most people to have the same meaning.  But then he noted that if he described someone’s wife as a sight and his wife as a vision, the meanings are very different!

I would like to pose something that is just the opposite of Dr. Tenney’s illustration.  It is where two words are considered as having distinctly different meanings, yet a certain context can cause them to be viewed as having the same meaning.

The two words are ‘suggestion’ and ‘command’.  There is a similarity to these words in that they are at opposite ends of a spectrum.  In a college environment, we might simply think of one as an elective course and the other as a required course.  Electives are optional, required courses are – well, required!

A suggestion may or may not be a good idea, but we have the freedom to choose to follow it or not.   A command is decidedly different.  We typically think of a military context when considering commands.  Commands are to be obeyed.

What is the context that causes these two words to potentially have the same meaning?  Unfortunately, that context for Christians is the context of our lives.  How we live defines how we view the word ‘command’.  All too often, Christians in day to day life, treat Jesus’ commands as suggestions.  They aren’t approached as requirements, but as options or electives.  But scripture doesn’t give us that option.

Christians tend to think “legalism” or have an “allergic” reaction to the words “commands” and “obey”.  How often have we heard (or made) the response “We’re not under the Law”?  But Jesus identifies His commands as the way to love Him!  In fact obeying  His commands is very the definition of loving God (1 John 5:3).

Our response should be an eagerness to learn what His commands are and pursue doing them.  This is not an issue of legalism or earning salvation – it is a requirement of our faith.  But more than that, it is an issue of love.  It is the only way God has given us to show we love truly Him!

Lord, may our lives be living demonstrations that Jesus’ commands are not suggestions.

1 Corinthians 13:4a  Love is patient, love is kind.

Have you ever thought about how wonderful kindness is?  There is really nothing like it.  Unfortunately, we are not accustomed to encountering kindness or to being kind ourselves.  Think of all the times we encounter crabby, curt people.  Think of all the times when we are the crabby, curt people!

Being kind is such a wonderful weapon in our arsenal.  People don’t expect it.  It disarms them and leaves a wonderful aroma in its wake.  It’s particularly powerful when experienced in our families, close friendships and with our co-workers.

The reality is that we can be the most unkind to the people we are closest to; parents to kids; kids to parents; spouses to each other; siblings to each other.  We don’t mean to be, it just works out that way.  Some of the worst difficulties families encounter are the best opportunities for kindness to do its wonderful work.

Instead of taking offense at a spouse’s crabbiness, respond with kindness.  It’s so disarming.  Instead of reacting to your child’s rebellion with anger, learn the power of kindness rooted in righteousness.  We can communicate the standards God requires of us while still being kind to our sons or daughters and their friends.  Kindness isn’t defense – it’s offense.  It isn’t expected and can have such a powerful impact.

I was re-reading an email from one of my sons in which he recounted incidents years earlier where Donna and I had profoundly impacted him by such simple things as taking groceries to him when he was in college.  I took McDonald’s to him and his friends at 6 AM when they camped out overnight for concert tickets.  I guess they were stunned.  His friends were welcome in our home.  He said they loved me because I was polite and nice to them.

Kindness brings results, but those are in God’s hands.  People don’t always respond the way we would like, even when we are kind.  (We still remain kind in spite of how they act.)  But our confidence is in our Lord.  We don’t know the hidden impact our kindness is having.  We simply get to experience the joy of being kind and knowing that we are expressing God’s love to those around us.

Proverbs 21:30 – There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD.

Our faith and trust is in our LORD! President Trump won the election and the wicked plans of the radical Socialist left are doing everything they can to steal it – and our country!

We must recognize the role Jesus has for His followers to fulfill with Him today! We are NOT to be consumed by defeatism, because our hope is in HIM. We MUST lift our eyes to Him and pray!

Not just brief, simple prayers, but taking our stand with Him with fasting in strong prevailing prayer and deep intercession; claiming and acknowledging the defeat of wickedness and the victory He will provide!

Prophetic Christian leaders across the world are calling the Body of Christ to fight this battle on their knees. God still has assignments for President Trump to accomplish for America and the world during his second term. We must recognize that the Lord has a role for His Body to play in accomplishing His purposes!

Psalm 141:3  Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips.

Note: It’s hard to believe that I am 73 years young today!

Years ago, I’m told that a famous comedian was asked if there would be comedians in heaven.  He answered, “No – because comedy is always at someone else’s expense.”  Some comedy is just funny.  But the wrong kind of humor can really be a problem in the context of relationships.

My wife Donna and I have always referred to this kind of problem humor as negative humor.  A friend is kidding you and you look at them and say, “You’ve got a great personality – for an ape!”  Everybody laughs but the friend might be wondering what you really think of him.  It might not bother him – or it might pierce his soul and wound him significantly.  Often this is a ‘culturally approved’ way of putting people down or putting them in their place.  It can be like a knife between the ribs.

Haven’t we all heard spouses, siblings or friends make cutting comments to each other while laughing?  One might be annoyed or offended by something a loved one did or said and this is a way of getting back.  How often have we seen someone wince at the pain from a biting bit of humor?

Donna and I are so grateful for the teaching we had 50 years ago that led us to recognize negative humor for its destructive nature.  Far too often it wounds – and the wound festers, leading to other destructive comments and interactions.  Fortunately, we made a decision before we were married to never allow negative humor or sarcasm (a very close cousin) into our family, our relationships or our home.

It is simply too easy to hurt one another.  While trying to be funny, we can unintentionally hurt those dear to us.  We can develop a blind spot, not even recognizing when we do it or the damage it does.  The Lord wants our speech to be wholesome and affirming.  Humor is important and it’s wonderful to laugh with one another.  We simply need to be wise and discerning to avoid the negative.

