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Raised from the Ashes: Lent Day – 20

 

“2 If any one imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. 3 But if one loves God, one is known by him.”

 

 

1 Cor. 8:2-3

Read Cor. 8:1-13

Lent 2016 Daily Devotions-4

 

The Real Goal of Lent

Here, in St. Paul’s words to the Corinthians, we have the essence of our life in Christ. We are never as good and holy as we should be, and if we think we are, we have a long way to go. Holiness is best understood as an understanding of ourselves in proper relationship to God. The closer we get to Him, the less holy we feel. Or, as St. Paul says here, the more knowledge we think we have, the less we actually know.

Today we mark the mid-way point through Lent. By now, your choices for fasting and self-denial have probably become somewhat of a challenge to keep. I know yesterday I wanted something that I gave up so badly, my mind began to rationalize how it would be okay if I gave in just this once. At that point, I realized I was not growing closer to Jesus, but away from Him. I want to here His voice tell me, “I can do this”, not my voice saying, “I can’t do this.”

You see, we don’t grow closer to Jesus by giving up foods. Paul tells us in verse 8 that, “food will not commend us to God”; neither the eating nor abstaining is in itself holy. The heart is always what matters. God isn’t interested in our starving ourselves. However, He is interested in our learning to lay aside our own desires, for what He desires for us.

It’s All About Control

If, with the help of the Spirit, I cannot overcome my desire for a food I’ve vowed to God to deny myself for a time, how can I possibly avoid the greater temptations to sin? Food isn’t the issue; it’s all about what or who controls us. The church calls us to seasons of fasting, as during Lent, that through such disciplines we learn to hear the voice of God’s Spirit shaping our desires, rather than our own

During Lent we learn to know ourselves better. Our goal and our hope is that we discover our weaknesses, and in the process allow the Holy Spirit to mold us more and more in Christ’s likeness. In the process of such testing and learning, we can take comfort in the knowledge that the one who knows us best, loves us. And, His love isn’t conditioned on our response, or our passing the test of Lent perfectly. Rather, God’s love is with us no matter what. Whether we feel this Lent we are soaring with eagles, or if we feel we’ve already crashed and burned…He is always faithful to raise us from the ashes.

Grace & Peace for a Holy Lent,

Pastor Brad

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.”

Matthew 5:6

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Raised from the Ashes: Lent – Day 19

 

“5 And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands upon a few sick people and healed them. 6 And he marveled because of their unbelief…”

 

Mark 6:5-6

Read Mark 1-13

Lent 2016 Daily Devotions-4

 

 

Shazam Faith?

 

Marvel, what an intriguing word. It seems we seldom use it anymore except when talking about super heroes, comic books and movies. When I was a kid, one of my favorite super heroes was Captain Marvel, aka “Shazam”. He was the altar ego of a boy named Billy Batson. All Billy had to do was say the magic word “Shazam”, and he would turn in to Captain Marvel, a man of super human strength, speed and ability. Sometimes, we live out our faith with a “Shazam” Prayer life. We think we can just say a magic word and, “Shazam”, Jesus will do what we need.

 

Many of us are guilty, (me included) of having a “Shazam” faith at some point in our lives. Sometimes, we think because we know God loves us and wants to do what’s best for us, we can just ask and receive. In fact, sadly there are churches that teach such a name it, claim it, “word of faith ability”. But, that is not a faith at which Jesus ‘marvels’. In fact, that’s a very shallow faith.

 

There are two times in the New Testament that it says Jesus “marveled” at someone’s faith. One was the Roman Centurion in Matthew 8. He was a foreigner and a pagan, but he saw the divine in Jesus, and placed his faith in Him for the healing of his servant. Jesus marveled at his faith, a stronger faith than He’d seen in all Israel. The second, is in today’s gospel. But, instead of at faith, Jesus marvels at the disbelief of those who’d known Him all His life.

