Believe Week 5: Who Am I?
Devotions this week based on the Message: “BELIEVE: Week 5: My Identity as a Child of Godd Word!”
(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.)
Who am I?
I’ve never been an avid watcher of Saturday Night Live, but watched a “few” years ago in college. The comedian turned politician, Al Franken played the role of Stuart Smalley. The segment was called, “Daily Affirmation” (Here’s a short clip of a segment with Michael Jordan if you are curious! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNx_gU57gQ4) As part of the segment, the mantra he would repeat is this, “I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and dog gone it, people like me.”
What SNL used to do well (not sure anymore) is capture parodies on every day occurrences and thought. They would accentuate various aspects to make it funny, but in reality it would touch on what many if not most people were thinking. I believe this is the case with Stuart Smalley. It is the search we all have for significance, affirmation, and value.
And if we can’t get it anywhere else, we take it upon ourselves to give it to ourselves.
But even that can be tough.
Because we soak in our identity from the situations, people and circumstances around us.
Consider Smalley’s phrase, “I’m good enough…”
How do you determine that? Is it based on a grade you receive? Is it based on a promotion you obtain? Is it based on a blue ribbon achieved? Is it based on a proficiency better than most?
Being “good enough” can be an endless pursuit.
What about “I’m smart enough…”?
Who sets the standard for that? Are you smart enough when you are the “go-to” person for everyone’s questions at work? Are you smart enough when you get 100’s on all your assignments? Are you smart enough when you figure out the answers to life’s toughest problems? Are you smart enough when 100 or more people agree with your on social media?
It’s hard when there is no objective standard of being “smart enough.”
What about, “Dog gone it, people like me”?
Do they? How many do? Do the right people like me? If I have over 500 friends on social media, am I liked? What if someone yells at me, do they like me? What if a person I really care about doesn’t care about me any more? What if someone gets busy and doesn’t give me the attention I want?
It’s hard when some people don’t like you.
So where does that leave us? I suppose sitting in front of a mirror like Stuart Smalley just giving ourselves our own daily affirmation – just to make sure SOMEONE does!
But that too feels a bit empty, doesn’t it?
The truth is Satan loves to get us to find our identity, value and significance from outward circumstances. He loves to let us buy into what others think of us and embrace that as our own identity.
But God has given us a different plan to explore this week.
“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).
What happens when God’s Spirit leads me to embrace an identity not found in others, or myself, but in Christ? It is an amazing transformation! Do not miss the rest of the devotions this week!
Apply: What are you allowing to mold your identity? Who do you look to to tell you if you are good enough? Smart enough? Who are you wanting to like you?
Prayer: Lord forgive me for molding my identity on outward circumstances and people’s opinion. Mold my identity around who you have made me…your child!
Believe Week 4: Secular Support for Scripture
Devotions this week based on the Message: “BELIEVE: Week 4: The Bible: God’s Inspired Word!”
(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.)
Friday’s question: What “nonbiblical” evidence do we have to support the credibility of the Bible?
(If you have a question, please email to pastor@crossandcrowntx.com. I look forward to sharing a devotional thought on it on Fridays)
Are there reasons that we can trust the Bible outside the Bible’s testimony of itself? The Bible says, “All Scripture is God-breathed…” (2 Timothy 3:16). It also says, “19 We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.…” (2 Peter 1:19-21)
Can we see evidence of these realities in the Scripture itself?
Here are three “arguments” that support the conclusion that the Bible is the true, credible Word of God and useful for all things of faith and life.
- Consider the challenge if you were to orchestrate a writing of a document using multiple authors over the course of 1400 years. The fact that this reality is true of the Bible and yet its message is clear and focused throughout on the plan of God to save the world through the person and work of Jesus is testimony that it is a special and credible book.
