Friday October 25, 2013

Posted on October 25, 2013 by Don Schmidt
Good Morning.  God is so good to us.

Romans 12:14  Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.  Continued…

In the context of of talking about persecution, let’s consider the verses of Matthew 5:10-12.  When I read them, my first thought is how glorious they are.  The rejoice command is the one we likely miss or overlook. Here are the verses:

“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  11Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
 This really requires a paradigm shift for most of us.  We typically do not view persecution to be a blessing nor do we want to bless the ones doing the persecution.  When it comes to the rejoicing part we likely miss it because it never occurs to us.  If Christians are being martyred for their faith in Jesus, our tendency is to view it as an evil.  But then we need to consider the words of Jesus.  Persecution is a blessing when it is done because of Him or because of righteousness in our lives.  As verse 12 states, we are to rejoice and be glad – not become discouraged or angered.
 
These verses in Matthew indicate that the persecution we receive should be because of righteousness – not because of worldly attitudes or actions.  They also make it clear that we will be persecuted because of our faith in Jesus. We want our lives to be filled with His righteousness – meaning that our daily lives are increasingly filled with Godly attributes.
 With each passing day we can become more like Jesus.  The very fact that we live for Him is going to produce results.  Some will be drawn to God and will become His.  Others will react negatively and will take it out on us.  Let us prepare ourselves that when persecution occurs, we will respond as God wants.  Let us remember that it is all about Him – not about us.
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Thursday October 24, 2013

Posted on October 24, 2013 by Don Schmidt

Romans 12:14  Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

What does it mean to be persecuted?  Can we think of a time or times where we believe we have been persecuted?  Do those experiences, if we had them, seem more like they fall in the categories of insult or disrespect?  Or, do they fall into the category of physical threat or intimidation?  Were our lives at risk?   Do we view persecution to be more of a general category where Christians as a group are ‘persecuted’ by being discriminated against?  Might the Supreme Court decision in 1963 banning organized prayer in public schools be an example of such ‘persecution’?

When it comes to persecution here in the West, it is a different world than that which many Christians deal with particularly in the Middle East, parts of Africa or the Far East.  I think it is accurate to say we would prefer to be prohibited from publicly reading or displaying our Bible than to be arrested for having one. Likewise, we would rather be ridiculed for our faith than to be imprisoned and tortured.  Think of being forced to choose between Jesus and a son or daughter or spouse.  If you choose Jesus, the likelihood is that you will never see your family member again in this life.  This has been happening for decades in other parts of the world.

Persecution runs the gamut from being picked on or discriminated against to martyrdom.  The amazing thing is that our response to those who do the persecuting is to be the same – we are to bless them.  Hating them or cursing them isn’t an option.  Not even cursing under our breath.  This means that annoyance, anger, disgust and other ‘fleshly’ responses are off limits too.

I cannot help but think of two different scriptures that speak to this topic.  Jesus’ statement in Matthew 10:22 “You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.”  Then there is the wonderful attitude expressed by the Apostles in Acts 5:41 “The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.”  We must learn to bless those who persecute us.  We must learn to be the expressions of the Kingdom of God that He wants us to be in the face of opposition.  Our goal must be to do it His way – bless and not curse!

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Wednesday October 23, 2013

Posted on October 23, 2013 by Don Schmidt

Matthew 13:54-55  Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked.  “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas?

If you saw a miracle happen, would you believe it?  Or would you immediately dismiss it because ‘miracles don’t happen’ today!  What if you were the one in need of a miracle?  Would you listen to those around you dismissing it – or would you set aside these opinions and see if a miracle could happen to you?  Some of the people in Nazareth did respond and they experienced what God had for them.

But for the most part, the people of Nazareth and the Jewish leaders represent one of the most difficult to believe ‘phenomenon’ in the Bible for me to understand.  They chose to adhere to opinions they had rather than respond in faith to what is going on before them.  The Scriptures say the people of Nazareth were amazed at what they saw and heard, yet they responded with unbelief.  They chose to hold to what their ‘common sense’ was telling them.