 

Faith Is Always a Partnership

 

Faith is always a partnership with God. He doesn’t do for us, what we can do for ourselves. In his book, Beginning To Pray, Anthony Bloom, of blessed memory (Click  Here to order the book-a must for every believer!), makes a statement every Christian needs to understand if they are to mature to a faith at which Jesus can marvel. He said, “It is absolutely pointless to ask God for something which we ourselves are not prepared to do” (p. 64). Jesus is much more interested in making a miracle out of our lives, than in doing the miracle for us. He would rather give us the power to overcome our temptations, than to just take them away.

 

Many years, as Lent begins, it seems I begin the process of learning to become a miracle all over again. Over the rest of the year I fall down in many ways. I sometimes slip back into old habits in my prayers, just wanting God to do something for me…something I know He wants to do. But, I need to remember He wants to do it in and through me, not just for me.

What about you? Do you have a “Shazam” faith, or a faith at which Jesus marvels? When we allow God to make us the miracle, not just ask for the miracle, He marvels at our faith. Then…we are raised from the ashes.

 

Grace & Peace for a Holy Lent,

 

Pastor Brad

 

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.”

Matthew 5:6

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Raised from the Ashes: Lent – Day 18

 

“But the woman, knowing what had been done to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him, and told him the whole truth.”

Mark 5:33

Read Mark 5:21-43

Lent 2016 Daily Devotions-4

 

 

The Whole Truth

 

 

When we take the witness stand in a courtroom, we put our left hand on the Bible (or at least we used to), raise our right hand and say we swear to, “tell the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God”. The truth is of utmost importance in a court case. A judge and jury determine a person’s future. What a tragedy if the decision is based on lies.

 

When I was a little boy and my mother thought I had been doing something wrong (my face gave it a way every time), she would ask me to tell her the truth. I can remember her saying things like, “don’t lie to me” and “is that everything?”, as if I were holding back some of the details. Now, I did have an incentive to be completely truthful. I knew what the punishment was for lying. The “Father’s wrath”, was not just a biblical phrase in our house. The truth really did set me free – several times.

 

During Lent we are hopefully learning to be completely truthful with Jesus. We never have to fear pouring out all the details to Him; He already knows them. There is healing in our telling Jesus the details of life. In fact, that’s a good definition of confession, “telling it all to Jesus”.

 

Real Healing Is in the Details

 

We don’t know all the details in the life of the woman with the issue of blood. We do know that she worked up the courage to reach out and touch Jesus. As, Jesus turned to ask who touched Him, scripture tells us she fell down before Him and, “…told him the whole truth.” She had received a healing touch from Jesus the moment she touched him, but that was just about the medical issue she faced. When she told Jesus the “whole truth” about herself, He pronounced her well and imparted his peace to her (Vs. 34).

 

The Greek language of scripture speaks of being “made well”, as a wholeness, not just healed of an affliction. Peace comes to our soul not in the absence of disease, but in being whole in Christ as we are meant to be, and that only comes when we tell Jesus, “the whole truth”. The hardships of life can leave us feeling burned and defeated, but when we are truthful with Jesus, He faithfully, raises us from the ashes.

 

Grace & Peace for a Holy Lent,

 

Pastor Brad

 

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.”

Matthew 5:6

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Raised from the Ashes: Lent – Day 17

 

“For he himself knows whereof we are made; he remembers that we are but dust.”

Psalm 103:14

Read Psalm 103

Lent 2016 Daily Devotions-4

He Remembers

Some people live as though they think they will live forever, as though they are indestructible. They never seem to live with eternity in mind. Their present lives are all that matters and they indulge in any and all behavior with no thought of consequence. Oh, how easily we forget that we are but dust.

We need times that remind us of our mortality. We are now sixteen days into Lent, a season given to us by the church to do just that, remember that we are but dust. But, there is someone who always remembers how fragile we are. Verse 14 tells us our Father always remembers that we are but dust. He created us from the dust of the earth, and knows that we will all one-day return to that dust.

The Purpose of Repentance

Remembering our mortality is easier when we live lives of repentance. In repentance we humble ourselves before our maker, so that He can raise us up to immortality. When we repent of our sins and failures, we experience the mercy and compassion of our God who does not deal with us as we deserve. And, in His forgiveness, He draws us near in His embrace to life in Christ.

