Don's Devotionals: Learning to love God

Hebrews 12:5-6  ⁵And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, ⁶because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.”

Continued from yesterday:

I would like you to consider some things that have resulted in ‘paradigm shifts’.  The introduction of these things was so profound that they radically changed our thinking and behavior: automobiles, airplanes, television, computers, internet, cell phones, ipods…  The list could go on.  Many of us have had most of these things all our lives.  Some of us are old enough to remember their initial impact.  Regardless, it is easy to see how society was radically changed by each of these inventions.

Paradigm shifts often come into play with our beliefs.  Think of an atheist having an encounter with God.  His whole world is turned right side up.  Years ago we had a pastor friend who didn’t believe that miracles could happen today – until one of his church members was miraculously healed.  He had to come to grips with the fact that his view of Scripture and God needed to be adjusted.

Today’s verses use such words as ‘disciplines’, ‘rebukes’ and ‘punishes’.  While we recognize that God disciplines, we appear to have an aversion to recognizing that these other two words are biblical and apply to us.  We have a paradigm view of God that carves these realities out.  Do we believe that ‘rebuke’ and ‘punish’ are incompatible with a loving God?

If this is our view – our paradigm – it must change because it is as wrong as viewing the world as flat. God’s discipline, rebukes and punishment are all reflective of His love for us.  Read this verse in the Amplified version to get better insight how all of these things are saturated with God’s love for us:

“⁵My son, do not think lightly or scorn to submit to the correction and discipline of the Lord, nor lose courage and give up and faint when you are reproved or corrected by Him;  ⁶For the Lord corrects and disciplines everyone whom He loves, and He punishes, even scourges, every son whom He accepts and welcomes to His heart and cherishes.” (Amplified)

This is a process to recognize and embrace.  Once we see and understand, we experience a paradigm shift – we respond with gratitude instead of resistance or resentment.  We recognize this as evidence of our Lord welcoming us to His heart.

Revelation 3:19  Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.

Do you remember times when you were growing up when you wanted to do something and were told “No” by your parents?  Did you receive it well or did you respond somewhat negatively – like “You don’t love me!”?  If a child is caught doing something wrong and is disciplined for it, there is a natural tendency to respond negatively unless s/he is trained not to.

How well do we respond in adulthood to such input from our spouse, employer, boss, mentor, neighbor, friend, etc…?  When our two oldest sons were little (about 4 and 5) we were visiting dear friends who were like parents to Donna and me.  After being with them for a couple days, they sat us down and asked us, “Do you realize your sons argue with you every time you tell them to do or not to do something?”

While it wasn’t pleasant to hear, we received their counsel because 1) it was true, 2) they loved us, 3) we wanted to be godly parents, and 4) we wanted to “train our children up in the way they should go”.  The couple went on to instruct us how to change and bring about the changes in the boys.  We had an opportunity to repent and become better parents.  We embraced the process.

When I look at today’s verse, I see three ‘pieces’.  We all have a tendency to respond or react to the second and third ‘pieces’ of it, glossing over the first:

1. Those whom I love
2. Rebuke and discipline
3. Be earnest and repent

We don’t like to be rebuked, disciplined, corrected or confronted – whether directly or subtly.  We also have a tendency to see repentance as more of a ‘big ticket item’ rather than as an essential reality in our daily lives. But let’s focus on the first piece of this.  Notice how the Amplified version expands the context of this verse in terms of God’s love for us and our approach to repentance:

“Those whom I [dearly and tenderly] love, I tell their faults and convict and convince and reprove and chasten [I discipline and instruct them]. So be enthusiastic and in earnest and burning with zeal and repent [changing your mind and attitude].”  (Amplified) 

This isn’t something dry and cold – it is a love gift from the One who loves us more than anyone else.  He tells us where we need to change, how to change and He enables us to change.  The entire process is the way of life that is absolutely essential to our growth and godliness.  Without it we would never be transformed into the image of Jesus.  We embrace our God when we embrace it.

To be continued…

Romans 6:6  For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—

This coming week we will enjoy the beauty of a full moon.  I never cease to enjoy seeing one particularly when it first comes up over the horizon.  But the full moon never fails to tap into a much richer vein of thought within me.  For years when I’ve seen it, I’ve thought of my son John and his wife Fabi and their family in Brazil and the work they were doing.  Even though they are now here, I still think of them.