- Consider the mathematical challenge of having every prophecy about a person come to reality in one person. There are different calculations, but conservatively over 300 prophesies were fulfilled by Jesus. Here’s the numbers and conclusion:
According to Peter Stoner in his book, Science Speaks, the likelihood of a person fulfilling just eight of the major prophecies would be 1:1017. Josh McDowell, well-known apologist who became a Christian after setting out to disprove Christianity, shares the following explanation:
“To help us visually comprehend the staggering odds of this probability, Stoner proposed that we take that many silver dollars and lay them across the state of Texas. In doing so, we’d find they would stack up across the state two feet deep. But wait; there’s more! Now mark one of the silver dollars, and stir up the entire mass of coins. Then blindfold an enthusiastic volunteer and tell him that he can travel as far as he likes across Texas, but that he *must* pick out the marked silver dollar. THAT is how difficult it would be for one man to fulfill these prophecies. Unless, of course, he did so because of divine appointment.” (josh.org/jesus-fulfill-prophecy/)
McDowell further shares that Stoner goes on to calculate that the odds of any man fulfilling 48 of the more than three hundred Old Testament prophecies would be 1:10157 (that’s a one followed by 157 zeros!!!). To me, this represents the beautiful world where Biblical integration meets mathematics curriculum. Students get to look at empirical evidence that validates their faith in Jesus Christ as the Messiah, the Savior of the world. (https://www.northhillschristian.com/about/what-child-is-this/)
- The third aspect is the historical congruency with secular sources that reference leaders, places, and events. The Bible is not a book of fiction, but a book of historical facts intersecting with other world events and eras. While not every event and person is referenced in secular sources, many are. Here’s one list: https://drivethruhistory.com/biblical-figures-found-through-archaeology/
The Bible is one of the most attested to books of ancient literature. With confidence we can hold the conviction Jesus makes of the Word of God and the Word of God makes of itself. The Bible is God’s Word for you!
John 17:17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.
Apply: Which of these three reasons is most convincing to you? How could you use it when discussing the credibility of the Bible with others?
Prayer: Lord thank you for recording and preserving your Word for us to read, believe, and put into practice. As always you prove your love and your faithfulness to us! AMEN.
Believe Week 4: Correcting and Training…
Devotions this week based on the Message: “BELIEVE: Week 4: The Bible: God’s Inspired Word!”
(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.)
One of the first motorized cars I remember driving was the antique car ride at Disneyland in Anaheim, CA. I don’t remember how old I was, but I remember stepping on the gas and taking off. At that age, I embraced the challenge to keep the car from bumping on the center rail that guided you around the course.
This was fun when I was young, but as I got older, similar rides at other amusement parks began to be a bit boring and frustrating. Why? Because the car was too limiting. The speed would only go so fast…no matter how much you pressed on the accelerator. The car would only turn so far left or so far right before you would bump up against the rail.
But why wouldn’t they let me drive the car all over the park? Why couldn’t I go wherever I wanted?
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for…correction.”
The Scriptures provide the limits on faith and life where God says, “To this point you shall go and no further.”
We can look at that in two ways. Either we will appreciate the safety of limits or rebel and do all we can to get around, avoid, or run over the limits.
But like the ride in the park, it might seem fun, but will not end well.
The servant of God desires and welcomes correction. Giving correction is loving to protect our soul and our lives from unnecessary hurt and burdensome and eternal consequences.
Consider this wisdom of God through the pen of King Solomon: (Proverbs 12:1-3)
Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
but whoever hates correction is stupid.
2 Good people obtain favor from the Lord,
but he condemns those who devise wicked schemes.
3 No one can be established through wickedness,
but the righteous cannot be uprooted.
Want to be thoroughly equipped for every good work? Allow the Scripture to be the rails that guide you through life. Welcome the correction for it keeps you on track.
And finally, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for…training in righteousness.”
Training is intense. Ask any athlete who desires to perform at the top of their sport. Training takes commitment…daily. Training takes sacrifice. Training takes focus. Training is not easy. Training takes stamina. Training takes mental grit to not give up.
