A Little at a Time

But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.

Daniel 1:8

A dripping faucet may not seem like a major problem, but given enough time it will fill an entire bucket one little drop of water at a time. Think of the choices we make every day. Most of them seem as insignificant as these little drops of water. But they add up over time, especially as they relate to a believer's relationship with the Lord. 

Do you obey God in the little things? Or do you think He only cares about the big stuff? I guarantee you He does not. There is no small act of disobedience against the one and only God. When we're tricked into believing that the little things don't matter, when we chose to disobey God day after day, then we are moving away from the Lord a little at a time.

The Old Testament character Daniel understood this. He was taken captive by the Babylonians when he was only a youth and placed in the royal court of King Nebuchadnezzar. They tried to force him to assimilate to Babylonian culture. They changed his name and made him learn their language and literature. They even tried to make him eat the king's food. Daniel had very little choice in all of this, but he resolved not to cave to the great pressure being put on him.  He wasn't in control of his own destiny but He served the God who was and he decided to do his best to obey that God. Daniel knew that God had commanded the Israelites not to eat certain kinds of meat, and that any meat they were allowed to eat had to have its blood drained in a certain way (Leviticus 17:10-14). None of the food given to him by King Nebuchadnezzar would meet God's standards for His people so Daniel purposed in his heart not to eat the king's food. He endangered his life in order to obey God in what seems like an insignificant command to us. This small act of obedience meant much to the Lord and He blessed Daniel for his obedience. He became the wisest man in the kingdom. Over the next seventy years kings and empires came and went in Babylon but one thing stayed the same: Daniel was a servant in the royal court who was renowned and respected for his wisdom and his dedication to his God.

God still blesses obedience. Sometimes a small act of obedience is just the thing we need to get us back on the right track. Making the right choices in the small things can really add up over time. Don't cave to the tremendous pressure our world puts on you to rebel against God and disobey His commands. Make up your mind like Daniel to obey God even in the little things. Over time, little-by-little, your small acts of obedience can help you become more like Jesus.

In what small ways do you need to obey God today? Do you need to flee from sexual immorality? Do you need to stop foul language from coming out of your mouth? Maybe you need to stop watching TV shows and movies that are not in line with your Christian confession? Whatever the Lord lays on your heart, resolve in your heart not to defile yourself with disobedience today.

For further reading...

• I Peter 2:11- Did you know the New Testament asks us to live as exiles in this world?
• James 1:27- Somehow we always seem to forget the latter half of this verse.
• Romans 12:2- Be a non-conformist!

It's Not About You

Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord. And Hezekiah prayed to the Lord: “Lord, the God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. Give ear, Lord, and hear; open your eyes, Lord, and see; listen to the words Sennacherib has sent to ridicule the living God.

“It is true, Lord, that the Assyrian kings have laid waste these nations and their lands. They have thrown their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods but only wood and stone, fashioned by human hands. Now, Lord our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone, Lord, are God.”

II Kings 19:14-19

Hezekiah lived at a time when the people of God were divided. Ten of the twelve tribes of Israel (called Samaria) had already been taken into captivity by the great Assyrian empire. Hezekiah is king of the two remaining tribes of God's people: Judah and Levi (simply called Judah). Now the Assyrian king Sennacherib has set his eye on Jerusalem. He is determined to overthrow it and he is wise in the ways of war. Sennacherib sends the commanders of his army to taunt Hezekiah in front of his people in their own tongue. He tries to turn the people of Jerusalem against Hezekiah by promising them a new land which is as good as theirs (II Kings 18:31-32). Sennacherib warns the people not to let Hezekiah fool them into trusting their God. "No god has ever been able to hold my armies at bay," Sennacherib says. When Hezekiah and the people hold strong, Sennacherib sends a letter to Hezekiah urging him not to be deceived by his faith in God's protection. Hezekiah's response teaches us two very important things. 

First, Hezekiah understands that his difficult situation is not about him. Part of human nature is that we have an inherently self-centered worldview. Whether you are the king of your own country or just the king of your own house, it's hard not to think that the whole world is all about you. But Hezekiah understood that his situation wasn't about the insults he had suffered or the greatness of His name, it was about God. God had been insulted. His glory had been challenged. Hezekiah lays Sennacherib's letter before the Lord and asks Him to act decisively so that "all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone, Lord, are God.”

Your difficult situation, your problem...they aren't about you. The Bible teaches this truth over and over again. Your marriage...it's not about you. It's about Jesus and His church (Ephesians 5:32). That difficult relationship you have with another believer... it's not about you either. It's about unity in the church and having the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:1-11). Your money? You guessed it! It's not about you. It's about what you can do with it for God. Your very life is not about you! It's about making disciples for Jesus of all nations (Matt 28:18-20).