One of the most common symbols of Christianity is the cross.  Does seeing one make you think of church like golden arches makes one think of McDonald’s?  Have you given thought to what exactly the cross represents?  Or just what do you think of when you see one?    Is it merely a symbol that over time has come to represent Christianity?

A rainbow is God’s sign to Noah – and to us – that He will never flood the earth again.  It is a symbol representing a promise.  But the cross represents so much more.  A vital key to understanding this is the difference between ‘sins’ and ‘sin’.  God made provision for the forgiveness of sins in both the Old and New Testaments.  Forgiveness always involved the shedding of blood.  In the Old Testament there was the blood of lambs and goats that had to be redone every year.  In the New Testament we have the shed blood of Jesus once and for all to provide for the forgiveness of sins.

But the power of sin was and is another thing entirely.  Prior to Jesus, the sins of God’s people could be forgiven but there was still the power of sin working in them.  God’s plan in Jesus was to deal with this wretched power of sin that was the result ofAdams’ fall.  The cross represents His love gift through Jesus by which the power of sin was broken.

Through Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection we are able to be born-again – to become new creatures in Christ Jesus – freed from the old sin nature – no longer slaves to sin – able to become children of God!  This is what faith in Jesus brings us – a life that is radically changed!  May we rejoice in this whenever we see a cross.

Isaiah 41:13  For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.

When we’re frightened and concerned it is a wonderful blessing to be comforted.  Sometimes we are the comforter – and sometimes the comforted.  And sometimes we are both at the same time.  I’m laughing as I think of that scene in the movie While You Were Sleeping where Lucy and the brother are trying to walk across the icy sidewalk.  They are hanging onto one another for dear life.

I think of children who are frightened and the amazing comfort they can derive from holding a parent’s hand.  The power is far beyond holding a hand – it is rooted in relationship with who the hand belongs to.  It communicates that I am with someone I love and trust.  I am not alone.  It also communicates that someone is there to help.

There are times when we receive frightening news and we squeeze the hand of the one we are with.  It is a way of releasing the anxiety of the moment and receiving strength from the one with us. The fact that we are adults doesn’t diminish the power of the peace and encouragement that can be communicated through the touch – the hand that is held.

Our God is our Father who loves us.  When Jesus taught the disciples to pray he began, “Our Father…”.  Think of the Prodigal’s father and the joy he had in the return of his son.  Our Father is not a distant, aloof, icy individual.  He is One who cares deeply for us.  He enables us to experience the reality of His loving presence with us.

In Romans 8:15 Paul makes it clearer in case we are lacking in our grasp of who our God is to us, “¹⁵For [the Spirit which] you have now received [is] not a spirit of slavery to put you once more in bondage to fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption [the Spirit producing sonship] in [the bliss of] which we cry, Abba (Father)! Father!” (Amplified)

I know that my wife Donna had a less than positive relationship with her dad.  But years ago at a conference, she had an encounter with the Lord where He communicated His Father love to her.  He redefined her entire understanding of what a father’s love was about.  He will do the same for us if we seek Him.  Remember that our loving Father is with us – and in times of need, He holds our hand and says, “Do not fear; I will help you.”

Ephesians 5:1-2   Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

I woke up this morning with thoughts of how we, through necessity or preference, engage others to address certain things we have to deal with.   Think of repairing your car, changing the oil or tires, repairing appliances in your home, having someone take care of your lawn, paint or repair your house, take care of pets, plow your driveway in the winter.  We simply have to recognize that an issue or problem exists and contact the appropriate person to address it.

So many products come with service contracts where we can purchase ‘insurance’ that will deal with any problems we encounter with the product.  All we have to do is pick up the phone and call the repairman.  It is then ‘out of our hands’ so to speak.  We also have the option of ignoring such things – particularly if it is inconvenient to deal with them in terms of priorities of finances, i.e., the warning light on the dash is white not red.