The psalmist reminds us that our Father does not reward us according to our wickedness (Vs. 10), nor deal with us according to our sins. He always treats those who love Him with mercy and compassion. When we confess our sins, He is not only faithful and just to forgive us (1 John), but He also removes our sins, “as far as the east is from the west” (Vs 12).

Why We Need Lent

In the season of Lent, I’m reminded of my sinfulness not to make myself feel bad, but that I may know the love and compassion of my Lord. I love that. Lent is about remembering. We need to remember that we are dust. We need to remember that God forgets our sins in the sea of his forgetfulness, as the prophet Micah reminds us, “He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.” (Mic. 7:19) And, we need to remember that if He remembers we are but dust…we also can trust He will remember to raise us from the ashes.

Grace & Peace for a Holy Lent,

Pastor Brad

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.”

Matthew 5:6

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Raised from the Ashes: Lent, Day – 16

“But it is good for me to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge.”

Psalm 73:28

Read Psalm 73

Lent 2016 Daily Devotions-4

The Chameleon

People are like Chameleons; we have a tendency to start looking like our surroundings. That’s why Lent is so important. We need strategic times when we spend more time with God. If we’re not careful we can get so busy in our daily life that we go through a whole day without spending any time with the Lord. One day leads to another and before long, we can find ourselves surrounded by desert and ruin. Then, we wonder where God is. The truth is God never moved, we were just spending too much time with the world.

Psalm 73 tells us that like the Chameleon, we too can choose to look like the world, because they seem to be successful and safe. The Chameleon is driven to change his colors by fear; it feels it must adapt to survive. The Psalmist said he, “nearly slipped” into the patterns of the worldly and wicked. He envied their prosperity (Vs. 2,3). The call to a Lenten spirituality is designed to keep us from falling. When we build into our lives, daily times of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving we are spending more time with God, and concentrating on growing our faith, not our worldly reputations.

Rhythms for Life

The Christian calendar offers a rhythm for us to connect with. Lent and Advent are seasons designed to help us reflect on our lives through increased repentance, prayer and fasting. They are seasons of rest and renewal. These two seasons prepare us to better celebrate the high spiritual days of Easter and Christmas, to celebrate the living God who has come among us. Then, there are other seasons such as Pentecost and Ordinary Time in which we allow the grace received in our times of renewal to grow even deeper roots for our spiritual lives.

Unlike the Chameleon, we don’t need to fear. God is our refuge and Lent is truly a season of refuge. We need to run to our God, to hide in his cross, to become more like Him not the world. We need to walk with Him through the desert allowing Christ to nourish and nurture our weary souls. Are you dry, and thirsty? Come to the water of life. Come to the spring that never runs dry. Won’t you reflect for a few moments today on the desert you may be journeying through? As you do, know that you are not alone. God is always near. In the desert we often dry up and turn to ash, but when we draw near to God, his living water raises us from the ashes.

Grace & Peace for a Holy Lent,

Pastor Brad

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.”

Matthew 5:6

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Raised from the Ashes: Lent – Day 15

“O God, why have you utterly cast us off?
why is your wrath so hot against the sheep of your pasture?”

 

Psalm 74:1

Read Psalm 74

Lent 2016 Daily Devotions-4

 

 

Why?

 

 

‘Why’ is the most common question in all of life. It’s asked by toddlers, teenagers, and adults over and over. I guess you could say the question of why is asked because people are so inquisitive and wish to learn. However, in reality, the answers to most all our ‘why’ questions are obvious, but we ask anyway. Perhaps we don’t want to believe the answer we know?

 

Of all people, the toddler has the right to ask why; the child needs to learn. But, for the rest of us we’ve learned many things the hard way already, and don’t like the answers we’ve received. So, we ask why. Why did things turn out like this? Why did this or that happen? And, the really big one – why God? Why did YOU let this happen?

 

Lent Is Also for Contemplation

Another part of the Lenten season is setting aside time for meditation and contemplation. We need contemplative times in our lives to reflect on the way things are. We need to reflect in order to discern what God would have us learn. In our ‘why’ questions, we often blame God for things that are our fault. To realize and accept our own fault is to see the need to change, and sadly that’s often our last alternative.

