Lead Me to the Cross…When I’m Fed Up…God Wakes Me Up!
Daily Devotions based the Sermon on Numbers 21:4-9 from March 14, 2021
THIS WEEK: Lead Me to the Cross…Find the Snake…Find the Cross!
Not always, but sometimes…
God allows tough situations to wake us up and turn from a path that is spiritually destructive.
I just hope it’s not snakes…like he did for Israel.
I hate snakes.
But maybe that’s the point.
When we are fed up and start complaining against God for the situation we are in and blaming him for our circumstances, we need a wake-up call. God could allow worse. Sin is serious and God wants us to realize that.
For Israel he sent snakes…poisonous ones. Ones that led to the loss of life.
Number 21:6 Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died.
I suppose we could react to this and get even more mad at God and simply turn from God and try to outrun the snakes. (Pretty sure I can guess how that will end up!)
Or we could wake up and see into our heart the sin that God desires we acknowledge and repent of. Israel got it. (Better choice.)
Numbers 21:7 The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.
I am not going to try to label every hardship in your life as God calling you to repentance for some sin you committed. However, when we reach a point of being fed up with something in life and begin to blame God for it, it is now a sin that is captivating our heart. We may believe God is out to punish us. Truth is, God is out to save us from our sin and its eternal consequences. If necessary, he’s willing to take extreme measures to turn our heart away from sin and back to him.
God, in his justice, could have wiped out all of Israel. But he didn’t. He wanted to wake up all of Israel.
Same is true for us.
When I’m fed up with God, God wants me to wake up. Wake up and return to him.
Here’s his promise:
1 John 1:8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
God wants nothing more than the hearts of people to trust him…always. God wants nothing more than people to live with him forever…everyone.
So next time you reach a point where you are fed up, consider God may be calling you to wake up. Wake up, repent, and receive his love and grace once again.
More tomorrow…
Apply: Is there a situation in life for which you are blaming God and struggling to not do so? Try this. Acknowledge the hurt you experienced to God. Repent of blaming God for it. Ask God to give you strength to see the spiritual blessing that he desires to work out of a very difficult physical situation.
Prayer: Lord, lead me to trust you always. Forgive me when I blame you for things my sin creates in life. Help me when I am fed up to wake up to your call to repent and live. Amen.
Look to the Cross…When You’re Fed Up!
Daily Devotions based the Sermon on Numbers 21:4-9 from March 14, 2021
THIS WEEK: Lead Me to the Cross…Find the Snake…Find the Cross!
We’re having that again? We just had that yesterday!
That’s just after two days. How would you feel after eating the same thing for nearly 40 years???
There’s only so many ways you can make manna and cook quail. Finally the people of Israel had it.
They were fed up…and let God know about it.
4 They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; 5 they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!”
This wasn’t just “the Israelites were having a bad day” situation. This was a deep rooted disgust, frustration, and complaint against God. Every morning when they picked up the manna God provided, they had a strong negative reaction.
They were fed up…and wished God would do something about it.
Can you relate?
It may not be eating the same food year after year, but it may be a relationship challenge that is not resolving and you’re fed up. It may be a situation with your work or career that makes work miserable and you’re fed up. It may be a classmate that has an annoying habit that bugs you endlessly every day and your fed up.
What do you do when you are fed up?
Our natural reaction is to become impatient, to blame and complain.
Does this solve the problem?
No, but it’s our default reaction and maybe vents a little steam. However, it often makes the situation worse, especially when we blame God for the situation in which we find ourselves. Here’s three reasons why.
- When I grow impatient, my trust is diminished. I start to believe that God can’t be trusted. I believe he is part of the problem, why would I trust him.
- When I grow impatient, my belief is limited. I become cynical and skeptical that God will be faithful to his promises. Doubt begins to overshadow belief.
- And, when I grow impatient, my perspective is narrowed. I find myself focused on what is going wrong, and the horrible situation in which I find myself.
Ultimately when we are fed up with life or a situation in life, we are tempted to give up. That’s not the place God wants our hearts to go. We’ll see in the next days where God takes Israel, but let me give you this Word of God for your day…especially if it’s a day you find yourself fed up.
Remember this:
Romans 5:3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
Life can be challenging and disappointing, but here’s the truth. God still loves you. God has given his Spirit of power to you. And God can and does work what you are going through into an opportunity to grow you.
