Today's Daily Devotional

[Bugsy]

January 10-11, 2009

Responding to God's Grace
READ | Isaiah 6:1-5

The more we understand the contrast between God’s holiness and our sinfulness, the clearer the magnitude and depth of His grace will become. This knowledge will cause us to turn to Him in . . .

Confession of our sins. The prophet Isaiah, upon seeing God’s holiness, clearly grasped his own uncleanness. In a similar way, recognizing the Lord’s perfection will lead us to realize our own unrighteousness. We may think we’re doing okay until it becomes clear that God’s standard for us is to be holy—without sin. Only through faith in Christ can we meet that standard. The first step is admitting we are not the good person we thought ourselves to be. Rather, we are sinners in need of divine help. Confession is also to be a regular practice of all believers.

Acceptance of Christ’s sacrifice. On the cross, our Savior gave up His life so that we might be reconciled to God. By receiving His sacrifice as our own, we enter into a personal relationship with the heavenly Father. He offers forgiveness of our sins and adoption into His family because we have accepted the atonement Jesus made on our behalf.

Commitment to His Lordship. When Isaiah heard God’s call, “Whom shall I send?” he answered, “Here am I. Send me!” (Isa. 6:8). Because Jesus is our Lord, His purpose is to guide our life. As we grow in awareness of His grace, we will be increasingly motivated to live a life of obedient service.

Ponder the impact of God’s amazing grace on your life. Let your gratitude lead to one of these responses.

[Bugsy]

January 12, 2009

The Blame Game
READ | Genesis 3:8-19

The oldest game in history was first played in Eden. When God confronted Adam and Eve about their disobedience, they began pointing fingers. The Lord ignored their feeble attempts to appear innocent in His eyes. He knew the truth and disciplined both for the part each played in the tragedy.

Today let’s look specifically at the first woman’s actions and reactions. Eve blamed the serpent for placing her in the awkward position of choosing between God’s will and her own. But he did not have the power to make her weak and unwise. She knew the consequences of sampling fruit from the Tree of Knowledge but decided to eat it anyway.

The serpent’s words tempted Eve, as they were designed to do. It was in her nature as a human being to feel an attraction to the forbidden. But the grief and pain that entered her life were not Satan’s fault. God held Eve personally accountable for her actions. She suffered because she disobeyed.

We can clearly see that Eve lost big at the blame game. Everyone does. Yet the activity is as popular today as ever. Some play to hide their weaknesses. Others want to cover up failure or avoid consequences. Casting someone else as the bad guy makes people feel better about themselves. But feeling justified for a moment is no match for the long-term satisfaction of following God’s playbook.

The Lord demands that people take responsibility for their actions, thoughts, and words. No one can force you to make sinful choices. Therefore, the time has come to declare the blame game over.

[Bugsy]

January 13, 2009

To Forgive or to Blame
READ | Colossians 3:12-17

It’s not my fault” is a prevalent attitude in our culture. To avoid responsibility for their own actions, people blame others: “I wouldn’t yell at my kids so much if my own mother had loved me more” or “I wouldn’t speak unkindly about my boss if he showed me some respect.” Resentment wells up until the victim is blind to everything except how his life is impacted by someone else’s hurtful deeds. Then casting blame is easy. But God has a challenge for believers: Forgive those who wound you.

The Lord’s Prayer mentions several of God’s duties but lists only one for believers: to forgive debtors (Matt. 6:12). The metaphor of debt describes sin well. A wronged person often feels that the responsible party owes something, such as an apology or compensation. But by showing mercy to one who has sinned, you stamp his or her obligation to you “paid in full.” Reparations and retribution are no longer required.

Sometimes our wounds are so deep that forgiveness does not come easily. Remember that Jesus bears the scars of others’ sins, too, and His Holy Spirit enables believers to carry out this difficult task. While your debtor may have done nothing to deserve grace, choose to give it anyway, just as Jesus did for you

When God forgives, He remembers wrongs no more (Jer. 31:34). That doesn’t mean that a transgression magically never happened. Instead, the Lord refuses to use past wrongs as a reason to punish His people. He set the pattern of debt cancellation. For the good of our spiritual life, we must follow His example (Matt 6:15).