Second, Hezekiah believes wholeheartedly that God was able to save Him. Hezekiah trusted God even when it was hard to do so. He trusted God even when all physical signs suggested that he shouldn't. Even when trusting God meant risking the lives of his whole nation, Hezekiah trusted. He believed that God was the one true God and that nothing was too hard for Him. And God rewarded his faith by miraculously saving Judah from the Assyrian army II Kings 19:20-37). What do you need faith that God can save you from today? Whatever it is, He has already dealt with it in the cross of Christ. Sometimes the victory of the cross reaches into our lives here and now. At other times we have to wait for eternity. But know that all those who are in Christ will be saved from every problem that they face in Him. 

For further reading...

• II Kings 18-20- Read the whole story

Let 'em Laugh

He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” But they laughed at him.

Mark 5:39-40a

We've all been laughed at. Getting a good laugh when you are going for one can lift your spirit and cause your confidence to soar. The same laughter - when directed at you as the butt of the joke - can crush your spirit and lay your confidence in the dust. Yet notice Jesus' response in this passage. He simply shuts their laughter out (v. 40). 

By this time Jesus was a known miracle worker. So much so that the girl's father believed Jesus could save his daughter's life if he could only get Him there in time. Yet, even Jesus the great healer, when He suggests that death isn't the ultimate reality for this girl, is laughed to scorn. How much more will the world laugh at you and I if we dare to take seriously the Bible's teaching on the resurrection! In a culture dominated by scientific logic, what could be more final than death? There are no observable phenomena after death, therefore death is the end. Praise God that it isn't so! 

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. (I Thessalonians 4:16-17) 

This is THE great hope of the Christian faith. Though this world is hopelessly marred by sin so that even young children get sick and die, it is not our final destination. No! Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us. In the resurrection we will experience the world as God always meant it to be. As Paul says, "if only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied" (I Corinthians 15:19).

If you take Jesus' teaching on this subject seriously and order your life around it, then there is little doubt that you will be ridiculed. And yet, what difference does that make? Their laughter did not prevent the little girl from rising when Jesus said “Talitha koum” (v. 41). Neither will their laughter prevent you from rising on that day. On that day, dear believer, you will be vindicated for believing in the resurrection and you will enjoy the rewards you have laid up before yourself in the kingdom (Matthew 6:20). So, let them laugh, but continue to work all the more diligently knowing the time is short. Let them laugh, but proclaim the truth. Let them laugh, but serve God faithfully. Let them laugh, but pray for their souls. Let them laugh, but continue to believe in the great hope of the resurrection of all the saints in Christ Jesus our Lord. Let them laugh, but fix your eyes on the joy set before you and never, ever, ever change your course. 

For further reading...

• I Corinthians 15- Where o death is your sting?
• I Thessalonians 4:13-18- When the trumpet sounds.
• Revelation 20:11-22:5- The New Heavens and the New Earth.

Who is this Guy?

That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

Mark 4:35-41

Jesus is the one that told the disciples to set out for the other side of the lake. Obedience to Him put them right in the middle of a big problem and a dangerous situation. But God does all things for His own reasons. This was a divinely orchestrated teaching moment designed especially for the disciples (many of whom were experienced fisherman and sailors) so that God could begin to open up their understanding to who Jesus really was. So let's put ourselves in their place. Let’s learn their lesson and use it for our good today. Imagine that you are one of these disciples in the midst of the storm with Jesus and let's ask ourselves the same question that the disciples ended up asking themselves. “Who is this Jesus?”

We see first that Jesus is unmistakably human for He is sleeping (ESV Study Bible). Scripture speaks plainly that God doesn't sleep (Isaiah 40:28 & Psalm 121:4). Yet here we find Jesus, in the midst of a great storm as water floods in the boat all around Him sound asleep. However, the disciples needed no reminder that Jesus was human; they knew that full well. What they needed to know was what stands out most in this encounter: Jesus does something which only God could do (The New Bible Commentary by IVP). Only the Creator God has the power to command the wind and the waves. Yet, we find Jesus doing exactly this. So who then is this Jesus?

Scripture tells us that He is not only human, but He is also God the Son and the Creator of the heavens and the earth.

