A Passage with a Punch!
Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
This verse from Isaiah is my daughter’s confirmation verse. The more I reflect on it, the more I love it and I pray it carries with her throughout her life. Within four short lines, the Spirit of God packed a ton of promise and hope for today and the future.
The verses don’t downplay or dismiss the hardships and difficulties of life, they direct us through them with the person of God and the promises he gives.
1. There will be and are things in this world that make us afraid…God is with you!
Fear is dismissed when we are with someone who already knows the outcome. As a kid, you are always more comfortable doing something with a parent who is with you. They are stronger and they already know the experience so are not afraid. Multiply that greatly and you have God’s promise. When we are afraid of life itself, God who is all powerful and eternal has already journeyed the path and promises to be with you. Jesus promised as he left, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).
2. There will be things in this world that cause us to be discouraged…God is your God!
The word that is translated “dismayed” means to have discouragement about the future. Have you felt that recently…for a while? As you look at the events happening around us, it is easy to be discouraged about the future, to look at it with great pessimism versus optimism. But remember God already knows the future and ultimately, because of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus has planned for you the most glorious future in heaven. When we walk each day with the Lord we have these promises from the Lord:
Psalm 139:13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. …
All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
3. There will be things we feel powerless over…God will strengthen you!
Many things are out of our control. We don’t like to admit it, but eventually we do. We wish we could change the situation. We wish we could overcome the difficulty. All too often we run to our own strength first and only when that is exhausted do we turn to the Lord. Let’s reverse that and turn to him first. He will strengthen you. After all, he promises victory!
Romans 8:35-39 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
4. There are things we feel tired to continue to engage in…God will uphold you!
Hold up your arms above your head. How long could you do that? A minute or two? Now have someone hold up your arm for you. How long do you think you could do it now? Much longer, right? When we feel like giving up and the battles of life too strong, the Lord says, I will hold you up with my righteous right hand. The picture and promise are like that which Moses experienced:
Exodus 17:11 As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. 12 When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. 13 So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.
There is more that could be said about this short, yet powerful verse. But perhaps these two statements summarize it:
- The world is full of evil, that’s why God reminds us of who HE is and what HE promises!
- What I am not, God is. What I can’t do, God will.
Truly this is a passage worth carrying through life!
Apply: Take time to memorize Isaiah 41:10
Prayer: Lord God, thank you for reminding me of who you are, my strong, personal, present God. Thank you for your promises that are sure and true. You will be with me, strengthen and uphold me. For all this I am truly grateful! AMEN.
A weekend to remember…what’s most important!
How was your weekend?
Oh, it’s already Thursday and you probably forgot about last weekend already and are looking forward to the one ahead.
I don’t know if I have fully grasped all the significance packed into one weekend for our family. Without giving all the details, our oldest graduated from high school and we celebrated that with an open house on Sunday afternoon. Our youngest finished middle school and gave profession of her faith at confirmation on Sunday. We celebrated that event with another three adults who were confirmed and one was also baptized. My parents and two of my sisters and their families joined in the events as well creating time for family and connection there. Members and friends came to help celebrate these faith and life events as well as sent cards to our girls to wish them well and remind them they are loved by God and other people.
As I was at our chiropractor last week, he asked about the upcoming weekend and as I shared all of the faith and life events we were observing, he said, “Just take a few moments to step back and observe what was happening.” At the graduation ceremony, the principal of the high school encouraged the class to live with gratitude.
So through the lens of gratitude I have much for which to be thankful. God is truly faithful to his promise, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33). While not perfectly, God is at the center of our family – immediate and extended. To see that lived in your daughters, and professed publically at confirmation is a moment I will never forget, and I pray continues to grow deeper and more convicted in the future. As I contemplate the life change coming this summer, it comes with the consistency of a God who loves us and walks with us through life. As you see lives impacted by the Gospel in your own family and others, you realize most of life doesn’t matter, only your faith in the Lord Jesus. When that is secure, the rest will take care of itself.
A lot is happening in the world right now. People being murdered. Baby formula gone scarce. Europe at the brink of war with Russia. Economy making our money worth less. Gender identity confusion. Unborn lives struggling for protection. A country searching for answers to life issues and a country relying on the government to fix things. Our culture and country give us many reasons to be concerned about the future. I would be dishonest to say I don’t worry about these as well and wonder what the world my daughters will be part of and perhaps one day their families.
Which is why I love my daughters’ confirmation verses. They are great passages to begin every day with and carry throughout life:
The older from Joshua 1:9
9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
The younger from Isaiah 41:10
So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
The world and our lives have a lot going on…keep the Lord at the center of your heart and life!