We have such wonderful memories of times with our sons and now with their families that were filled with laughter.  We were once at a restaurant with all four of our sons and we all got the silly giggles with each other.  It was such a fun time.  Soon all the people at the neighboring tables around us were laughing too.  What a marvelous and memorable evening that was and a great heritage to have such wonderful memories.

Psalm 9:1, 2  I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders.  ²I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

Think of what you experience if you are overwhelmed with tasks to do and some of your friends show up unexpectedly because they’ve come to help you get it all done.  Think of what you experience if your vehicle is broken down in the middle of nowhere – and you have no cell phone – and someone pulls up and is able to fix your car and sends you on your way.

Suppose you are in ministry, ‘living on faith’ and you have no money or food – and someone arrives with groceries because the Lord put you on their heart.   Suppose everything in your life seems to be going wrong and you can’t figure out what is going on.  And in the midst of it, God gives you understanding of it all.

Suppose you are struggling with disappointment and discouragement and a friend calls to encourage you because you were on their heart and they were concerned.  And, when they pray for you, their prayer precisely addresses the things you’re struggling with.

In all of these experiences we would experience gratitude and joy – relief and exhilaration.  We would likely find ourselves deeply moved as well – possibly overcome with the wonder of our God and His goodness to us.

Now take all of the positive responses to the situations above and imagine God using them to create a ‘spiritual’ artesian spring within us – a never ending source of wonder and gratitude for Him.  When I read these verses, their reality – a vibrant, passionate description of the wonder of our God – is there within me; enveloping me.

No matter what we are going through, He wants our bedrock reality to be centered in the passionate wonder and gratitude for who He is.  That is what He has created within me – and He will do it for you.

PS – All of the situations written above have happened to Donna and me.

Scripture to follow:  NOTE: Be sure to vote today if you haven’t already!

I had a good friend in college named Keith.  His father was a piano tuner who trained him in this trade when Keith was a child.  Keith started tuning professionally at age 9 and was very good at it.  He was raised near a nationally famous music camp and one summer he tuned for Van Cliburn (world famous pianist) who was performing at the camp.

There is one thing that I particularly remember about how Keith did his tuning.  Although he did it by ear, he disciplined himself to tune periodically with a machine.  He found this to be an excellent and necessary way to keep his own ear tuned appropriately.  Otherwise, with the passing of time, his ear would go slightly off.

This is such an important lesson for us to consider as we look at our own lives.  We have habits, associations, friends, idiosyncrasies, patterns of behavior, thoughts and attitudes – all of which need to be ‘in tune’ to the standard that God has for us.  Without diligence, these practices can become ‘off key’ just as much as an out of tune piano.  We might think everything is fine because we become deaf (and blind) to the disharmony we’re producing.  What appears normal can become strident without us being aware of it.  I trust we understand that I am not talking about music here.

Think of the warning in Isaiah 5:40, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who change darkness into light and light into darkness, who change bitter into sweet and sweet into bitter!”  It describes lives ‘in tune’ with the world but ‘out of tune’ with our Lord!

What is sexual impurity?  What is gossip?   Dishonesty?  Immodesty?  Immorality?  What is stealing (in terms of habits and practices done at work)?  How about jealousy or gossip?  Where do you hang out on Friday or Saturday nights?  What do you look at on a computer, your phone or tablet or on TV? Where do we draw the lines on these things?  Who or what defines our standard for right and wrong?  Acceptable and unacceptable?  I never dreamed we’d see the day where the warning in Isaiah would so describe the culture around us.

These are all items, along with many others where we must be in tune with God’s word.  What is good?  What is evil?  [Note: Another way of thinking of this is the question, “Which way is North?”  North is not subject to opinion! – and neither is God’s identification of good and evil.]  We must care enough to submit everything about our lives to Him.  Prayerfully read His word and allow the Holy Spirit to touch anything in our lives.  If we’re really listening, He will show us where we are ‘out of tune’.

Psalm 1:1-3   ¹ Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. ² But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. ³ He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

The beginning of Psalm 1 has always been special to me.  It describes the journey to a Godly life.  It’s a simple summary or overview of what not to do; what to do; and the results of a life so lived.  It’s like a father talking with a son or daughter and giving them counsel that will help them in all they do.  The counsel appears to be general in nature yet presents a clear picture of the types of actions required to have a blessed life.

The principles are really common to us because they exist in all areas of life.  No matter what goal we’re seeking, there are things and distractions to avoid, an attitude of heart to have, things to embrace, and the results consistent with such actions.  Sports, music, school, marriage, child-raising, work, life – it makes no difference, the counsel applies.

Years ago, I was teaching in a private school and in the summer following my third year there, the school without warning closed.  With a family to support, I wound up in sales – not somewhere I thought I would ever be.  Lots of people fail at sales or only marginally succeed.  Many of those around me failed because they wouldn’t discipline themselves.  They did not avoid the distractions, actions and associations with others that undermined what they were trying to learn.  They did not approach the job wholeheartedly.

If we’re supposed to be on the phone, making prospect calls, we can’t be daydreaming, reading other stuff or talking with others who are in the process of failing as well.  If we’re supposed to be studying, there’s TV, talking, messaging or tweeting.  There are things and people and ‘stuff’ that call us – distract us – keep us, from attaining the goal we set.  But we must recognize the issue is us!

Great are the rewards of avoiding the pitfalls, and wholeheartedly pursuing the actions that enable us to attain a worthy goal.  We must recognize that this reality applies to our relationship with the Lord.  The result we achieve will be commensurate to what we do and how we do it.