DevoToday.com

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
John 10:10

This verse comes among Jesus comparing himself to a shepherd. The shepherd’s job was to protect the sheep from harm, which involved restricting their movement to some degree. If the shepherd let the sheep roam free, they could not be fully protected.

Our life as Christians is similar. At times we may perceive “limits” that our faith places on us. We may hear from others that we are missing out in something amazing. We may get jealous and tempted.

A roaming sheep probably enjoyed its freedom, too. Until the wolf came.

The path of following Jesus does suggest there are things we should not do. Rather than perceive them as limits, we should see them as ways of keeping us safe. Jesus doesn’t prevent us from enjoying life — there is plenty to enjoy. Instead, we are guided to avoid what can cause us harm.

Be God’s — every day.

LORD, I wait for you; you will answer, Lord my God.
Psalm 38:15

The first 14 verses of this Psalm are all about how bad it is. David writes about how wounded (generally) he is, and is petitioning God to spare him.

In the midst of this pain, however, David shows the patience and trust to wait on God.

When times get tough, do you slow down and wait on God? Or do you turn away and try to do it on your own?

Waiting for God is hard — it completely admits our inability to get it done alone, and relinquishes power. Neither of these is natural to us. But we need to trust in God to deliver us. Sometimes that means waiting for him to deliver.

Be God’s — every day.

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20

This verse gets used a lot to talk about sexual purity. While that is certainly one element of honoring God with our bodies, it’s unlikely the only intent here.

Too often we fail to nurture our entire self. We might be in great shape, but have not enriched our lives through learning. We may be very well spiritually fed, but also too well physically fed. We may pursue wisdom at the expense of faith in God.

We are God’s — every part of us. We are asked to be good stewards of all our resources, and our own bodies are part of that. So while I generally think I could do a better job of honoring God with my body had he made me 6’8, a strapping 240 who can also run a sub-5 40… Honoring God means I have to do what I can with what he created.

Be God’s — every day.

Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.
Matthew 21:31b-32

Jesus is talking to the religious elite. He is pointing out how their religious adherence has blinded them to the fact that they, too, were broken sinners in need of a savior. The “lesser” folks in society got it. The religious didn’t.

If you haven’t seen it already, there is a thought-provoking video floating around of a poem about living Jesus but hating religion. If you haven’t seen it, click over to my other blog (www.paulreiman.com) to check it out. It presents, in modern terms, how religion can blind us to what Jesus was about.

Let’s not get caught up in “being religious.” We all need to be saved from our brokenness.

Be God’s — every day.

When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.
James 1:13-14

We like to blame other people or things when stuff happens. “It’s not my fault” or “the devil made me do it” or “why me, God?” We like to start with how great we were, and how something else got in the way.

The book of James reminds us that it IS our fault. Our own nature draws us into sin. God doesn’t make us do it. We fail to let God save us.

We must look in the mirror first when things go awry. For evil not to win, we must first change ourselves.

Be God’s — every day.

Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.
Mark 6:4-6

Jesus makes this statement in his own hometown. People who heard of his work were asking “Who is the guy? Isn’t he one of us? Don’t we know his family?” They couldn’t think of him differently than what he was or was from. They couldn’t focus on what he is.

There are times when we know things too well. When I was consulting I called it “the curse of knowledge” (stole that from a book, I think). People become too close to a situation to be able to see what is really happening or to even explain it. They are too used to it.

In what ways do we hold things back by seeing them as they were? Is there a person you have pigeon-holed into what they used to be? Or an organization that you can’t see how it’s different than it used to be? How can you adapt to see what it has become?

Be God’s — every day.

But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Matthew 6:6

Tim Tebow, quarterback for the Denver Broncos and perhaps the youngest global face of Christianity today, has his signature move. “Tebowing” has become a cultural phenomenon, as people emulate/mock/thank Mr. Tebow for making his faith known to the world.

Is this a good thing? Or is it a violation of Christ’s instruction about prayer?

I am pretty certain Jesus isn’t so worried about our physical location when we pray. It’s more about the second part of the verse — we’re not judged by what’s visible to all. It’s more about where our heart is: we are in conversation with God.

Is Tim Tebow’s heart in the right place? God knows. And Tim will be judged and rewarded based on that. It’s not for me to decide. Regardless, I do think Tebow represents a man of character who has created dialogue about faith that could stir a generation. That’s surely a good thing.

Is my heart in the right place when communing with God? Admittedly, not always. Surely that’s something I can be better at.

How about you?

Be God’s — every day.

Rejoice always…
1 Thessalonians 5:16

Sounds so simple… Yet how hard can it be?!?

God wants us to be happy. He has given SO much — look around. It is all from God. Clearly God wants us to find pleasure. Why else would he create and enable things like TV, pugs, chocolate, popcorn…

Though it can be hard, see joy in what surrounds you. You have been gifted by God, who wants to see you take pleasure in the life you’ve been given.

Be God’s — every day.

Pray continually…
1 Thessalonians 5:17

That would make it hard to drive… No?

Well, we should remember that prayer takes on many forms. You can be seated with your eyes closed and hands folded, or you can be shouting while running through town. We can be in conversation with God wherever. Whenever. However.

Take time to pray. Speak to God what is on your mind and heart. Also, remember to listen for God to respond. God’s responses aren’t always immediate… But they can be unmistakable when they occur.

Pray. Continually.

Be God’s — every day.

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

As Christians, we must stay focused on what defines us: Christ. Through this focus, we accomplish our purpose… We show love to others, demonstrating the love that God has for them. We strive for our eternal life, our reward through the grace of God.

We need to care less about what holds us back and focus on Jesus. No other garbage gets in the way. It’s about Jesus.

Be God’s — every day.