This is a significant principle that God uses and we have to adjust accordingly.  It all boils down to whether we are going to respond appropriately to what He is doing.  Will we respond with unbelief, listening to common sense or fear?  Or will we respond in faith to what we are encountering?  Will we seek Him and allow Him to guide us?

The Lord gives us opportunities to follow Him and accomplish things that He has purposed us to do.  But in the midst of those things, He allows all manner of problems,
difficulties and obstacles to arise.  They can be fearful or overwhelming.  How are we going to respond?

It might not seem fair, but we have a path to choose.  We can be fearful and succumb to worldly wisdom or fear – or we can seek and trust the Lord, lifting all of the problems
to Him.  I think of Joshua and Caleb and the other 10 spies sent in to explore the Promised Land.  There were giants there, but only the Joshua and Caleb had their focus on the Lord.
They knew He would see them through.  The other 10 focused on the giants – fear and ‘common sense’ dictated how they responded.

The things we sometimes face can lead to similar choices.  We can focus on the ‘giants’ or
we can focus on our God – unbelief versus faith.  Each is an opportunity for the Lord in His greatness to enable us to overcome.  The choice is ours.  How will we respond to
the challenging things He allows in our lives?

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Tuesday October 22, 2013

Posted on October 22, 2013 by Don Schmidt

John 3:8  “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

What is the difference between a speedboat and a sailboat?  Duh – one has a motor and the other doesn’t?  One doesn’t need sails while the other does.  One needs gasoline and the other needs wind.  One can move independently of the wind, the other cannot move without the wind.  One is a whole lot easier to get where you’re going, when you want to get there and how fast you want to get there – guess which one!

The speedboat (any boat with a motor) offers independence – it’s at the whim of its ‘captain’.  The sailboat is dependent upon the wind.  No wind – and it isn’t going  anywhere.  A speedboat can be driven by just about anyone, even someone who’s never been on water; just start the motor and off you go.  Whether a child or an adult, if you
can steer anything – from a kiddie car, go-kart, automobile – you can steer the
speedboat.  It’s also easier to stop!

The sailboat is different; there’s a whole lot more to learn and a lot more skill involved.  But the key things are its dependency upon the wind and the ability of its ‘captain’ to read the wind and sail the boat where it’s to go, and the route the sailboat goes to get there.

Think about it: how do you get from here to there with a headwind blowing straight at you.  That means that the wind is blowing from the direction you want to go.  Instead of
being at your back, it’s blowing in your face.  The question then becomes are we sure that’s where we want to (or are supposed to) go?  If it is, the sailboat can do it, but it sure isn’t a direct route.

Kind of sounds like what we experience with the Holy Spirit sometimes doesn’t it?  He leads us to do something and we encounter ‘headwinds’ – difficulties, opposition, obstacles, etc…  As I suggested in yesterday’s devotional, for the Christian (Jesus Follower), a life of obedience to Scriptures, becomes the sails of our boat.  Walking in His ways, becomes the skill to sail the boat – to read the wind and allow it to choose the route whatever it might be.  Loving God develops the life-dependence upon Him.

That dependence is essential if our lives are to be about Jesus (sailboat)!  Without it, our lives are about us (boat with a motor)!  We must beware of the spirit of independence that is so common in our culture and in our lives.  The Holy Spirit is given to us so that we may have relationship with Him and live the lives that experience, enjoy and reflect the glory of our God.

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Monday October 21, 2013

Posted on October 21, 2013 by Don Schmidt

John 15:5  “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

Picture a large sailboat, out at sea, with sails unfurled and moving gloriously with the wind.  (Hopefully imagining this doesn’t make you seasick!)  Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be on such a ship, on such a day, with a group of dear ones?  Wow – what a great time that would be!  Donna and I have been able to do this very thing a couple of times and the memories we have are ones we treasure.

