A Life Worthy

Category: A Life Worthy

  • Spiritual One-a-Day Wednesday    12/28/16

    Spiritual One-a-Day Wednesday    12/28/16

    Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently  (Galatians 6:1).

    Why are you thinking about defusing that behavior bomb you see?

    Is it because it really annoys you?

    Don’t do it.

    Is it because you feel righteous indignation over that person’s wanton immorality?

    Don’t do it.

    Is it because it’s your solemn duty as Captain Theology to confront heresy in all its forms?

    Oh, please, no.

    Beloved, before you go diving into another person’s life, you need to do a heart check.  Are you praying for this person?  Have you asked God to help you see them through His eyes?  Have you asked Him to show you the pain, the fear, the loss that might have led this soul to the place they are in?  Have you asked God if you are the right person, in the right place, at the right time, to speak?  Is your desire to snip the wire borne out of an aching need to see them whole?  Is confronting this person the last thing you want to do, but the one thing that they desperately need?

    Well, then.

    Happy Wednesday, Beloved.

  • Zip or Snip? One-a-Day Tuesday    12/27/16

    Zip or Snip? One-a-Day Tuesday    12/27/16

    Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently  (Galatians 6:1).

    Sin.

    Not a doctrinal difference, or a lifestyle choice, or anything that makes you think, “Hmm…well that just seems wrong.”

    Is it a clear violation of Scripture?

    No?

    Then zip it, Beloved.  Because you can’t unsnip the wire.

    Happy Tuesday.

  • Restoration One-a-Day Monday    12/26/16

    Restoration One-a-Day Monday    12/26/16

    Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently  (Galatians 6:1).

    Caught

    Sin

    Spiritual

    Restore

    Gently

    Hefty words, not to be read quickly or taken lightly.  Living this verse is like disarming a bomb as it ticks down to zero.  It’s gotta be done, but for corn sake, be careful.   So, if you’re coming with me this week, tread gently and remove anything that might spark.

    Let’s start the week with the word caught.  Someone doesn’t catch themselves.  Oh, they may walk into a trap, but once there, they are caught. They need help in order to escape.  This is a reminder that the person you see, that sinner you’re thinking of confronting, is not your enemy.  They are trapped by your enemy.  Whatever choices they made to put them in this situation, they are now held prisoner and can no more walk away than if they were bound with chains and padlock.  If you choose to go in there, you have to go with the right heart.  

    Your mission is not seek and destroy, but search and rescue.

    Chew on that for a bit, Beloved.  I’ll see you tomorrow.

    Happy Monday.

  • Prince of Peace   One-a-Day Friday    12/23/16

    Prince of Peace   One-a-Day Friday    12/23/16

     

    Prince of Peace.  (Isaiah 9:6)

    We know him by many names.

    Jesus Christ

    Alpha

    Omega

    Emmanuel

    I Am

    Lamb of God

    Prince of Peace

    Mighty God

    Light of the World

    The Bright Morning Star

    Wonderful Counselor

    The Amen

    Man of Sorrows

    Lion of the Tribe of Judah

    The Word

    The Author and Finisher of Our Faith

    Bread of Life

    Living Water

    God calls him by another name, the name which is above all names.

    Son.

    And here’s something really crazy.  Because of Christ’s sacrifice, do you know what God now calls us?

    Yes, you do.

    How can that be?  What can that mean?

    Chew on that today.

    Happy Friday, Beloved

    And Merry, Merry Christmas

  • Dad One-a-Day Thursday    12/22/16

    Dad One-a-Day Thursday    12/22/16

    Everlasting Father,  (Isaiah 9:6).

    I hope you have a great dad.  I hope he is loving and strong and gentle and a daily blessing to your life.  I hope this, not only to make those family Christmas dinners a little less awkward, but because it will give you a better picture of God.  You see, God presents himself to us in many ways through Scripture, but I think the one that hangs most people up is the image of a father.  It can be difficult to see God as loving and caring if your earthly father was cold, distant, or absent altogether.

    Look, I’m not gonna get all psychoanalytical here, but I need to point something out.  Whatever your earthly dad does well, your heavenly father does even better.  Wherever your earthly dad messes up, your heavenly father gets it right.  He is the perfection we all fall short of.  He is the goal we can never quite attain.  He will always be there to cheer you when you win, and comfort you when you lose.  His advice will always be perfect, and his discipline will always be just.  He will come to all your ball games, all your dance recitals, all your spelling bees.  He will be there at the hospital bed and at the wedding altar.

    He will always love you.

    Always, as in Everlasting.

    Walk in his love today, Beloved.

    Happy Thursday

  • Mighty One-a-Day Wednesday    12/21/16

    Mighty One-a-Day Wednesday    12/21/16

    …Mighty God,  (Isaiah 9:6)

    We’re almost there. The “Sleep in Heavenly Peace” part.

    So why am I stressed?