Apply: What changes when you live by these promises each day? Try it!
Prayer: Lord, thank you for the power of your Spirit to work in our lives and those we love. Keep us all close to you each day of our lives as we journey through life to an eternity with you. Amen!
Humility…Advice for Graduates
Devotions this week based on the Message: “BELIEVE: Week 30: HUMILITY”
(NOTE: This sermon series and devotional series is based on a book by Randy Frazee entitled, “BELIEVE.”
You may choose to download or purchase the book as a supplement to your worship and devotional emails.
Today and this weekend is a special celebration for our girls. Our oldest graduates from high school and our younger graduates from 8th grade and is confirmed this weekend. To be blessed with these two girls is a gift for which I cannot thank God enough. Each of them is unique, charting their own course, but yet friends that have grown to love and appreciate each other (although not without a little sister competition along the way).
As they each finish a season of their life, I am confident the Lord will gift them with new relationships, new challenges and new opportunities. Yet, my prayer for them ultimately is that they walk humbly with the Lord, with each other and with the people around them.
The Apostle Paul wrote a word of prayer and encouragement to the Christians in Philippi. It certainly is an appropriate set of verses to reflect on as we mark milestones in faith and life, but also as we go through life. The truth it brings out is leads us to reflect on the blessings we have because of our connection to Christ. The result of our connection to Christ leads us to live in a way that counter to so much of the world, yet brings a blessing to the world.
Philippians 2:1 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Did you notice where humility starts? Our connection with Christ, the comfort he brings, and companionship with the Spirit of God. Life has so many distractions. Never let life interfere with your relationship with the Lord – it is the only connection that ultimately matters.
It is also the starting point by which we can truly live with the humility and attitude of Christ. Humility may challenge us, but it brings blessing to us and society around us. Here are five ways:
- Humility seeks to build unity, not break
Learn to listen to others, seek to understand, and find value in others. As far as you can seek unity over division.
2. Humility is confidence without cockiness.
Pride is ugly when it makes you go through life desiring all to center on you. Humility is not being a pushover or weak person. Humility is confidence because of our connection to Christ, but it lets go of the cockiness.
3. Humility is valuing others without losing your
Put others first. We don’t have to self-promote. We can seek to build others up without losing our value and significance. In fact the stronger sense of value and worth we have from the Lord, the better positioned we are to value others.
4. Humility is building others up without tearing yourself down.
Encourage others. Let go of the competition to always be better, but encourage others to be better. Self-deprecation is just another way of drawing attention to yourself (like pride). Build others up as the Lord has built you up.
5. Humility is being Christ to all
Finally we are in the world to be the face of Christ to people. Christ has shown himself to us so we might reflect him to others. Humility is a key characteristic of Christ and Christ through us.
So, if I had one prayer or piece of advice for my girls and the graduates of 2022…Be humble before the Lord and live with humility each and every day. You will be blessed as you do!
Apply: What difference would living with humility make in your world…in the world around us?
Prayer: Lord Jesus thank you for living humility for us. Lead us to always intersect with your humility first and then with your help, live each day with the same attitude and exhibition of humility which you have shown to us. AMEN.
PS: This concludes devotions connected to the BELIEVE series! Thank you for making the journey with me…look forward to more devotional thoughts on other topics moving forward!
Humility…the heart of grace.
Devotions this week based on the Message: “BELIEVE: Week 30: HUMILITY”
(NOTE: This sermon series and devotional series is based on a book by Randy Frazee entitled, “BELIEVE.”
You may choose to download or purchase the book as a supplement to your worship and devotional emails.
Go to a search engine and type in “Leadership and Humility.” In a fraction of a second, you can have many links that will expand on the prominence and importance of the characteristic of humility in leadership. Humility isn’t a characteristic of a wishy-washy leader. It’s not a characteristic of a weak leader. It’s not a characteristic of a wandering leader. It’s a characteristic of confident, strong, visionary leader…who is others-focused.
It’s the characteristic of a leader who is more interested in the success of others than their own. It’s a characteristic of a leader who is willing to empathize and walk with those they lead. It’s a characteristic of a leader who is willing to serve and sacrifice for the sake of others.
No wonder it’s the key characteristic of the greatest leader that ever walked this planet…the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Apostle Paul pointed the Christians in Philippi to the humble leadership of Christ.
Philippians 2:5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!
Here’s just three evidences of the humility of Christ.
He let go of heaven to become human.