But take a moment to think about all of the needed ‘ingredients’ in this adventure.  What must we have to make it happen?  First we’ve got to have a sizable body of water for sailing on.  Then we must have a sailboat big enough to handle the group of friends that are going on the adventure – and a crew to sail it.

We would like to have a beautiful day with a strong breeze.  How about doing the sailing amidst a group of islands with beautiful scenes to behold – and a group of dolphin accompanying us?  Of course we want to have something wonderful to eat, so why don’t we
make it a morning sail and we enjoy homemade coffee cake and coffee and orange
juice as we sail.  Can’t you just picture enjoying one another, the breeze, the sea spray, the beauty and the wonder of it all!?

In considering the necessary ‘ingredients’, does anything seem to be missing?  Not at first glance.  But there is something absolutely essential that is taken for granted in the above items.  Without this ‘essential’ the adventure doesn’t happen – except that we sit on the sailboat, wherever it is, and enjoy the scenery, the food, the breeze and one another – but we don’t go anywhere!

What is this essential – that is taken for granted to be there?  Answer: Sails.  And what is a sail?  A piece of material extended on a mast to catch the wind and propel a boat, ship, or
other vessel: “all the sails were unfurled”.

From God’s perspective, walking in His ways is as much as a given for Christians as sails are for a sailboat. Just as a sailboat won’t go anywhere without sails, Christians who don’t walk in His ways won’t ‘go anywhere’ either.  This is why we are more and more hearing the term Jesus Follower.  This is how we remain in Him!  This is how we bear righteous fruit!  Sailboats with sails = Christians who obey Scripture (Jesus Followers) = the adventure is on!!

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Sunday October 20, 2013

Posted on October 20, 2013 by Don Schmidt

John 15:5  “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

Have you ever thought about how wonderful it is to do things right?  To be told, “Good job!”  To have people express their gratitude for what you’ve done or for whom you are?  Boy, talk about something that puts a spring in your step!

Yes, such comments can lead to pride, but they also can lead to us experiencing a heartfelt gratitude for what God has done and is doing in our lives.  Importantly, they can be such an encouragement to do more ‘right’ things; to be more of a ‘right’ person; and in the context of today’s verse, to bear more fruit.  Better still is the desire God gives us to learn what those ‘right’ things are and do them more and more.

Think of sports, hobbies, relationships, work – our goal is to do them well.  The reality is that more often than not, the wrong is eliminated simply by doing the right!  Being kind eliminates unkindness; being patient eliminates impatience; being thoughtful eliminates
thoughtlessness; being generous eliminates stinginess; being loving eliminates being unloving; being other-oriented eliminates self-centeredness.

Then as we bear these wonderful fruits of righteousness, the Holy Spirit asks us, “How would you like to do them even better?”  “How would you like to bear more fruit?”  To which, we reply.  “Oh yes Lord! Show me how!”  And He does so, in a most affirming way.

There’s an old song that Bing Crosby made famous: Accentuate the Positive.  The first three lines are

You’ve got to accentuate the positive
/ Eliminate the negative / Latch on to the affirmative

This is the point!  Our attitude about repentance goes through a significant switch.  Instead its focus being our wrong doing, the focus becomes “Eliminating the negative” so we can “Latch on to the affirmative.”  It becomes a vital tool in the hands of the Holy Spirit to enable us to bear more of His righteous fruit.  The more fruit we bear the more joy we have and the more we glorify our God.  It’s not about us.  It’s all about Him.

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Saturday October 19, 2013

Posted on October 18, 2013 by Don Schmidt

Psalm 23:4b  I will fear no evil, for you are with me;

Wouldn’t it be handy to have a gadget that could measure the fear in our lives just like a thermometer measures body temperature?  Whether we use the thermometer typically depends on how bad the symptoms are.  If you have an active child and all of a sudden you find them curled up and quiet a first response might be to feel their head to see how hot it is.  If it’s hot, we find the thermometer.