Today’s verse engages us in a very different way.  It calls upon us to imitate God and to live a life of love.  What does it mean to imitate God?  What exactly does living a life of love look like?  If we think we know, how do we know that our understanding is correct?  We are the ones who have to live the life of love.  It is not something we can delegate to someone else or ignore.  But if we think of it as a ‘have to do it’ we’ve really missed the boat.  We get to do it.  We must want to do it.

Think of it this way.  If you are a husband or wife, you don’t delegate someone else to love your spouse – you get to do it.  You want to do it – and if we’re wise, we are always looking for ways to do it better.  This means we are also noting the behaviors and attitudes in our lives that are inconsistent with love.  There is no higher priority for Christians than living a life of love.  Our Lord loves us and we get to love Him and others in return – what incredible privileges!

Ephesians 4:1  As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.

What constitutes a life worthy of our calling as a Christian?  What does such a life look like?  Is it a given that when we accept Jesus as our Lord we will live such a life?  Or, following being born again, are we required to play a vital role in its development?  Further, is the life to be lived a progressive thing – that it becomes more consistent with Scripture with the passing of time?

There are sinful behaviors we are set free from the moment we are born again.  Other things He deals with over time.  I’m reminded of stories of the coal miners in the great Welsh revival a century ago.  These men and women had their lives radically transformed. Drunkenness, stealing, cursing and other offences grew less.  It is told that the miner’s pit ponies became a problem.  The ponies were so used to being cursed and sworn at that they just didn’t understand when orders were given in kind, clean words!

The question then becomes what happens in our lives as the months and years and decades roll by?  Although the transformation in the miners’ lives was miraculous, it was akin to the Israelites leaving Egypt.  They were set free in order to become the people God wanted them to become.

Living a life worthy of our calling involves who we are and what we do.  It involves having a heart desire to love and please God which flows out of our rich awareness of His love for us and our gratitude for His love.  It entails being vigilant regarding our character, our thoughts, our intentions, motivations, attitudes and how we communicate with others.  These are the things that the Holy Spirit will continually address, help us maintain and transform over our lifetime.  They profoundly impact the quality of what we do and why we do it.

That desired quality is well illustrated by the experience of looking for good fruit in a market where the vendor will allow you to sample the fruit.  There is appearance, ripeness, texture and flavor.  It’s not a matter of the fruit just looking good and feeling right to the touch.  It must pass the taste test.  What a joy it is to bite into eye-appealing fruit that is ripe and sweet to the taste.  It’s like ‘a party in your mouth’ – to quote a dear friend of ours.  That is the experience we and others around us will have as we walk worthy of our Lord and His calling upon our lives.

Romans 14:8  If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

Upon entering Wheaton Grad School I was aware that I had the potential to do really well.  Mediocrity was no longer acceptable but I was also aware that I had never been a great student – my study habits had to change.  It’s one thing to think about becoming a good student.  It’s another to actually become one.  The Lord didn’t leave me to my own devices – He gave me a life changing idea and the motivation to implement it.

I needed to hold myself accountable for how much time I actually studied outside of class.  This resulted in the creation of my ‘Accountability Book’.  I tracked down to five minute blocks of time how much I actually studied, and I was ruthless with myself.  I remember going to the library to study for the morning.  My thoughts were I would study for four hours from 8:00 until 12:00.  The reality was a bit different.  After taking time out for getting coffee in the union, talking with friends, checking my mail, going to chapel, etc… instead of four hours of study, it was 1 hour and 40 minutes!

The lesson of the Accountability Book was if I put in the time to genuinely study, I got ‘A’s.  This led to the realization that my focus wasn’t to be on getting ‘A’s but upon the ‘process’ of studying – mastery of what I needed to learn.  This led to the liberating realization that right process produces right results.

Inherent in this is recognizing that we have a lot to learn and the importance of always being teachable.  Whether it’s learning a job, learning to be a spouse or a parent – or learning to do these roles better – we have invaluable resources to help us achieve quality.  First and foremost is our Lord who is intimately involved in our lives.  He will show us where we need to improve.  In addition, we have Scriptures, books, mentor/coaches, pastoral teams, Christian friends, bosses, co-workers, etc… as valuable resources.