 

Won’t you spend some time in contemplation today? Contemplation is the companion of prayer. Thursday is a day for remembering Jesus’ contemplative, prayerful time in the garden. In many ways, the season of Lent is our garden of Gethsemane. We are asking God to shape us after His will through our disciplines of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

 

God Always Answers

 

The psalmist often asked God why, because he didn’t want to admit that the problems he faced were consequences of his own sinful choices. It’s okay to ask God why. In fact, it’s a natural reaction in an attempt to understand one’s circumstances. If we are truly searching for answers, we can trust God to lead us to them. We can trust God to lead us deep into our own conscience to see how we have gone astray. Then, we can see the real question is not, “Why God?” but, “Why me?”. Why did I make those choices? And, most importantly, when we have humbled ourselves and repented of our sin…we can trust God to raise us from the ashes.

 

Grace & Peace for a Holy Lent,

 

Pastor Brad

 

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.”

Matthew 5:6

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Raised from the Ashes: Lent – Day 14

Lent 2016 Daily Devotions-4

“Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded?”

1 Cor. 6:7b

Read 1 Cor. 5:9-6:10

 

Why Not?

We definitely have an aversion to suffering in our culture. I know, nobody should want to suffer, right? Only a masochist would choose to suffer, right? Perhaps, but what of the person who chooses to suffer for the right reasons? The Corinthian people were doing what many in our world today are doing; they avoided suffering or being wronged at all cost. The truth is, there is cost at which it is better to suffer or be wronged. The question is, how do we know when it’s best to choose to suffer or be wronged?

In Lent, we choose to suffer in a very small way. We choose to deny ourselves some thing or activity we would otherwise indulge in, as a matter of discipline. Such discipline is to help us grow in resistance to temptation. But, that is a very small way of suffering. In just about every other way, we here in Western culture have done our best to eliminate suffering.

Have We Gone Too Far?

We have medical care that tries to eliminate or minimize suffering. We have passed laws that allow us to sue others when we feel their actions have caused pain and suffering. Don’t misunderstand me. I’m not against medical care. I think it is given to us as the healing hand of God for our time. And, I’m not against laws and courts designed to protect innocent people. However, in our culture, we seem to have taken the problem St. Paul addressed with the Corinthians to a whole new level.

Our society encourages us to fight back no matter what. People sue other people for the wrongs they feel, far too easily. And too often, this is true among those who are in the church. If Jesus is our model for living, we shouldn’t we be doing a lot more turning the cheek and being willing to be wronged? St. Paul asked the question – why not be wrong? Why is it so important that we right every wrong

For me, a great part of my Lenten journey is learning to identify opportunities to become more Christ like through humility. I’m still a long way from where I need to be on the Humility Scale, but I’m thankful for the journey.

My Prayer for Your Journey

I hope your journey is giving you cause to practice your faith in ways that challenge you. While I pray nothing of harm comes to you, I also pray that the hurts and heartaches that are germane to our fallen world will give you hope to say with St. Paul…why not? Why not suffer and let it grow your character? After all, Romans 8:17 tells us we are heirs with Christ, if we suffer with Him. Why not let yourself be wronged rather than take vengeance? After all, vengeance is the Lord’s (Rom. 12:19). Why not let yourself die…and be raised from the ashes?

Grace & Peace for a Holy Lent,

Pastor Brad

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.”

Matthew 5:6

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Raised from the Ashes: Lent, Day – 13

 

“So will I always sing the praise of your Name, and day by day I will fulfill my vows.”

Psalm 61:8

Read Psalm 61:1-8

Lent 2016 Daily Devotions-4

How Are You Doing?

As we are now in the second full week of Lent, some of you may be growing weary of your discipline. There is something exhilarating about beginning a journey like the Lenten fast. However, there is also something exhausting in the daily temptation to do what we have said we will not do. If you’re new to Lenten fasting and self-denial, this may be particularly true for you.