There are recognizable symptoms that let us know when we are sick.  Some are serious and some are not so serious, but there are symptoms none the less.  Likewise there are symptoms of fear.  Unfortunately, fear can be such a normal ‘companion’ in our lives that  we don’t recognize that we are ‘sick’ – read afraid.

A few weeks ago (9/15/13) I wrote about being angry in a classroom discussion at Grad School and was oblivious to my anger – until the instructor interrupted and pointed it out.  I had become so accustomed to it that it appeared normal.  Unfortunately, those closest to me suffered for it.  Thankfully, God’s grace enables us to repent and change.

Some of the typical fear symptoms are worry, anxiety, anger, annoyance, impatience, lying, deceiving, complaining, selfishness, rebellion, immorality, jealousy, envy, and the list could go on.  These can be indicative of other problems as well, but they are part of the mob that accompanies fear.  What kind of fear?  Well there are lots of them, but to name a few:

  • Fear of failure
  • Fear of rejection
  • Fear of the unknown
  • Fear of what ‘might’ happen
  • Fear of what ‘might not’ happen

The antidote to fear and the negative behaviors associated with it is walking in God’s ways.  The verse preceding today’s verse says, “He guides me in paths of righteousness…”
Even when our journey takes us through the “valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for (God) is with me.”

If you ask, “What are the paths of righteousness?”  The answer is they are the paths you walk in order to be a follower of Jesus.  They are defined in Scripture.  Unfortunately, the term Christian has become so broad that in the minds of many it includes all manner of behaviors that a follower of Jesus will not and must not do.  These are all identified in Scripture.

The Holy Spirit and Scripture are our ‘thermometers’ to detect the fear in our lives.  Likewise those who love us can help point out where we’re not where we are supposed to be.  Ultimately, fearlessness is rooted in God.  The more we follow Jesus, the more ‘fear-less’ we become, because He is with us.

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Friday October 18, 2013

Posted on October 18, 2013 by Don Schmidt

Psalm 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd; I lack nothing.

The unexpected is a fact of life.  Think how often in our daily routine that we encounter the unexpected.  Simple things: running out of paper, ink, dish detergent, the shirt you were going to wear is in the laundry, the lawn mower won’t start; your appointment is delayed.  Then there are those that are a little more noteworthy: traffic jams, canceled appointments, a friend lets you down, something is forgotten by someone who shouldn’t forget, the car breaks down, extra work is dumped on you in your job….

These (and many other) things when viewed from a distance don’t seem to be so bad – annoying maybe – but they aren’t major issues.  We usually don’t perceive them as tests of our faith.  They don’t fall into the category of losing a job, losing investments, losing a loved one, being injured in an accident, being betrayed by a friend, discovering you have a life threatening disease, etc….

But all of these things, whether big or small, have something important in common.  They are all opportunities.  Opportunities for what you ask?  Each and every one of them gives us the opportunity to reflect the reality of our life in Christ.  These opportunities are windows into our soul that give insight to those around us – and ourselves if we have eyes to see it.

Take a moment now and re-read today’s verse.  Now, read it again, out loud, pausing after the first phrase.  This verse describes an unshakeable, bedrock reality that God intends to
become ours as we walk in His ways – truly becoming a disciple of Jesus.  It becomes the reality of who we are to the depth of our being.  The reality of God in our lives is an unshakeable settled-ness that is reflected in our responses to everything we encounter.

The Lord is my Shepherd; I lack nothing.  Although a storm may be raging around us, it’s peaceful in the boat.  The storm doesn’t shake us.  Jesus is our Shepherd and the reality of our life in Him is reflected in all of the unexpected ‘opportunities’ we encounter.  Hopefully, that reflected reality is of someone walking in His ways.