We must recognize that being a good parent, a good spouse, good worker, etc… is consistent with (and required by) our faith.  He enables us to recognize our shortcomings and become better at these things than we currently are.  Never be too proud to ask for help.  Our Lord wants quality in all of the roles we find ourselves in.  He doesn’t separate the sacred and the secular.

Our life in Christ transforms us so that we are able to glorify Him and must glorify Him with ever-improving quality in everything we do.  This is what living to the Lord is all about.  Beginning today, wherever we find ourselves, Jesus has a redemptive path that will enable us to do just that.

Hebrew 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would come near to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him [out]. (Amplified)

As a student growing up, I was always content with ‘B’s.  There was a national test we took each year in school that indicated that I was capable of better than that but I was set in my ways.  In college the same continued – I was doing okay but just wanted to get through my courses.  Then in my junior year I became a Christian.  Studies took a back seat to prayer meetings, Bible studies, witnessing, conferences and other Christian activities.  My grades sank and I ended up on academic probation.

At the end of my junior year I went to Colombia on a short-term mission trip.  There the Lord gave me a ‘major’ revelation that He wasn’t glorified if I flunk out of school.  I needed to get my degree if for no other reason than to honor my parents and the sacrifices they had made in my behalf.  Needless to say, I repented and went on to graduate.

Several years later the Lord made it clear that I was to pursue graduate school.  (PTL I had my BS degree!)  I chose going to Wheaton.  As part of the application process I had to take something called a Graduate Record Exam (GRE).  It is like the SAT or ACT for college graduates.  I got a GRE study book and seriously prepared for the exam.  Fortunately I did well and was accepted by the Grad School.

When meeting with my advisor for the first time, he noted that my GRE score was high and exclaimed, “You are capable of excellence!  I’m expecting ‘A’s out of you!”  This led to one of the most life-changing communications to me from the Lord.  I did not hear an audible voice but He could not have communicated more clearly to me.

The message I received from Him was this:  “As long as you think you are only capable of mediocrity you will be content with mediocrity.  You are capable of excellence and I am holding you accountable for excellence!”  Needless to say, I responded.  For the first time in my life I got ‘A’s!

Unfortunately, so many Christians have unknowingly accepted the lie of mediocrity in our relationship with Jesus.  We are content with so much less than He wants us to have.  We read about wonderful things in the Bible or the moving testimonies of others but don’t think we can experience a relationship with God like that.

The message that God gave me regarding my studies applies to all of us in our relationship with Him.  Every Christian is capable of experiencing excellence in their Christian life – and He is holding us accountable for it.  He expects us to respond with faith to His word and His Spirit and seriously pursue Him.  When we do, we experience the excellence that comes with diligently seeking Him.

Philemon 22 – And one thing more: Prepare a guest room for me, because I hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers.

This verse reminds me of dear friends and a memorable answer to prayer.  Shortly after we were married, we were living in Lansing, Michigan.  We were going through the normal struggles that many new ministries go through.  God blessed us with an older couple, John and Sue, who were wonderful friends to us and were an inspiration to many.  They opened their home and lives to so many young men and women to help them grow in the Lord.

Fasting and prayer were vital to John and Sue and a part of their daily lives.  They viewed them as essential elements in seeking the Lord and being empowered to be the man and woman God wanted them to be.  We were often amazed at how God spoke to them and used them to bless others.  They were loving, kind and selfless.

The Lord spoke to them about establishing a foundation and pouring everything they owned into it where they could minister to people in need of help or encouragement.  They purchased a big old house and 50 acres and it became the center of their work and a place of prayer.  It was a home where they could have people stay with them for various periods of time to minister and help them.

There came a time when I was struggling with the work we were attempting to do.  While praying the Lord put on my heart to call John and Sue and ask if I could come and spend a few days there with them to seek the Lord.  When I did they encouraged me to come.  It was a blessing to be there – spending time in the word and prayer and gleaning wisdom from John and Sue.

While there I was reading Philemon and the Lord really quickened this verse to me – so much so that I mentioned it to John and Sue at breakfast.  They grinned and informed me that the Lord had spoken to them a couple of weeks earlier that I was to come and spend some time with them there.  They had the guest room prepared for me and were confident that through their prayers I would come.  I am still blessed by memories of this simple yet profound example of God answering prayer and His using Christians to express His love.