Deceiver One-a-Day Wednesday 4/27/16

A life worthy

Do not deceive yourselves.  (1 Corinthians 3:18).

But we’re so good at that!

We do it all the time.

Well, at least I do.

Sometimes I think I’m strong when God knows I’m not.

Sometimes I think I’m brave when God knows I’m not.

Sometimes I think I’m smart when God knows I’m not.

Sometimes I think I’m wise when God knows I’m not.

Sometimes I think I’m Godly when God knows I’m not.

Of course, it works the other way, too.

Sometimes I think I’m weak when God knows I’m not.

Sometimes I think I’m cowardly when God knows I’m not.

Sometimes I think I’m stupid when God knows I’m not.

Sometimes I think I’m foolish when God knows I’m not.

Sometimes I think I’m lost when God knows I’m not.

Sometimes I think I’m worthless when God knows I’m not.

Either way you slice it, whether I’m high on myself or down on myself,

I’m deceiving myself

because I’m focused on…

you guessed it.

Myself

Beloved, when will I ever remember that I will never see Truth in the mirror over the bathroom sink?  I will only see it in the mirror of His word,

His heart,

His love.

Someday, Beloved.

Some glorious day.

Happy Wednesday.

Warning One-a-Day Tuesday 4/26/16

A life worthy

If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him, for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple (1 Corinthians 3:17).

Yep, that would be a warning, right there.

Don’t mess with God’s people.

Remember, this is in the context of “I follow Paul;” “I follow Apollos.”  We are being warned not to do anything that would fracture the body of believers.  Don’t worry, though: this warning only applies to people who actually have the power to create division in the body.

You know, like pastors

and teachers

and leaders of big ministries

and small time wanna-be devotional bloggers

and anyone who has contact with other believers.

Uh oh.

Happy Tuesday, Beloved.

Tread carefully.

Temple One-a-Day Monday 4/25/16  

A life worthy

Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? (1 Corinthians 3:16)

We are God’s temple.

We, plural, collectively, as in The Church.  A little later in this letter, Paul is going to speak of the individual as the temple of the Holy Spirit, but right now he is talking about the body of believers.

So let’s ponder that for a moment.

The God of the Universe chose to place his Spirit into weak, silly, divided, bickering us.  Me with me bad eyes, creaking joints, and disloyal follicles.

You with your…

You.

Together, we reflect God’s glory.

Together, we are his hands and feet to accomplish his work.

Together, we are his ambassadors to a world that does not, cannot understand his love.

Together

Keep that in mind as you walk through your Monday, as you deal with people who claim Christ but who are selfish, weak, shallow…

people like me.

We’re in this together.

We’re in Him together.

Happy Monday, Beloved.

Testing One-a-Day Friday 4/22/16

A life worthy

If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light.  It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work.  If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward.  If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames (1 Corinthians 3:14-15).

But, Michael…I thought we didn’t hafta do anything!

Remember Monday?  You said that we were like the dirt, and that God was gonna farm us and raise the crop.  Now you’re saying that we’ve gotta build stuff!  What gives?

Oh, Beloved.  You should know by now that there are always two sides.

Your salvation?  Your position in Christ?  Yep, those are from him alone.  Nothing you need do besides let him in to do his work.

But…

We are always building, Beloved.  We are created in the image of the Creator, so we must create.  It is what we do.  It is who we are.

So the question is not will you build,

but

what will you build?

How do you spend your days, Beloved?  What do you do with your time?  Are you building a life of fluff and nonsense, that will disappear with a flash and a puff when the flames come?

or

Are you building a life of Godly character, marked by charitable deeds and edifying pursuits?

Hear me, Beloved–I know some of you will take this post as an express ticket to Guilt City.  I am not saying for a moment that there should be no rest, no recreation in our lives.  We all need down time–God grants it and expects it.  So, don’t get nutty on me here.  But ask yourself: How much of your last twenty-four hours will survive the fire?

Just one life, ‘twill soon be past.

Only what’s done for God will last.

Happy Friday, Beloved.

Fire One-a-Day Thursday 4/21/16

A life worthy

If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light.  It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work (1 Corinthians 3:13).

Fire

Paul is not talking peaceful campfire here, nor cheerful blaze in the hearth,  nor festive bonfire complete with bad singing, roasted weenies, and s’mores.

He’s talking about the all-consuming flame that sweeps through your life and utterly destroys all that is not worthy.  

You may have experienced this fire in the past.  If not, you will.

Yeah, it’s a metaphor, Beloved.

A good one

Happy Thursday.

Building Materials One-a-Day Wednesday 4/20/16

A life worthy

If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light (1 Corinthians 3:12-13).

Simple question today, Beloved.

I know what your life is built on,

but

what is your life built of?

Hmm…maybe not so simple after all.

Happy pondering, Beloved.

Foundation   One-a-Day Tuesday 4/19/16

A life worthy

By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it.  But each one should be careful how he builds.  For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 3:10-11).

I have built exactly one building in my lifetime.

It was a shed.  

Maybe 75 square feet.

I had lots of help.

So, as a construction expert, I can say with perfect confidence that the foundation is a crucial aspect to the project.  It provides the stability needed to keep the entire building intact.  In fact, the structural integrity of the entire building is dependant upon a firm foundation.

If you want a solid shed, you build on a concrete slab.

If you want a solid life…

Well, you know.

What Paul said.

Happy Tuesday, Beloved.

Dirt One-a-Day Monday 4/18/16  

A life worthy

For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building (1 Corinthians 3:9).

Yep, we’re back in 1 Corinthians.  I know, it’s been a while, but then that’s what you get with me.  I wander off from time to time, but I do generally come back.  In any case, when we left our intrepid hero Paul, he was chastising the folks of Corinth for choosing apostle teams–”Team Paul,” “Team Apollos”–that sort of thing. Paul was pointing out that the apostles were just the workers, like farmers who work the land.  God is the one who makes things grow.

You and I, Beloved?  Well, I guess that makes us dirt.

But in a good way.

You have great value in the eyes of God.  Not because of what you do, but because of what he can do through you.

Hear that again.  

Not because of what you do, but because of what he can do through you.  Farmland doesn’t have to do anything.  It just has to be what it is and let the farmer do his work.  Sun, rain, plow, harrow and pruning shears all play their part. Then, in time, the land will produce fruit.

So don’t fret, Beloved.  The fruit will come.  Just keep being good dirt.

Happy Monday.

Do You Believe? One-a-Day Thursday 4/14/16

A life worthy

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in me will live, even though he dies, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?(John 11:26)

That there’s the question, idn it?

I know you agree with the sentiment, you accept the theology, you assent to the philosophical principles involved.

But do you believe it?  

Down deep, where the world cannot reach, where your own heart treads but carefully, do you believe that Jesus Christ really truly died and was buried and rose from the grave and broke sin and death and Hell forever?

There’s a whole lot riding on the answer to that.

It was God’s question to Martha

and  God’s question to you

and to me.

How do you answer, Beloved?

Happy Thursday.