What lurks in your heart?
Today’s devotion builds on the thoughts from Sunday’s Sermon – Week 2 of “Fan or Follower – Value Life” (LISTEN HERE).
Matthew 15:18 But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.
Hands only do what the heart drives them to do.
Motivational speakers don’t speak to hands, they speak to influence the heart so that the hands can be more productive or skillful at their tasks.
The heart is a powerful part of our body. We think of it as just the “pump” of our blood throughout our bodies. We think of it as a physical organ, vital to the sustenance of life. However, the heart is also an emotional and electronic impulse center, perhaps at times more powerful than the brain. Our mind provides rational thought, our heart provides emotional feelings. Jesus targets the heart, because our heart can move us to irrational things. Advertisers know this as “every decision is an emotional decision.” You can spend way more on a car, furniture or home because it “feels” right.
The point? The heart is a powerful motivator for good or evil. What drives our heart, drives our actions and really our lives.
So Jesus goes after the heart, because he too knows that the heart leads to the actions of the hands.
Murder is an action of the hands. Anger is an emotion of the heart. While the mind may override anger and prevent physical murder, Jesus condemns anger that desires the demise of someone as equally damning as murder itself.
Matthew 5:22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment.
A great case study is the first murder in the world recorded in Genesis 4.
Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. 3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. 4 And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.
6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”
8 Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.”While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.
The Lord warned Cain about his anger, resentment and hatred toward his brother Abel. The issue wasn’t the offering Cain brought, the issue was his heart was angry and bitter. From the anger of his heart came the murder in the field.
One of our professors at Seminary said, “Never underestimate the power of the sinful nature. It can lead you to do things you never think you will do.” When our sinful nature controls our heart and Satan gets a foothold of anger lurking within, it certainly has potential to lead to murder, but just as bad is a strong desire for the demise of another person, even if that person is never murdered.
1 John 3: 14b-15 Anyone who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.·
Hatred in the heart leaves no room for love in the heart. Hatred devalues another person and their life, wishing it to be gone. This is the mission of “Team Death.”
The danger of hatred is why Jesus gives such strong warning against it and why multiple encouragements are given such as Ephesians 4:31-32:
Ephesians 4:31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
With the Lord’s blessing, the Spirit of God drives out hatred and anger and we see people with eyes of compassion and forgiveness, valuing their life rather than wishing for the end of it.
Apply: Where is sin crouching at your door? Take time today to repent of it and allow the love and forgiveness of the Lord to replace any anger or hatred which lurks within.
Prayer: Lord thank you for your love and grace which chose to love us even when you had every right to be angry and hate us. As we bask in your grace, lead us to have your heart of love instead of a heart of hatred. AMEN.
At Least I Haven’t Killed Anyone…
Today’s devotion builds on the thoughts from Sunday’s Sermon – Week 2 of “Fan or Follower – Value Life” (LISTEN HERE).
“I’ve never killed anyone.”
Fortunately that is true for a vast majority of people.
So it is easy to read the Fifth Commandment, “You shall not kill” and move on with a confident checkmark that indicates, “I’ve kept that one!”
It may even be a caveat to our evaluation of the commandments when we say, “At least, I’ve never killed someone.” We could dishonor our parents, let a little curse come out of our mouths, or take a pen from work…but AT LEAST, I haven’t killed anyone.”
Like that is the BIG commandment…if you break the other ones, ok, but once you’ve killed someone THEN you are a huge lawbreaker.
Jesus knew this. He knew we would want to skip past the fifth commandment with a confident check mark, or minimize the other commandments by making killing someone the worst thing you could do.
So he pokes a little deeper in our hearts to help us evaluate if we are on “Team Life” or “Team Death” this week.
I’d love to quickly check the box of the “Do not murder” commandment and consider myself “holy” in regard to this command, but after spending about two minutes on Jesus’ words, I realize I don’t easily remain on “Team Life” and can easily shift uniforms and play for “Team Death.”
See if you agree.
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. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.
If you were listening to Jesus say this for the first time, your self-righteous ego would be shaken at best and crushed at worst.
Wait…
You mean being angry with my brother is subject to the same judgment as killing my brother?
You mean if I insult someone, I’m called to account?
You mean if I call someone a fool, I’m in danger of hell?
That’s what Jesus is saying. That is what we will dig into this week.
As we face the spiritual battle to be part of “Team Life” instead of “Team Death” it will be easy to look at the “big things” (I haven’t murdered, I support the unborn life, I believe God starts and ends life, etc.) and move forward confidently as a follower of Jesus.
However, these “big things” maybe are the “easy things” of being a fan of Jesus. It’s easy not to kill. It’s easy to express our support of unborn life. It’s easy to acknowledge life begins and ends with the Lord.”
But Jesus calls us with these words to actually get on the field to understand our opponent and understand “Team Life” and what it means to not just NOT murder, but to support, encourage, and promote life to the glory of God.
Ready to follow? Let’s get out of the stands and onto the field to combat “Team Death” with the strength of the Lord and the power of his word!
Apply: What do you think Jesus is saying to you in these words about murder?