More tomorrow…
Apply: If you have gone through an “I’m fed up…” season of life, as you look back what did God teach you? If you are in one of those situations today, what might God be teaching you?
PRAYER: Lord, I know I can become impatient and fed up with you and life. Forgive me for Jesus sake and remind me that you can use these challenging moments to develop me as your child. AMEN.
Lead Me to the Cross…Stealing stuff and a Good Name
Daily Devotions based the Sermon from March 7, 2021
THIS WEEK: Lead Me to the Cross…Read the Tablets…Find the Cross!
Friday: Lead Me to the Cross: Stealing Stuff and A Good Name
Taking something that is not rightfully yours…that’s stealing.
The seventh commandment, “You shall not steal” is another one we like to easily cruse past and “check off” as “kept.” But our image of putting on a mask (oh, wait, that’s ok these days J ) and holding up a bank demanding sacks of cash as the only way to break this commandment is far from accurate.
But again when I take a closer look, I ask, “What can I take that is not rightfully mine?” Answers from a classmate? Time surfing the web from my employer? Deceptive transaction on Facebook Marketplace? Failing to give an offering to the Lord?
Wait, what do you mean? I can steal from God? Yep. Consider Malachi 3:8-10. (But see the promise too!):
8 “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. “But you ask, ‘How do we rob you?’ “In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.
Stealing again starts in the heart, desiring to have what we have not been given, or what is not rightfully ours. The seventh commandment God protects our possessions. The ninth and tenth guide our heart away from the desire that leads to stealing:
Exodus 20:17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
Luther put it this way in regard to stealing and coveting:
(On the Seventh Commandment): We should fear and love God so that we do not take our neighbor’s money or possessions, or get them in any dishonest way, but help him to improve and protect his possessions and income.
(On the Ninth and Tenth Commandment): We should fear and love God so that we do not scheme to get our neighbor’s inheritance or house, or get it in a way which only appears right, but help and be of service to him in keeping it. We should fear and love God so that we do not entice or force away our neighbor’s wife, workers, or animals, or turn them against him, but urge them to stay and do their duty.
One of the ways we can connive to get something not ours is by stealing our neighbor’s reputation. If I can make someone not trust another individual, it may work for my advantage. (Insert political campaigns and politics in general here!) Telling something false, or even spreading the truth with intent to harm someone’s reputation takes away their good name, often with the intent to build up our good name.
Luther put it this way: We should fear and love God so that we do not tell lies about our neighbor, betray him, slander him, or hurt his reputation, but defend him, speak well of him, and explain everything in the kindest way.
The irony? We usually damage our name greater when it is found out we have lied about another person. So let’s give up the telling of lies, and rather work to build up and speak well of others.
Need the cross? I do. The last four commandments lead me to crawl back to Jesus and his cross and look for his heart and life that perfectly cover mine and his suffering and death that were paid on my behalf.
I love the commandments and I hope you do to. Why? Because they first lead me to the cross and then forgiven and empowered by Jesus’ love, the lead me from the cross to better love God and love the people around me.
Apply: Take the Malachi challenge. Put God first in your financial wealth. Find blessing in returning to God what is his. Enjoy the blessings he gives as you live on 90% of your income!
Prayer:
Lord, your law is good and wise;
It sets your will before my eyes
Shows me the way of righteousness,
But dooms to death when we transgress.
To Jesus I for refuge flee
Who from the curse has set me free,
And humbly worship at your throne,
Saved by your grace through faith alone. AMEN
(Adapted from Christian Worship, Hymn 287:1,4)
Lead Me to the Cross…Do not hate…Do not lust!
Daily Devotions based the Sermon from March 7, 2021
THIS WEEK: Lead Me to the Cross…Read the Tablets…Find the Cross!
“I’ve never killed someone.”
“I’ve never committed adultery.”
We can “check the box” of the fifth and sixth commandment, right?
Not so fast. Jesus has a few things to say to us:
Matthew 5:21 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment.
Matthew 5:27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Desiring someone to be eliminated from our life…the thought…is just as sinful as pulling the trigger.
Desiring to be with someone sexually…the thought…is just as sinful as physically committing adultery.
Once sin is on the outside, it is simply a manifestation of what is on the inside. Jesus teaches, “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander” (Matthew 15:19).