I remember one Lent when I gave up coffee, eggs, and desserts in the same season. Now for a coffee addict like me, that alone seemed a suicidal goal. Did I mention how much I love eggs? Eggs are, and always have been a part of my morning regimen. I couldn’t even imagine the idea of not eating eggs for 40 days! And desserts, well that seemed difficult around my birthday (which always falls in Lent), but I wasn’t nearly as addicted to desserts as I was to coffee and eggs.

Looking back, I realize I was completely misguided in my understanding of the purpose of a Lenten fast. I thought the purpose was to prove how strong I could be in my resolve to deny myself such pleasures. I thought I was somehow more holy for doing so. Did I mention I was a very young adult at that time? Oh well, no matter, I would probably fail at such an attempt even today in my mid 50’s. That is, I would fail if I attempted it for the wrong reason.

Always Remember

We must always remember our purpose for Lenten fasting and self-denial – to learn to surrender what we desire, for what God desires for us. If we can’t do that with food, how will we do it with the great things of God’s will that He desires for us?

God is not interested in our starving ourselves. However, He is interested in the surrender of our will to His for every detail in life. What better way to practice our surrender to God than through self-denial? The Psalmist says the only way to keep a vow to God (our Lenten fasts count as a vow) is to fulfill it day by day in praise to Him (Vs. 8).

How Are You Doing?

Today is day 13. How are you doing? If you’ve failed, don’t give up. As in all of life, so it is in Lent. Our God is always ready to give us another chance, to lift us up and set us back on a high place…to raise us from the ashes.

Grace & Peace for a Holy Lent,

Pastor Brad

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.”

Matthew 5:6

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Raised form the Ashes: Lent Day – 12

Lent 2016 Daily Devotions-4

“For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power.”

1 Cor. 4:20

Read 1 Cor. 4:8-21

Cheap Talk

Talk is cheap, unless of course that talk gets you in trouble, then it could prove very expensive. I think that proverbial saying says what St. Paul was telling the Corinthians. The great Apostle was a spiritual father to the Corinthians (Vs. 15), and as such had earned the right to talk to them straight about their spiritual lives.

As you read the letters to the Corinthian church, you will see the church struggled in about every way imaginable, and you will hear Paul’s straight talk as he tells them the truth in love. They stopped maturing in their faith and fell into many sins. Such a state was a detriment not only to their own lives but to the witness of the church to effect change in the culture around them.

Can We Change from Our Sinful Ways?

St. Paul reminded them, as he sent Timothy to minister on his behalf, that they hadn’t received the gospel just to continue in their sins, but to be changed. The gospel is the power of God to save (Rom 1:16), and not just save “in” our sin, but to save us “from” our sin (Matt. 1:21). The New Testament continually calls us to a life above sin, both in the words of Jesus, and the Apostles. Perhaps the best example is Jesus’ words to the woman at the well as he tells her, “I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more.” (John 8:11)

Sometimes we think our Lenten journey will help us learn to avoid sin, by spending more time in prayer and fasting. While I’m sure our resolve to avoid sin is strengthened through such Lenten disciplines as prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, we must remember that that is not the object of Lent. The object of our Lenten journey is to grow closer to Christ. The answer to losing our desire for sin (which is innate in our fallen nature), is growing more in love with our Savior.

The people of the Corinth church needed to be reminded of how much Jesus loved them, and just how his death, resurrection, and gift of the Spirit was to deliver them from the dominion of sin. It wasn’t enough for then to just say they believed (Cheap Talk), and to continue living unchanged, and it’s not okay for us either. We must live in the kingdom power that not only saves, but transforms.

Lent is a part of our spiritual tool box given to us by the church to help effect our transformation into Christ’s likeness. When we pray, fast and do works of mercy we imitate the Apostles who imitated Christ. Paul knew his life was to provide a living example for the people to follow. So too, we want to imitate the lives of the saints who’ve gone before us, as we ultimately conform our lives to the imitation of Christ. The closer we grow to Jesus Christ, the more He transforms us. His transformation will indeed, raise us from the ashes.