Prayer: Lord, thank you for valuing my life enough to give your own for mine. Help me to learn more about what it means to value and fight hard for life…every aspect of it. AMEN.
Shine brightly!
Today’s devotion builds on the thoughts from Sunday’s Sermon – Week 1 of “Fan or Follower – Shine Brightly” (LISTEN HERE).
Have you ever been in complete darkness? Darkness that has not even a glimmer of light anywhere. Darkness so “thick” that you can’t see your hand in front of your face. I remember two such instances. One was in a cave after they turned out the lights. Second was years ago in the solitary confinement cell on Alcatraz in the San Francisco Bay (they don’t let tourists experience solitary confinement anymore…)
Darkness is nice if your are sleeping. If you are trying to live and move around, darkness is no fun. Even for the brief periods of complete darkness, there was a yearning that began to have some sort of light. It didn’t take much light. A small flashlight cast a glow throughout the cavern. A sliver of light through the door began to illuminate the room.
I would guess that no one wants to live in darkness.
Isaiah prophesied of the light that would dispel darkness (Isaiah 9:2):
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.
Jesus was and is the light of the world (John 1:4-5):
In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
And so Jesus calls us to be light in the world.
Matthew 5:14 “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
Again the people in our lives may not always acknowledge the darkness in their lives (just like we can at times be blind to it), but God has put us in this world to bring light to the lives of the people around us.
Light gives guidance. As yesterday’s devotion stated there are many aspects of life that are being stolen and destroyed without truth and direction. God’s Word is a “lamp for my feet and a light on my path” (Psalm 119:105). So many answers to life’s questions are illuminated by the verses of Scripture.
The light we give off is a reflection of the light God has shone on us. As we live out the love of Christ, we simply reflect the love we have received from him. (1 John 4:11) Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
When we were in the cave, the guide turned on the flashlight and led us out of the cave. Light points us to where safety and security can be found. Light moves us from the danger of darkness to the safety of illumination. The ultimate goal of being a light in the world is to point people to their heavenly Father. People will notice when your words and actions are kind, loving, thoughtful, and humble. People will notice when you pause your agenda to take time to care for someone else. People will notice that you are trustworthy, dependable and full of integrity. People will notice that you are slow to anger and willing to seek understanding. People will notice when you are full of joy, willing to be gentle, and go through life with an inner sense of peace.
When they wonder how and why you can be this way?
You take the flashlight and shine it on your heavenly Father so that they can see his love, grace, and forgiveness, just as you have seen it and been blessed by it.
Shine brightly! The world around you needs it!
Apply: What blessings have you experienced as you have been able to shine the light of God’s love into someone else’s life?
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for shining your love into my heart and life. Cause me to shine brightly for you each and every day of my life! Use me wherever you can to bring your light into the darkness of life and point people to you as their saving, loving Father in heaven. AMEN.
How’s life working for you?
Today’s devotion builds on the thoughts from Sunday’s Sermon – Week 1 of “Fan or Follower – Shine Brightly” (LISTEN HERE).
John 10:7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
John 8:31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
These two sayings of Jesus are too important to quickly mention and move on as I did in yesterday’s devotion.
The TV Psychologist “Dr. Phil” used to often ask, “How’s that working for you?” The question was usually prompted by a “patient” whining about their life, the challenges, the hardships, but also the habits and activities they were engaging in. As they were whining about it, instead of immediately trying to fix it, Dr. Phil would ask, “How’s that working for you?”
The question gets us to think about what we are currently doing and evaluate if what we are engaging in daily in life is really working for us.
How is life working for you today?
In the “Good Shepherd” chapter of the Bible in John 10, there are many great passages to reflect on. This morning, the phrase of Jesus that catches my attention is this: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
The thief is Satan himself or those that are intentionally or unintentionally working for him. As I look around society and as I interact with it, there are lots of things that are being “stolen” from our lives:
Peace is stolen and replaced with fear. Consider the news you watch and listen too. When was the last time you heard a report that put your mind at ease vs. in a state of anxiety…inflation, the demise of the earth due to global warming, illegal immigration, crime on our streets, gun control and the like. I observe, peace is being stolen from my heart and replaced with fear. How’s this working for you?
Contentment is stolen and replaced with discontent. The bills are greater than the income. Investments are down due to stock market down turn. I can’t buy and do what I used to. I wish I had a different job. I wish I made more, etc. Again, the advertising, consumerism of our culture drives out contentment and replaces it with discontent. How’s this working for you?
Truth is stolen and replaced with lies. Our society is stating lies often enough that culture is believing it as truth…perhaps we are tempted to do the same. Men can have babies? Gender is fluid and chosen? Having sexual attraction for minors is normal? Police are the enemy? Christian America is a threat to our country? Nothing can last when it is built on lies, but when lies are promoted as truth and we begin to believe the lies, we must ask, “How’s that working for us?”
Here’s the encouragement today, first for you. Jesus came to bring fullness of life and is the source of truth. When something isn’t working, it is usually a direct or indirect result of sin and the lies of Satan. Following Jesus is not always easy, but it is the full life and it is the truth-filled life. It is a life where no matter what is happening around us we can always have peace in our hearts, contentment in our lives, and confidence we are living by solid truth.