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created… all things have been created through him and for him. (Colossians 1:15-16)

Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. (John 1:3)

In his commentary on this passage, Matthew Henry rightly notes that had the disciples known the answer to their own question, they would have feared the storm less. They feared the wind and the waves more than they should have because they feared Jesus less than they should have. If they had known who Jesus really was, then they would have feared the storm much less and Jesus much more. It is easy though when the problems of this world are clamoring all around us and the lives which we have carefully constructed are crashing down upon us to focus exclusively on the storm and to think that it is ultimate reality... but it is not. No matter what your storm is, it is not ultimate reality. The most pertinent fact in the whole world to whatever problem you are facing is this: God loved you so much that He sent His Son to take on flesh to suffer and die in your place so that your sin could be atoned for and forgiven. God has accepted you in grace. Respond to Him in belief. If you will (or if you have), then He has promised your ultimate destination is heaven. He is in control of your journey. Each storm is allowed by Him to draw you nearer to Him and to conform you more into the image of His Son. If God is for you, then who can be against you? (Romans 8:31). No one!

So learn a lesson from the disciples today. Don't attack God with accusations and unbelief like they did Jesus (see vs. 38). Implore Him for help, but from a place of faith. If He has given His son for you, how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give you all things that you need? (Romans 8:32). As your storm rages all around you, remind yourself who Jesus is. Remind yourself that no matter how big, loud, or painful your storm is, Jesus is bigger, He is more real, your destiny is in His hands, and He has already proven His love for you. So ask for help, but do so in faith.

For further reading...

• Romans 8:18-39: Read what Paul has to say about present suffering, future glory, and ultimate reality.
• John 1:1-18: John tells us who Jesus is.
• Colossians 1:15-20: Paul tells us who Jesus is.
• John 10:1-21 & John 14:1-14: Jesus tells us who He is.
• Revelation 5: The Revelation vision tells us who Jesus is.

A Withered Hand Enters into Sabbath Rest

Another time Jesus went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.”

 

Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.

 

He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.

Mark 3:1-6

 

 

It is clear from verses three to five that Jesus knew healing this man on the Sabbath would displease the Pharisees. Indeed, in the full council of Scripture it appears that their frustration with Jesus’ breach of their understanding of Sabbath rest was one of the major contributing factors to his crucifixion. The pragmatist might say “Jesus should wait a day. He can still heal the man tomorrow without causing dissension.” But Jesus does not wait. Jesus does the right thing even when he knows it will be unpopular. This is hard to do. The Book of Proverbs says, "Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act" (Proverbs 3:27). So too with us, when we know what the right thing to do is, we ought to do it immediately. For Scripture also says, “If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them” (James 4:17).

 

Look at the faith of the man who is to be healed. Jesus calls him up in front of the whole synagogue and asks him to stretch out his hand. Scripture records no hesitation. The man extended in full view of all those present that most loathsome part of himself which he probably worked hard to keep hidden his whole life. What faith! This man must have had faith that Jesus had good things in store him…that his weakness would not be exposed for no reason. So too with us, it takes faith to expose our sin before God and others. It takes faith to acknowledge that we need salvation, but there is no other path to healing or salvation than this reaching out in faith.

 

How fitting it is that this man’s hand should be healed on the Sabbath. This man’s hand had been bound by the marring effects of sin for we do not know how many years. What better day than the Sabbath for his hand to enter into the Sabbath rest of God. Are you bound by sin? Turn to the Lord for salvation today. Jesus is still setting captives free no matter what day it is. Scripture says, “Today is the day of salvation" (II Corinthians 6:2). But even Christians continue to struggle to live out the freedom we have received in Christ. If you have allowed some part of your life to slip back under the crippling control of sin, do not hesitate. Extend that part of your life to Jesus even now for healing. Jesus may not solve all your problems. (Surely, this man’s only trouble in life wasn’t his hand!) Yet, in His goodness He may give you a little taste of the kingdom of God (that is heaven). For this man that meant a restored hand. For you it may mean a restored marriage or relationship with your child. It could mean a restored desire to know Him. Reach out in faith today. Extend those parts of yourself that are bound up by sin to Him and receive healing. And remember that His grace is always sufficient to help us bear those burdens which He does not take away. (II Corinthians 12:1-10).

 

For further reading…

• II Corinthians 12:1-10- In His sovereignty, the Lord doesn't always tell us why He chooses to leave us with some burdens, but we choose to trust Him.
• Ephesians 5:21-33- A little help for Christian marriages. Remember your marriage and your happiness aren't the end goals. Marriage is a training ground for glory. It is a symbol or picture of our relationship with God in Christ.

Night Light

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

John 8:12

When I was a kid I used to always want a night light in my room. I was scared of the dark. That little bit of light made everything better. Without a night light, I would see a shirt lying over the back of a chair and think a monster was in my room. I would hide under the covers and try to convince myself that there was no such thing as monsters. But with even just a little night light, I could see the truth. I could be sure that there weren't any monsters. I could clearly see the path to my door, so I could get up if I needed to use the restroom or get a drink of water. It is amazing what a little light can do!