Sometimes we “justify our sin” by saying, “As long as it doesn’t hurt someone else.” I’ve yet to see a secret sin that never has an impact somewhere on someone else. Our hate-filled thoughts turn into rude comments, or short tempers. Our sinful nature loves to think of ourselves better than other people, other skin colors, or other professions. While we may not classify our “looking down on others” as “hate” it certainly diminishes the value of that person’s life in our mind.
And that is what God is protecting in the fifth commandment…the value of life. We could go on with abortions, drug abuse, senseless murders, and more. But let’s not forget what is going on in our own hearts. Martin Luther put it this way: “We should fear and love God so that we do not hurt or harm our neighbor in his body, but help and support him in every physical need.”
The sixth commandment is like it. Some may argue what I look at on my computer is my business. Yet porn creates unrealistic ideas of what the blessing of sex is to be like, it makes women (or men) into sex objects and leads to the erosion of healthy marriages and relationships. Think you are immune? Just look at the advertising that comes up on your news feed, social media, or TV. Sex sells and advertisers know it. Lust is not innocent and while it is a sin of the heart, it has potential to affect others.
That’s why God gave us the sixth commandment…to protect and value the gift of sex, marriages and committed relationships. He wants couples to enjoy the gift of sex, treasure it and protect it. Yes we could mention here relationships that go against God’s design for one man/one woman committed marriages, but again God doesn’t want us to “look out there” first, but into our own hearts. Martin Luther puts I this way: We should fear and love God so that we lead a sexually pure and decent life in what we say and do, and husband and wife love and honor each other.
Both of these commandments and their finer points lead us to the cross. We can’t “check the box” and move on because guilt and shame reside in our lives because of the fifth and sixth commandments. That’s why we need Jesus. We need his perfect love to cover our hate and his pure heart to cover our lust. The punishment our sins deserved? Jesus took care of that too…at the cross.
You are forgiven and loved, pure and whole. Enjoy living today as a forgiven, loved, child of God!
Apply: Look for an opportunity today to “help and support” your neighbor in “every physical need” today. Also, if you or someone you know and love is struggling with pornography, check out this great resource: https://conquerorsthroughchrist.net
PRAYER: Lord, empty my heart of hate and lust and fill it with your love for me and strength to always love, value and respect each person. AMEN
Lead Me to the Cross…Honor Those in Authority!
Daily Devotions based the Sermon from March 7, 2021
THIS WEEK: Lead Me to the Cross…Read the Tablets…Find the Cross!
God is a God of order.
“…everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.” (1 Corinthians 14:40)
We like to be free and independent.
Which makes following the Fourth Commandment difficult, right? As a child, we balk under the authority of our parents. As a college student, we love our freedom and glad to be out from under the rules of our parents. As adults we struggle to honor the people put or elected in authority over us and simply want to be our own boss.
Our sinful nature loves to be free from authority…even God’s.
The Fourth commandment speaks to a primary order or authority that God has set up: parents and children. However, it is also representative of any authority God allows or puts over us. This can be in our home, in our work place, in our communities and in our churches.
God desires of love a proper relationship and respect between those who have been given authority and those who are under that authority. Here’s a few examples:
In the Church: Hebrews 13:17 Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.
In the Government: Romans 13: 1-2 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
In our Homes: Ephesians 6:1-4 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” 4 Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
Ultimately God desires that we “enjoy long life on the earth.” This happens when we respect those who hold a position of authority (even if they are imperfect or we disagree with them) and make it easy for them to carry out their role. They also are not to take advantage of that position of authority, but rather use that position to serve the Lord and those they lead in love.
Martin Luther put it this way: “We should fear and love God so that we do not despise or anger our parents and other authorities, but honor them, serve and obey them, love and cherish them.”
How would seeing the blessing and wisdom in this commandment change the dynamics in our homes, in our schools, in our churches, in our communities, in our country? A little respect of authority and proper use of that God given authority will go a long way to bring a blessing of peace to our land. Let it start with us as God’s people.
Apply: How do you struggle to carry out this commandment? Does it help to know every authority is ultimately accountable to God? Would it help to picture God in that position of authority and honor that person because God has allowed them to be in that position? It’s not easy. Ask often for God’s help to do it!
Prayer: Lord, thank you for being a God of order versus chaos. Lead me to do all I can to honor, serve, obey, love and cherish those you have placed in authority over me. Amen.