Second, for the people around you. SHINE BRIGHTLY! Fear is no way to live…you have ultimate peace through Jesus to share with someone who is always conversing from a spirit of fear. Take time to uncover the fear and ask God’s Spirit to replace it with peace. Same for discontentment. You know people whining about life and finances and not having what they want. Take time to listen to hear their concerns. Some may have practical and real solutions, but underneath is an opportunity to replace discontent with a spirit of contentment. Seek opportunities to replace lies with God’s truth. It will not always be accepted or welcomed, but ground yourself in the truth of God’s word and ways and seek the Spirit to bring truth where the world is believing lies.
When following Jesus gives us the fullness and truth of life…how’s that working for us? VERY well!
Apply: What aspects of your life is Satan stealing and destroying? What truth of the Word can replace the lies of Satan?
Prayer: Lord, thank you for not only promising but also giving our lives fullness and filling them with your truth. Give us opportunities to be share life and truth with those whose lives are not working and filled with lies. AMEN.
You are salt…Be salt!
Today’s devotion builds on the thoughts from Sunday’s Sermon – Week 1 of “Fan or Follower – Shine Brightly” (LISTEN HERE).
It’s easy to forget who we are and the capabilities we have.
A story is told of an experiment done with five monkeys. (Whether this was an actual experiment is disputed, but it makes the point.) In the cage with the five monkeys is a ladder with a bunch of bananas on the top. As soon as a monkey goes up to get the bananas, ice cold water douses the whole group. One of the monkeys is removed from the cage and replaced with another monkey. The new monkey sees the bananas and begins to climb the stairs. Quickly the other four prevent him from doing so. Eventually all five of the original monkeys are replaced by ones that never got doused with water, yet they all make no attempt to get the bananas at the top of the ladder.
The fear of cold-water consequences prevented the monkeys from enjoying the bananas on top of the ladder.
Does this happen in our lives as Christians? We get “cold water” poured on us when we attempt to live or share our faith? Maybe we easily give up? We read reports of people calling conservative Christians enemies of our country? We see social media comments that disparage anyone who would believe the Bible is true and accurate? We live through college classes that seem to go out of their way to point out some believed fallacy with our Christian faith.
The result?
We stop being who God has made us to be. We stop trying to enjoy and share the blessings of the Christian faith.
But we can’t. We can’t let the pressure of the society lead us to believe that who we are and what we have to share with the world are bad, wrong, or a threat to people.
Just the opposite. Team Shiner must engage in the conflict and do all they can to be victorious. Why?
Let’s start with Jesus’ words: (Matthew 5:13) “You are the salt of the earth…”
Salt is a preservative, a seasoning and a purifier.
Jesus calls us to be all three. Sure the world around us wants us to “lose our saltiness” and to make us feel worthless and “trample” over us. The temptation is not to be the salt Jesus has called us to be.
But like the bananas were actually beneficial for the monkeys and monkeys naturally like bananas, so we cannot let the world around us convince us that what we have in Christ and who we are in Christ are a bad thing. Remember these three things:
First, as salt, we share an eternal preservative.
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.
The message about sins forgiven through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus have power to change our eternal destiny. The Gospel, this good news, is just that! It is for all people and we have it in abundance. Nothing else in the world preserves our soul for eternity…nothing – not fame, not fortune, not family, not friends…the only thing that will is the salt of the Gospel changing the hearts of people.
Second, as salt, we share One who brings fullness to life.
John 10:7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
So many aspects of life are sucking the joy out of life. The news creates fear in our hearts. The future brings worry and anxiety. Entertainment, careers, wealth, and more all have an appeal to “give us the life we always dreamed of.” Instead they bring fantasies that aren’t real, careers that are unfulfilling or finally end, wealth that loses its value and the end result is we find the fullness and joy and richness to life are lost in what the world has to offer. Thus, the salt of the Gospel, seasons every aspect with fullness and joy. And we have it to share!
And third, as salt, we share purity and truth to the world.
John 8:31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
So much of our world is filled with lies, hoaxes, false reports, and unfounded reporting. We struggle to know what and who to believe. If it’s news, the latest medical treatment, or a video on Tik Tok, we meet them all and more with a healthy sense of skepticism. Rightly so. News can be made up or altered. Medical treatments can be promoted for financial gain instead of healing. Videos can be altered to give a different perception of reality.
We crave truth. We yearn for something we can believe and live with 100% certainty. Jesus gives it. His words are truth…always.
Don’t let the others in your world pull you down and discourage you from being the Christian God has made you to be. Embrace that God has called you to play on Team Shiner and let the salt of the Gospel preserve, season and bring purity to your heart and through you to the people around you.
Apply: What aspect of salt intrigues you to work with the Lord’s help to develop more fully? Preserving, seasoning, or purifying?
Prayer: Lord, thank you for making me the salt of the earth. Forgive me when I fail to be who you made me to be. Grant me your Holy Spirit to empower, direct and use me to bring the salt of the Gospel to preserve, season and purify the whole earth. AMEN.