Grace & Peace for a Holy Lent,

Pastor Brad

“Blessed are those who hunger & thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.”

Matthew 5:6

 

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Raised from the Ashes: Lent-Day 10, In Memory of My Father

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me, has eternal life; he does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.”

John 5:24

Read John 5:24-30

Lent-Day 9 had no post as I was officiating at my father’s funeral.

Day -10 is In Memory of my Father. Today’s devotion is the text of the funeral message I delivered yesterday, February 19, 2016 at the Church of the Brethren Newton, KS

Dad, me Christas 2015 cropped

Charles Wilson Riley 1928~2016

Death has been called the great equalizer. It comes to all; rich, poor, young, old – no one can escape death, or so it seems. But is that what Christ would have us to think on today? This idea that no one can escape death. I think not. I think Jesus Christ, the Lord of Life, would rather have us to dwell on life…life everlasting as the gospel calls it.

We have the very words of Jesus as a promise in the 11th chapter of John, that if we believe, we will actually never die. “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,  and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26) In fact, St. Paul has said, “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” (1 Cor. 15:55). What incredible words! These are the thoughts we must consider today. We must consider them everyday, until they become our reality. Death is not the victor here, though it may seem as such for a while.

When death comes to our loved ones, as it did for my family this week, our perception of reality is challenged. Regardless of what we know or believe, the strong emotions of grief come over us, even overwhelm us… that is they come over us if we are honest with ourselves. I have known a few people in my life who seemed not to be phased by the death of a loved one; something I fear is not a healthy state of being. But as we reflect on death and life together this morning, let us consider our creation and what kind of being we are.

God has made us emotional beings who feel joy and sorrow, health and pain, hope and despair. But it remains for us, in the midst of such high and low feelings, to make sure we understand what God intends for us in such a time as this.

As a minister of the gospel, I am often called upon to do funerals…many times for people I didn’t know, who when death came to their family had no church home or pastor to lean on. And so it has become my honor to be the one who walks through the valley with them.

I have learned that it is precisely at that point in their life, that their greatest need is to be introduced to the love of Jesus, the one who loves them unconditionally, who desires to show them comfort and hope, not doom and despair, the one who is at work in ways we cannot see to accomplish their salvation, even as He is at work in the lives of all peoples. And God is at work in our lives today as well.

He desires to show us something today, something He has been teaching me the last several years. It’s really a quite profound theological truth. But, it’s so simple, too often we miss it, especially through our tears and grief.

And here it is…

In the gospel we heard, Jesus speaks of death as if it is but a door way we all must pass through. But for those who believe in Him it is a doorway to life everlasting, and NOT a doorway to judgment (Vs 24). You see we are already judged. We are all guilty of sin. None of us is perfect. But with faith in God our Father, through Jesus Christ, His son, we can have life, and not just life after death, but life here and now!

Verse 24 shows us the present reality of things for those who believe. Verse 25 tells us this is the hour in which we can be made alive forever. We don’t have to wait until we die to inherit eternal life. It is our present reality, even though the face of death tells us differently.

In chapter 11, we even hear the incredible words that those who believe in Jesus, never really die!

A wise man once said, “If you die before you die, then you will never die when you die”.

What an incredible thought!

I know, Hebrews 9 tells us it is appointed unto all once to die and then the judgment. But, Jesus is telling us not to fear that judgment. Those who believe already know what their verdict will be on that judgment day.

So just what does God intend for us here today, as we mourn the passing of a husband, a father, a friend?

I believe He intends for us to be honest with ourselves. Death hurts. It hurts like nothing else in this world! But, He intends to remind us that it is NOT our reality… if we believe. Scripture speaks of an eternal death, to be sure. But that is not for those who believe.

For God intends for those who believe to see life! He intends for us to believe!

My dad believed. My Mom believes. I pray all my family believes! I pray all of you believe!

And so I thank you for your presence here today to help my family grieve and mourn our loss.

But I leave you with the question Jesus asked of his friends as they stood beside the tomb of Lazarus. With tears Jesus wept at their sorrow, even as He does for us today, and He asks us… “Do you believe this?”