Category: Thoughts and Meditations

“The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’”” – Luke 4:3-4

Out in the desert, in the place of testing, the devil spoke in his devilish way. He intentionally spoke to express his doubts and contempt for Jesus, “IF you are the Son of God…”. He sought to provoke Jesus into doing a miracle not out of necessity or to bring glory to God but to merely to flex. To show off, prove Himself, and cover any self-doubts. If this happened to us, we can feel our wounded pride rise up and take over, can’t we? “How dare he question me” we would think to ourselves. “If? If!” we would snort angrily.

Jesus did none of that. He was here to rescue sinners and glorify God, not to perform tricks and elevate Himself in Satan’s eyes. He knew He was the Son of God. There was no need to show off. His response, quoting from Deuteronomy, was absolutely perfect. There is far, far more to life than our physical needs and the satisfaction of our pride. Unfortunately, so many today need to learn this lesson! We’ve become a society driven by short-term needs. We’re controlled by our appetites and urges. We define ourselves by them and celebrate them. If we feel something, we believe we must act on that feeling. If we’re hungry, we must eat immediately. If we’re lustful, we must act on that immediately. If we’re angry, everyone must know about it. We seek to live on bread alone!

We aim too low! We are spiritual beings, created in God’s image, made for eternity, with the capacity for reasoning and moral judgment. Good works have been prepared by God for us to do. Too often we just use our gifts and blessings to feed our endless appetites for the mundane things of the world – food, pleasure, entertainment, power, safety, or status. Don’t let that happen to you! Turn your mind toward higher things. Meditate upon God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Linger longer in Scripture. Love God and neighbor more fully. Pursue God’s Kingdom purpose for your life. Make disciples of all nations, not merely dinner plans. Don’t settle for stones and bread. #FollowJesus

“Soldiers also asked him, ‘And we, what shall we do?’ And he said to them, ‘Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.’” – Luke 3:14

We’re currently experiencing a breakdown of our culture. Even those claiming to be Christian are increasingly advocating the exercise of force, the grabbing of power, and the flexing of strength to accomplish whatever they desire. This may be driven by anger, fear, frustration, grievance, or lust for power though it’s usually called something that sounds good like a zeal or justice or love of country. Regardless of who’s doing it, it’s generally justified by pointing to the actions of those with whom they disagree. The argument is that since those people did something wrong, it’s now justified to do something else that’s wrong. This fuels the intensifying breakdown of culture we see today.

That isn’t the way of Jesus! Ever!!! John the Baptist confronted those abusing their strength and told them to stop immediately if they were serious about God. Some abused their power because they enjoyed it. Others did it for profit. John commanded them to live with integrity and use their strength in God-honoring ways. We must ALWAYS do the same if Jesus is truly our Lord. Even when it’s frustrating to us.

The way of Jesus is not the way of force. Not in politics. Not in culture. Not in religion. Our power isn’t based on weapons, cultural dominance, or positions of power. Our power is God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Our power isn’t based on strength. Our power is in weakness. That’s the way of Jesus. #FollowJesus

“Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.” – Luke 3:8

John the Baptist had the difficult mission of preparing self-satisfied, spiritually dead people for the coming of Jesus. He had to wake up those who were religious and thought that was good enough to save them. He had to startle everyone who thought their dry, empty practice of religion was pleasing to God despite having selfish, evil, corrupt hearts. He had to shake the mindset of people who thought their ethnic heritage would do everything they needed to be them in right standing with God.

To accomplish his mission, John went right at people. He held nothing back and pulled no punches. He called out their injustice toward the poor and weak. He called out their abuses of power. He called out their hollow appearance of religiosity that looked good but had no love of the Lord behind it. He told people to get serious about repenting of their sins and stop assuming that legacy labels or ethnicity would or could help them spiritually.

His message is profoundly relevant to Christians today. Only faith that produces genuine life change will save us from our sins. God’s grace isn’t to be presumed upon. We too must bear fruit in keeping with repentance. Merely going to church on a regular basis won’t save you if you have no love and obedience toward Jesus. A historical identification or association with a particular church or denomination won’t do you a bit of good if Jesus isn’t your Lord. Looking religious or holding onto a historical denomination label while living in disobedience to Jesus is no more helpful to a Christian than it was to a Jew in John’s day.