[Bugsy]

January 14, 2008

Focusing on God or Obstacles?
READ | Numbers 13:25-14:10

The Lord gave the Israelites a commission to go in and possess the land of Canaan. The people needed a separate place in which to thrive as a God-centered nation. And He chose an exceptionally good country for their development.

So at the Lord’s direction, Moses sent 12 men to spy out the land. What a surprise when ten of them returned with frightening negative stories. All that these spies could see were the obstacles to taking ownership.

However, Caleb was certain that they’d “surely overcome” (Num. 13:30), because he was focused on God’s promises rather than the obvious difficulties. He based his confidence on God’s words to Abraham: “To your descendants I will give this land” (Gen. 12:7).

The people didn’t share Caleb’s faith—tales of giants and fortified cities scared them. Ordinarily, those would have been obstacles worth fearing. But the Israelites served a God who had proven that He could overcome anything: He’d parted the Red Sea to facilitate their escape from Pharaoh. And He fed them for two years in the desert.

Focusing on obstacles distorts our vision. Problems seem to loom so large that we can’t see to take the next step in faith. In reality, if God has called us to do something, the only hindrance is between our temples! He has already planned a way around, over, or through any barriers that might lie on the path to fulfilling His purpose.And when we, like the Israelites, give in to fear and refuse to move forward, we miss out on the great reward found in doing God’s will.

[Bugsy]

January 15, 2009

A Lesson in Church Building
READ | Deuteronomy 1:20-31

In 1991 I preached a sermon comparing my church family’s situation to that of the Israelites on the edge of the Promised Land. We desperately needed a larger facility and toward that end acquired land a few miles from downtown Atlanta. We had three years to complete two overwhelming tasks: to raise the entire purchase price for a new building and to ensure that the church was ready for occupancy on the appointed date.

What I told my flock that day also applies to individuals. God has given His people a commission—to make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:19). The Father gives different opportunities to each believer so we all can fulfill His command in unique ways. Since He never flings a door wide open unless He intends for us to go through it, stopping on the threshold is disobedience.

Sometimes what little we can see on the other side looks frightening. But if the Lord is calling, then you need to do what He asks instead of dithering in the doorway. He assumes full responsibility for properly equipping you and guiding you to complete the task.

Which brings me back to my earlier story. You may already know how it ends: God provided every cent—no bank loan was necessary—and the building was completed on time. From that new home base, the ministry expanded in our city and across the globe.

Are you standing in a doorway, too scared to move on? Step forward in faith. God made the opportunity, and He is faithful to see you safely through it, regardless of the obstacles.

[Bugsy]

January 16, 2009

Life Before Grace
READ | Ephesians 2:1-3

Grace is the unmerited love that God shows to sinful people. He expressed this love through the sacrificial death of His Son. It becomes ours when we confess that we are sinners and receive Jesus Christ as our Savior. Because of grace, we are forgiven by God and adopted into His family.

Today’s passage describes our life before grace. First, we were dead in our trespasses and sins. This means that every one of us is born with a deadness to the things of God—we come into this world with no spiritual life. Our nature leans away from the Lord and toward ourselves. Secondly, our thinking and behavior follow the world’s, which, according to the Scriptures, is under Satan’s control. His plan always opposes God’s and leads us to rebel against divine commands.

Before encountering grace, the apostle Paul was very religious but blind to God’s perspective and plan. He actively opposed those who followed Christ (Acts 26:9-11). With a goal of destroying the church, he sought to eradicate the Christian faith, which he deemed false. He continued persecuting believers until he encountered the Lord on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:3-6). There he surrendered his will to the Lord’s and became a true follower of Jesus Christ.

If you have not trusted in the Savior, then you are spiritually dead, separated from God, and under His judgment. Like Paul, you may be very religious and yet lack a personal relationship with Christ. God offers you salvation today through faith in Jesus. How will you answer Him?