    As we get closer to Christmas, all sorts of emotions get stirred up.  Although we would like to say we are focused strictly on the birth of our Savior, the fact is this can be a really crazy time.  Perhaps you are rushing to wrap—or get—or think of—those last gifts.  Maybe you are frantically trying to get ready to travel—tickets, luggage, ohnowhatdowedowiththedogwhilewe’regone.  Could be you’re receiving guests into your nightmare of a house—good luck with that.

    Or you’re moving.

    Or someone you love is sick.

    Or you’re broke.

    Or things are just falling apart.

    Given all that, I feel pretty spiffy that you’ve taken the time to read this.  Since you have, make the most of the moment.  Let the words soak in:

    He is Mighty God.

    Read it again.  Go on.

    Now, say it out loud.

    This King we serve, this Lord we love, this Savior we celebrate is fully capable of meeting the challenges of your day, be they mundane or monstrous.

    And he will.

    Because you are his beloved.

    Because you are his, Beloved.

    Happy Wednesday

  • Wonderful Counselor One-a-Day Tuesday    12/20/16

    Wonderful Counselor One-a-Day Tuesday    12/20/16

    And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, (Isaiah 9:6)

    There can be a lot in a name.  My name is Michael, which means, “Who is like God?”  I like that—it’s a constant reminder of the answer…Nobody. When I begin to get a little too big for my proverbial britches, my very name brings me back to Earth.

    Jesus has the name Wonderful Counselor.  Think about it—what does a counselor do?  A good counselor does three things—listen deeply, see to the heart of the issue, and offer wisdom.   So, we serve a God who actually listens to us—listens deeply.  He doesn’t just pretend to listen to you while he is mentally planning out his day, the way I might.  He actually considers every word you speak—and those you don’t.

    Jesus also sees to the heart of your issue—after all, he knows you better than you do—remember Psalm 139?  You couldn’t hide the truth from him if you tried, so knock it off already.

    Wisdom?  Uh…do I need to point out that his words are the very words of God?  Literally?  Yeah, worth listening to.

    You, Beloved, have a Wonderful Counselor.  Walk in his wisdom today.

    Happy Tuesday.

  • Kingdom One-a-Day Monday    12/19/16

    Kingdom One-a-Day Monday    12/19/16

    …and the government will be on his shoulders. (Isaiah 9:6)

    Here’s the thing with governments—they’re generally made up of people. And, well, I hate to tell you this, but people tend toward selfishness and greed.

    I just heard a bubble burst out there…sorry.

    The United States has a system of government known as a Representative Democracy, aka a republic. This is a strong, just, and efficient method of governance that work flawlessly, except when people are ignorant, selfish, and lazy.

    Oh.

    Same holds true for Communism, aristocracies, feudal societies, even theocracies.  On paper, they look great.  It’s when you add the people that things go winky-wonky.

    Frankly, the best, strongest, most efficient form of government is a benevolent dictatorship.  The problem, of course, is that you can guarantee the dictator part, but not the benevolent bit.

    Yet.

    But guess what, Beloved?  The day will come when we will have an absolute monarch, a king of kings, who will rule with complete authority over all nations.  His reign will be perfect, unhampered by greed, unsullied by sin.  He will know what’s best, want what’s best, do what’s best.

    He will be what’s best.

    Even so, come Lord Jesus.

  • All About That Baby    One-a-Day Friday    12/16/16

    All About That Baby    One-a-Day Friday    12/16/16

    For to us a child is born, to us a son is given…  (Isaiah 9:6)

    Babies are amazing.  Tiny noses and toeses and fingernails.  They even smell good.

    Mostly.

    The feeling of joy, of life, that you get from holding a newborn—it’s…wow.  It doesn’t even have to be your baby.  It can be a nephew, or a cousin, or the child of a friend.  Hey, it could be a random kid from the mall that you grabbed just for the experience.

    Not that you would ever do that because that would be very very wrong and earn you psychiatric evaluations and the serious threat of incarceration.

    My point is this: Hope arrives with every baby.

    How great is it that God chose to bring Christ to us in this way. Think about it—the Messiah could have appeared fully grown, striding out of the desert on a Thursday morning.  He could have simply walked into the temple and started preaching.  Instead, we get to see him as a baby—yes, so that his genealogy could be verified and so that prophecy would be fulfilled—but also so that we could see the Lord of the Universe willing to humble himself by birth, as he would one day humble himself by death.

    Your God loves you so much that he sent a baby—the epitome of life—to call you to eternal life.

    Heed the call.

    Happy Friday, Beloved.

  • Conceited One-a-Day Thursday    12/15/16

    Conceited One-a-Day Thursday    12/15/16

    Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other (Galatians 5:26).

    It’s not about you.

    Seriously

    It’s not even about me, although I might need to double-check Scripture on that.

    It’s about the One who, oh I don’t know, created everything with a word and orchestrates all of history to sing his praise and glorify his name.

    Beloved, how much of our conflict with others stems from our own ego?

    I’m thinking…too much.

    Eyes on the prize today, Beloved.

    And off of the mirror.

    Happy Thursday