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Thursday October 17, 2013

Posted on October 16, 2013 by Don Schmidt

Psalm 95:6-7  Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; 7 for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.  Today, if only you would hear his voice,

Isn’t it amazing that the God of the Universe considers us His people?  Savor the reality that because of Jesus, we belong to Him.  When I read these verses, I am so aware of the love and warmth that is in them.  This is not talking about a sterile relationship where we are given the edict to ‘Bow down!’ or ‘Worship!’ like a dog being told to ‘Sit’ or ‘Heel’.  This is family.  There is love, purpose, relationship, awe, community, growth, protection, provision, learning, …  It is the Lotto of life and we are winners!!

Think of all the positive attributes that a loving family has and they are here.  Reading these verses my mind moves to the 23rd Psalm – The Lord is my Shepherd.  The attributes spoken in that Psalm describe the reality of being the people of His pasture, the flock under His care.

I received one of those forwarded emails from my brother Richard that included such a wonderful description of Psalm 23.  I don’t know who wrote the summary description of each phrase but they really bring home what God provides us with:

The Lord is my Shepherd —– that’s a Relationship!
I shall not want —– that’s Supply!
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures —-that’s Rest!
He leadeth me beside the still waters —–that’s Refreshment!
He restoreth my soul — that’s Healing!
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness — that’s Guidance!
For His name’s sake —– that’s Purpose!
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death –that’s Testing!
I will fear no evil —– that’s Protection!
For Thou art with me —– that’s Faithfulness!
Thy rod and Thy staff comfort me —–that’s Discipline!
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies —that’s Hope!
Thou annointest my head with oil —–that’s Consecration!
My cup runneth over —– that’s Abundance!
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life —that’s Blessing!
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord —– that’s Security!
Forever —– that’s Eternity!

Most of all they reflect His love for us.  Let me phrase it this way: God so loved the world that He gave us Himself in Jesus to enable us to become His people – His family – His flock – the joyful and grateful recipients of His affection.  Praise God that He also gave us the Scriptures, which are His voice telling us how to return the love He has so lavished upon

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Wednesday October 16, 2013

Posted on October 16, 2013 by Don Schmidt

1 Samuel 17:37  The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”  Saul said to David, “Go, and the LORD be with you.”

A favorite story in the Bible is that of David and Goliath.  Isn’t it amazing that David, whom King Saul considered just a boy, was totally unafraid of this ranting giant?  For forty days, Goliath, who was a warrior nine feet tall, railed against Saul and the army of Israel.  Every morning and evening he would come out shout his defiance.  Saul and all the
Israelites were dismayed and terrified.

David arrived at the battle line with supplies and ran to greet his brothers.  As he was talking with them, Goliath came out and shouted his defiance.  The Israelites all ran from
him in great fear.  But David wasn’t afraid.  He considered Goliath a disgrace that must be removed from Israel.  The Lord had identified David as a man after His own heart and here we see what that looks like.

Making the situation even more interesting for David was the fact that the men told him that King Saul would give great wealth to the man who killed Goliath.  Here all the fighting men of Israel were terrified and David wasn’t.  What is a nine foot tall man compared to a bear or a lion?  David also did not allow the anger of his oldest brother to deter him from ridding Israel of this warrior.

At the heart of the issue for David was the Lord.  David knew and declared to King Saul that it was, “the LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”  He wasn’t intimidated and he wasn’t foolishly brash.  His trust and confidence were in the Lord.

Goliath saw David coming at him and despised and cursed him.  Picture the setting and savor David’s declaration to Goliath, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.”

David did what the Lord wanted him to do – with boldness, firmly acknowledging that his confidence and trust were in the Lord.  Goliath was slain and the Philistines were defeated.  We won’t face 9′ giants, but we will face political correctness and those who oppose any genuine expression of faith in Jesus Christ.  We will get to deal with our fears and have our confidence and trust firmly in Him.  May the Holy Spirit give us the same faith and boldness – and the opportunities – to show forth His love and live to His glory in the face of opposition.

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