Do you know the Risen Son of God? Is Jesus your Lord? Is He changing your life, your words, your actions, and your thoughts to be more like His? Are you ever more closely following everything that He commanded in Scripture? If He isn’t, then whatever you call yourself probably won’t help you one bit! #FollowJesus

“But you, O Lord, are a shield about me,
my glory, and the lifter of my head.”
– Psalm 3:3

David wrote these words when his whole world seemed to be coming apart. The comfort, peace, and stability he’d known for years came to an abrupt end. He was running for his life once again, this time as a much older man. His beloved son had launched a coup to take the kingdom of Israel from him. David fled Jerusalem, uncertain about his life and his kingdom. Nonetheless, he remained completely certain about his God!!!

His strength and encouragement would be found in no one other than God. Not in strategies and plans. Not in arms and armies. In God Almighty! David’s protection, even in the most dire circumstances, came only from God. He knew this and he depended on it. His ability to regain his kingdom would come only from God. He knew this and depended on it. David knew God, trusted in God, and utterly relied on God.

He was right to do so. God was completely faithful. God remains completely faithful! Know Him, trust in Him, and rely on Him! If you’ve embraced Jesus as your Lord, then trust in God to be your shield, your glory, and the lifter of your head. When you feel surrounded by problems, betrayed by loved ones, or chased by enemies turn to God. When you’re overwhelmed by a crisis much bigger than you are, trust in God. Seek God in prayer. Cry out to God. Rest in God rather stressing out about your own strength or abilities. Talk to God and ask God to be your shield. Pray for God to be glorified in and through your situation. Ask Him to lift your head by relieving you of any guilt or shame that holds it down.

Take comfort in the certain knowledge that Jesus died for you and lives in you. God will never abandon or ignore you because Jesus is always with you and the Holy Spirit has sealed and indwelt you. You are God’s child and He will be with you always. Ask Him to give you peace when it feels like the world is spinning out of control. Stop frantically responding to every crisis and situation with your own limited strength. Seek God’s guidance and protection. Trust His goodness and power. Pray with boldness and faith. Make Him your shield. #FollowJesus

“And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.” – Luke 2:9

This is a familiar part of a familiar story but how often do we stop to just contemplate this part of it? The glory of the Lord shone around them and it was overwhelming and terrifying! They were filled with great fear! The glory of the Lord is the radiant outshining of God’s divine nature and character. Ever since mankind fell into sin, God’s glory has always been overwhelming to human beings because of our sinfulness.

Try to imagine that night in the shepherd’s field. Try to imagine how beautiful, extraordinary, and overwhelming it must have been! To be flooded by pure, holy light with no hint of shadow or darkness. To be surrounded by the radiating reality of all of God’s infinite and glorious attributes – His goodness, mercy, grace, power, patience, knowledge, wisdom, eternality, sinlessness, justice, kindness, love, faithfulness, and on and on…

To stand in the glory of the Lord is to be profoundly aware of how infinitely greater God is than even the best human being. It is to be aware of how much above and beyond us are His thoughts and His ways and yet to be acutely aware of His presence in the moment. It is to understand how truly small and limited we are in comparison to the One Who spoke the universe into existence. To stand in the light of God’s glory instantly makes one aware of the awful darkness in ourselves and the foolish and sinful ways we’ve rebelled against God’s authority. All we can do in that moment is be terrified for our unholiness and rebellion and shattered and repentant for our sin.

Here’s the thing… All of these things about God and about ourselves is completely true when we aren’t standing stunned and overwhelmed in the glory of the Lord like the shepherds. The glory of the Lord simply makes the truth really, really obvious. But you can live in light of that truth every day and be changed by it. Take time to think about God’s glory even when you can’t see it. Think about what it reveals about God and about yourself. Then act on that despite NOT seeing the light of the glory of the Lord. Respond with worship, praise, confession, repentance, awe, love, and obedience. Today and every day. #FollowJesus