The Almighty God was willing to give up his position in heaven and the full use of his divine characteristics to take on human flesh and live among us. He didn’t come to make a name for himself, but to live under the law of God with the same temptations we face with the mission to do it perfectly. He interacted with humanity that were looked down on by others, outcast by society, and labeled as sinners, because he wanted them to be with him in heaven.
He let go of being served to become a servant.
The Almighty God was willing to let go of all the reasons he had to demand the allegiance and service of all to serve individuals by healing their sick, raising the dead, washing their feet, forgiving their sins, feeding their hunger, teaching their hearts, calming their doubts, alleviating their fears, restoring their failings, and investing his life for them.
He let go of life to die on a cross.
Giving up one’s life at the defense of another is heroic. Dying as a convicted criminal is not. Yet in his death on the cross, Jesus did both. Death was the punishment sin deserved, but he willingly allowed himself to be killed as the worst of criminals to save you and me the worst of sinners.
Without the humility of Christ, we would not have hope for eternity. Because of the humility of Christ, we have the greatest leader the world has ever known to lead us from this life to the next.
Apply: What other examples of the humility of Christ can you identify? How does this impact your appreciation for the service of Jesus on your behalf?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for humbling yourself to come to this earth to live and die for me. AMEN.
Humility…in the wake of tragedy.
Humility…before the Lord…we all need it.
As I am writing this, there are 19 parents in Uvalde, Texas that will not see their children finish the school year…or ever see another milestone in their lives. Two brave teachers will not teach again.
Because of the senseless evil of an 18-year-old, whose life also came to an end.
Our two girls are finishing middle-school and high-school this week. I am proud of them and yet am reminded today that the walls of a school are not guaranteed safety for them. Nor is any day of life guaranteed to turn into another day of life.
While my heart aches for the parents who must now make unexpected plans to bury their children (I can’t even imagine), my heart also aches for our communities and country.
Politicians are quick to jump on the tragedy and blame the guns involved. Pundits are quick to blame mental illness and bring sympathy almost more for the perpetrator than the grieving parents. Well meaning commenters on social media agonize with the parents, but blame the evil on the upbringing and circumstances of the child’s life.
What I hear little of is really dealing with root issues. Guns don’t fire by themselves (but I’m not here to debate gun laws). Anyone who thinks the recourse of life should include gunning down helpless children is mentally ill (but I’m not here to put a clinical diagnosis on anything). Blind hatred for people groups or life in general exists (but I’m not here to talk about racism).
The root issue is three letters: SIN.
Here’s a description of the world pre flood: Genesis 6:5 The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.
Here’s Jesus’ diagnosis of evil: Matthew 15:19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.
What happened today in Uvalde and in many other places today is not a hard one to figure out.
Galatians 5:19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Perhaps there is value at looking to determine motive, find some circumstance to blame or justify the action, or develop some policy or law that we think will stop evil…perhaps.
However, all too often we either are unwilling or unaware of the elephant in the room: Sin is the cause of evil and evil will always find an expression until it is bound by the power of the Spirit of God.
Our society wonders why this keeps happening. It tries to wrestle with the outcome as it tries to identify a cause or in some way sooth their consciences by doing something.
There is only one thing to do: Return to the Lord.
James 4:7 So, submit yourselves to God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God, and he will come near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded people. 9 Lament, mourn, and weep. Let your laughter be changed into mourning and your joy into gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he will lift you up.
When we return to the Lord, we find the power and comfort of the Gospel message.
A heart will not be changed until the power of the Gospel changes hearts.
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:
The power of the Gospel is the salvation of souls. Use that power personally and with your kids and family. The only comfort in a tragedy like this is to know a child has been baptized into the family of God, has learned and is trusting Jesus loves them and forgives them. As hard as it is to be a parent of a child lost in this tragedy, I pray that by the grace and mercy of God, the children whose lives ended on earth today were covered in the blood of Jesus and so enjoy their first day in heaven. The word of God and the love of Jesus is the ONE thing a child needs…every person needs.
The power of the Gospel is the power to combat sin. Just as the fruit of the sinful nature is obvious, so is the fruit of the Spirit of God. Our world is calling for this fruit, but is needing believers to bring the power of the Gospel to their friends, family and communities.
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
More thoughts continue to percolate, but today I am praying earnestly that the power of God through his Gospel permeates our own hearts, that of our families, friends, classmates, teachers, officials, communities, and everyone in our land. I invite you to do the same.
Prayer: Lord, deliver us from evil. Amen.