[Bugsy]

January 17-18, 2009

Grace on Display
READ | 1 Timothy 1:12-17

Paul described himself as the worst of sinners, and yet someone to whom the Lord had expressed His favor and love (1 Tim. 1:16 NIV). Because of divine grace, the apostle became spiritually alive and a member of God’s family. He had a new purpose for living—one that would glorify his heavenly Father and help build His kingdom. From that day forward, Paul’s attitudes and behavior were dramatically different.

Through the transforming work of the Holy Spirit, Paul’s character was increasingly marked by gratitude and compassion. In his writings, the apostle consistently expressed appreciation for God’s blessings and urged others to be grateful as well. His words also revealed humility. A well-educated and influential man, he now counted all his credentials a “loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Phil. 3:8).

After Paul met the Savior, his actions also changed dramatically. He cared deeply about those who were still separated from God, and he fervently desired to help Christians grow in their faith. For the rest of his life, he served the Lord by sharing the gospel, encouraging fellow believers, and meeting the needs of others. He accepted that suffering for the cause of Christ was a part of this new life.

As we read about the apostle’s life, we see grace on display. He was used as God’s ambassador to the Gentiles. Through him, biblical truths were recorded for future generations. The Holy Spirit seeks to transform our lives, just as He did Paul’s. Are you allowing grace to work within you?

[Bugsy]

January 19, 2009

Dealing With False Teachers
READ | 2 Timothy 4:3-4

In a certain town, there lived two foolish Christians. The first disregarded scriptural training, so when his faith was challenged, he couldn’t find the verses or words to defend his beliefs. The second imprudent believer felt too weak to make good decisions. But he sought wisdom from people with stronger personalities instead of trusting the Lord.

Along came an enthusiastic fellow with exciting new ideas about religion. Sadly, he didn’t have a faithful walk with the Lord, which made him a poor candidate to lead anyone in spiritual matters. Instead of grounding himself in the Word, this false teacher followed his own preferences, focusing on whatever pleased or satisfied him at the moment. His teachings sounded good to the two foolish believers, and they fell victim to his ideology and charm. Though their ears were tickled, they were totally ineffective as witnesses for Christ, since God cannot use a man or woman steeped in fallacy.

In such a situation, Christians would be wise to follow John’s counsel and “test the spirits to see whether they are from God” (1 John 4:1). We can do this by comparing what we hear with Scripture and by seeking the counsel of godly mentors. In this way, we will not deceived by hollow words or erroneous interpretations of God’s Word.

Have you ever heard a perspective on the Bible that was too good to be true—or too awful, for that matter? To guard against being deceived, meditate on the Scriptures (Eph. 6:17) and maintain an active prayer life.

[Bugsy]

January 20, 2009

The Supremacy of Scripture
READ | 2 Timothy 3:13-17

Almost every sermon I preach contains an exhortation to read the Bible daily and to carry it to church on Sunday. I repeat that advice because scriptural knowledge is vitally important. You cannot adequately defend the faith unless you know God’s Word.

False teachers will use faulty interpretation and half-truths to lure believers to their way of thinking. The prime targets are Christians with no firsthand knowledge of Scripture—men and woman who listen to sermons but do not study for themselves. According to Jesus’ explanation of His seed parable, these are people without roots (Luke 8:13). In contrast, the seeds in good soil hold fast to the Word (v. 15). A believer’s roots must be sunk so deeply into Scripture that no false ideology can squeeze through. In spite of the world’s claims, truth is not a matter of interpretation.

Believers have a responsibility to guard against error. In fact, John went so far as to encourage his flock to shut out anyone who preached a message different from Christ’s (2 John 10). He saw no need to greet deceitful teachers. Note his advice, all you who think good manners require listening to misguided religious people at your door. It’s appropriate not to be their audience. Your task is to hold fast to God’s truth.