The Bible tells us that Jesus is the light of the world. Isaiah 9:2 says, “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.” It  began as just a little light, a tiny babe. Even then, His light was bright enough to draw grown men to praise (Matthew 2:11). But this was just the dawning of His great light. It wasn't until His death and resurrection that Jesus would reach noonday brightness. Who He was is now clear to all who are willing to see.

The problem is that not everyone is willing to see. John 3:19-20 says, "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed." All of us have been corrupted by the great enemy of God. He is a deceiver by nature and so loves darkness and confusion (John 8:44). God, however, is a God of truth (John 17:17) and clarity and so He is characterized by light. Jesus, being the very representation of God's being (Hebrews 1:3), is the true light sent into the world whereby men may be saved. But stepping into His light means we must be willing to look at the truth...the truth not only as it pertains to our world, but to ourselves as well. Stepping into the light of Jesus always reveals us for the sinners that we are. The darkness is a scary place to be, but sometimes the light can be even scarier to those who have grown accustomed to the dark. Fear not! Step into the light that Jesus offers. I wager you never really thought you were perfect anyway. Once you are in the light, fear recedes.

Those of us who have accepted Christ are now the light of the world ourselves (Matthew 5:14-15). Don't keep the light to yourself. And don't allow fear of darkness to creep back in. Remember that greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world (I John 4:4). Darkness flees before light, just as confusion and deception vanish before truth. So if the light of Christ shines in you this Christmas do not hesitate to shine. Calm fears. Speak truth. Love like Jesus did. Call to salvation.

For further reading...

• John 1:4-10: Darkness has not overcome the light!
• Matthew 5:14-15: You are the light of the world.
• Exodus 10:21-23: How does the plague of darkness compare to the world we live in today. How is our situation the same? How is it different?

A Life Permanantly Marked by God

“Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven...Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it."

Matthew 10:32-33, 37-39

It wasn't that long ago that carnivals in America featured tattooed ladies in their so-called freak shows. While many people landed in carnival sideshows as a result of a birth defect or some physical abnormality or exception, this wasn't the case with tattooed ladies. They chose their physical abnormality and even endured pain to make their bodies permanently different. Now I am not trying to hold these women up as examples to live by, but if nothing else you have to respect their resolve. There were literally covered in tattoos in a culture that disapproved. They were permanently marked by their love of this lifestyle and they made no attempt to hide it.

In an odd sort of way, this reminds me of Christ. I know it is an unorthodox comparison, but stay with me. Like these ladies, Christ was permanently marked by His love. Even now as He sits at the right hand of God the Father in heaven, Christ still bears the scars in His body that prove His love for you. He made no attempt to hide this after His resurrection (John 20:24-29). On the contrary, His scars are trophies of His great victory over sin. These precious scars proclaim His glory to the whole world. In the same way a Christian's life ought to be permanently marked by his or her love for God. A person that is truly changed by the dumb-foundingly amazing love of God that he or she encounters in Christ should be irreparably changed. "Like a tattoo that can be seen at all times,"* Christians should be permanently marked by a changed life that is constantly visible. 

In the above passage of Scripture Christ is sending his twelve disciples out to minister. He has already told them that He is sending them out like "sheep among wolves" (Matthew 10:16) and that they will be beaten and arrested on His account (Matthew 10:17-19). He even says, "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matthew 10:28). He isn't speaking of the Devil here, for only God has the power to cast into Hell. So Jesus makes clear that neither beating, nor threat of arrest, nor even death is a reason for a disciple of His to deny his commitment to Him. So imagine what He will say one day when you stand before Him and admit that you claimed to follow Him but were too scared to acknowledge Him publicly because you didn't want to be labeled a "freak" by your culture. What I wouldn't give for Christians today to have even half the backbone that these tattooed ladies had! Christ wasn't ashamed to be permanently marked by His love for you. How dare you be ashamed for your life to be publicly marked by your love for Him? Stop leading a double life. You should be as obviously Christian everyday of the week in every situation as you are on Sunday in church. 

But there is good news! Repentance is still available. Peter himself, the rock of the early church denied Christ, but was restored after repenting (John 18:15-26 & John 21). If today, the Lord has convicted you that you are leading a double life, examine your faith, repent, and proudly wear the marks of the Christian life. A public confession of Jesus is required for salvation (Romans 10:9 & Acts 2:38). If you are unwilling to claim Christ publicly, then He will not claim you as His own either.

For further reading...

• Matthew 10- Check out the entire passage. It is a challenging read.
• John 18:15-26 & John 21- Read Peter's story of redemption.

*The title of this post and some of the rough concepts in it were loosely inspired by a youth Bible study series that I received for free entitled Inked: Marked for Life. You can learn more about this study here.