Deception will reach your ears from many sources. You must be able to identify falsehood quickly to prevent error from taking root and strangling your growing faith. Study biblical principles so that you can confidently proclaim, “I know the truth because I have read it for myself.”

[Bugsy]

January 21, 2009

Times of Trouble
READ | Psalm 46:2-11

During this life, hard times are inevitable. Some watch a loved one suffer and die; others are wrongly accused or mistreated. Then there are people who endure crippling ailments. The range of human pain is broad, but there’s only one place of true comfort.

Today’s passage speaks of great calamities, some due to natural causes and some caused by men (vv. 2, 6). We often feel bewildered during such trials, but verse 10 tells us where to turn: God’s followers should be still and remember that He’s the sovereign Lord of the universe. In our world of cell phones and deadlines, it’s hard to stop for even a moment. But the key to dealing with difficulty lies in trusting the One in control of all things.

Instead of trying to manage the situation ourselves or pointing a finger in blame, we should actively wait, watching for God to move and trusting that He will act on our behalf (Isa. 64:4). This involves taking time to be alone with our Father—crying out to Him, meditating on His truth, and listening.

Human instinct urges us to take matters into our own hands; in contrast, the Lord requires that we patiently and expectantly wait upon Him. He also tells us to surrender what we think is right and instead submit to His plan. Unless our focus remains steady on Jesus, circumstances can overwhelm us.

What is your response when trouble arises? You can choose to accept difficulty as a blessing by letting it deepen your relationship with Christ. Whether your current circumstances are good or painful, take time to be still before the Lord.

[Bugsy]

January 22, 2009

Knowing God
READ | Philippians 3:8-14

It is possible for a husband to live with his wife for 50 years, eat at the same table, and be aware of her daily activities but never really understand her. In the same way, we can spend our lives attending church, reading books about the Lord, and even talking to Him, without every truly knowing our Creator.

The Bible repeatedly urges us to know God. That involves reading His Word to discover what the Father reveals about Himself. And then we need to spend time in His presence so we can experience Him in those ways.

For example, Matthew 1:23 calls the Lord Immanuel, which means “God with us.” Jesus promised, “I will not leave you as orphans . . . I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you” (John 14:18-20). Scripture also describes Him as our “very present help in trouble” (Ps. 46:1). In other words, God isn’t some distant, future rescuer (Ps. 32:7). He is here and involved right now. And not only does He defend us; He is also the rock where we can find shelter, stability, and strength (Ps. 62:2, Is. 40:31).

Through Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross, the Father offers us salvation and a personal relationship with Him. Then He brings us on the journey of sanctification, where He uses life’s circumstances to teach holiness. And through the privilege of serving Him, we are able to know Him more.

Even if you have received God’s gift of salvation, it is possible not to truly know who He is. Stop right now and ask the Holy Spirit to increase your knowledge of the Father (Col. 1:9).

An additional short message for today

[Bugsy]

January 26, 2008

Created to Praise
READ | Psalm 103
Do you ever wonder why you exist? Day-to-day activities and worries pull in so many directions that most people seldom think about what the goal of life is. But our Creator made us with a purpose: to glorify Him (Isa. 43:7).

In His Word, God is emphatic that we’re to testify to His faithfulness and mighty works. Jesus obviously considered this important as well—when teaching His disciples how to communicate with God, He began His well-known prayer with adoration (Matt. 6:9).

Why, then, do we give so much attention to petitions but so little to praise? Perhaps some believers consider themselves too busy to spend “extra” prayer time praising the Lord. Others may feel awkward expressing their gratitude. Yet no excuses are acceptable. Psalm 103:2 warns us to remember God’s benefits so we will humbly glorify Him. The Psalm also explains how to lift Him up with our words—specifically, we should praise God for His character and for His work in the past, present, and future (vv. 2-8, 19).

We can also exalt the Lord in other ways. The Old Testament’s three primary words for “praise” refer to music, spoken words, and gestures like raising hands and dancing. But we can also glorify Him through our actions, thoughts, and creativity.

Praise may be something of a foreign concept to you. But it’s the very purpose for which you were created. Notice how the Father is exalted in the Psalms. Then worship Him with praise as you spend time in His presence today.

[Bugsy]

January 26, 2008

Created to Praise
READ | Psalm 103

Do you ever wonder why you exist? Day-to-day activities and worries pull in so many directions that most people seldom think about what the goal of life is. But our Creator made us with a purpose: to glorify Him (Isa. 43:7).

In His Word, God is emphatic that we’re to testify to His faithfulness and mighty works. Jesus obviously considered this important as well—when teaching His disciples how to communicate with God, He began His well-known prayer with adoration (Matt. 6:9).

Why, then, do we give so much attention to petitions but so little to praise? Perhaps some believers consider themselves too busy to spend “extra” prayer time praising the Lord. Others may feel awkward expressing their gratitude. Yet no excuses are acceptable. Psalm 103:2 warns us to remember God’s benefits so we will humbly glorify Him. The Psalm also explains how to lift Him up with our words—specifically, we should praise God for His character and for His work in the past, present, and future (vv. 2-8, 19).

We can also exalt the Lord in other ways. The Old Testament’s three primary words for “praise” refer to music, spoken words, and gestures like raising hands and dancing. But we can also glorify Him through our actions, thoughts, and creativity.

Praise may be something of a foreign concept to you. But it’s the very purpose for which you were created. Notice how the Father is exalted in the Psalms. Then worship Him with praise as you spend time in His presence today.

[Bugsy]

January 27, 2008

Benefits of Praise
READ | Psalm 150
Consider your most recent prayer to the Lord. Did you spend as much time praising Him as you did making requests?

In our selfish society, many people even attend church to get needs met—singing helps emotions, sermons “feed” the flock, and the choir entertains. Our own preferences can overshadow the primary purpose the Creator has for our lives: to exalt Him.

Praise both magnifies and pleases the Lord, but we actually benefit from the practice as well. First, adoration of God modifies our estimation of “self”—it’s impossible to truly elevate God while clinging to pride. Instead, we come to recognize our sin, weakness, and dependence upon Him. As Scripture tells us, the Lord’s power is manifest when we show genuine humility (2 Cor. 12:10).

Next, praise appropriately humbles us, as it is a reminder of God’s greatness and our dependence upon Him. But at the same time, exalting Him strengthens our sense of assurance, thereby increasing our faith. Then we are able to look beyond ourselves and our circumstances to see life from God’s perspective. And consider one additional benefit of praise that involves our physical bodies: when we focus on Jesus’ goodness, tension leaves and we find new strength. All these supernatural effects of exaltation are possible because as we lift His name, God is present—Psalm 22:3 tells us that He inhabits the praise of His people

[Bugsy]

January 28, 2009

God’s Blessings
READ | Psalm 81

Our heavenly Father delights in meeting His children’s needs and fulfilling their desires. Yet many Christians walk through life with less than God’s best. How can we avoid missing His blessings?

Psalm 81 provides insight. The writer refers to a time when the Israelites missed out on God’s best for them. As we know from Exodus, the nation gratefully praised Him for their release from bondage. But they quickly forgot and worshiped other gods, complaining about their circumstances in the wilderness. This unhealthy pattern continued throughout the Old Testament, as the people would turn to Jehovah in time of need and then drift.

Verses 8-10 reveal God’s perspective: “O Israel, if you would listen to Me! Let there be no strange god among you . . . I, the LORD, am your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt; open your mouth wide and I will fill it.”

We, too, might have needs and desires that are unmet because of disobedience. Today, most people don’t worship statues, as the wayward Israelites did. Our idols are less obvious—they might include a relationship, job, hobby, or anything else we put ahead of the Lord. Even making decisions based upon what others think can be idolatry; our choices should be based upon biblical principle and the Holy Spirit’s guidance.

Ask the Lord to reveal anything that hinders your receiving His blessings. Listen carefully, and let Him help with the areas He brings to your attention. He is ready to guide you and bless you.