Now apply that to our lives of faith.
Do we approach it with the same intensity as athletics, or a passive hobby we engage in on weekends? I’m afraid it’s more the latter than the former (Forgive us Lord!).
The Apostle Paul put in this way:
1 Corinthians 9:24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
Satan is looking to devour us. The Spirit of God is looking to equip us. Choose the Spirit of God as your trainer! Accept his correction and daily spend time in the Scriptures…let God’s Spirit be your trainer in righteousness…so you might be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Apply: Simply make a commitment to take in the Word of God daily to prepare you for the opportunities of the day and take another step in the lifelong training regimen to be a servant of the Lord God.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for calling me to serve you. Thank you for the correction your word of Truth gives and the training in righteousness you provide. AMEN.
Believe Week 4: Thank God for teachers of Scripture!
Devotions this week based on the Message: “BELIEVE: Week 4: The Bible: God’s Inspired Word!”
(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.)
It’s only once in a lifetime that you get to wish your dad a Happy 80th birthday…so today I will.
Happy Birthday, Dad!
Ironically the passage on Bible Gateway yesterday as I was writing this devotion was this:
Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. They are a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck. (Proverbs 1:8-9)
King Solomon was inspired by God’s Spirit to acknowledge the value of a faithful dad and mom who gave instruction and training to their children. Although I don’t think they ever encouraged me to put a garland on my head or a necklace around my neck, they did give me teaching that has equipped me for life, especially a life of faith.
80 years comes with much wisdom and experience. For dad, it has been a lifetime of not just secular learning, but a dedication to daily training in the word of God. For 80 years, God has equipped him for the good works he prepared in eternity for him. I pray God has many more planned for him!
The Apostle Paul also understood the value of parents teaching the Scriptures to youth. Timothy had faithful mom and grandma who taught him.
2 Timothy 3:14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
From infancy, Timothy’s mother and grandmother were convinced the best training Timothy could receive was training in the Holy Scriptures. They knew that the Bible was the source of “salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” So they dedicated time to bring those same Scriptures to Timothy.
Whether or not you have had faithful parents like Timothy and I have, the Scriptures are still your source for credible, solid training for life and eternity.
Paul continued, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
How does Scripture equip us for every good work?
First Scripture equips us when it is used for teaching.
Teaching is the imparting of knowledge from one person to another. It can be in a classroom, a conversation, or solving a challenge. We will never be equipped for life if a) we never allow our hearts and minds to be taught by the Word of God and b) if we never take time to allow the Scriptures to teach us.
I get it. We all had days we didn’t want to go to school and we are glad today that we don’t have to go to school. However, our days of learning should never stop. Parents – impart your knowledge and the Bible’s knowledge to your children. Adults, connect to a Bible teaching church and grow in Bible Studies or groups. Take personal time to read the Word of God.
I thank God today for a dad who took time personally and with us as a family to teach us the Scriptures to equip us for a life of following and serving Jesus.
Second the Scripture equips us when it rebukes us.
The idea of this use is it calls us out when we miss and break God’s standard. It calls sin, sin. It calls us to repent and change our mind and life direction away from sin and back to God. It never does it for the sake of ego or being judgmental, but always with a love for the soul of the individual and desire for it to remain close to Jesus.
Rebuke isn’t fun to give or receive. But we need to know the bumpers of God’s law so our lives stay in line with God’s heart and will and don’t wander where our sinful nature would love to go.
I thank God today for a dad who was willing to rebuke me, call out sin, and be oh so ready to extend God’s love grace and forgiveness.
God does the same for you – uses his Word to rebuke, call us to repent, and give us his forgiveness to cover all our wrongs.
Dad, Happy Birthday! I thank God for you, but more importantly I thank God for using you to bring the Scriptures to my heart and life and that of our family and many others. You understand the source of Scripture is credible and the power of its use is to equip us for every good work God has ordained for us. I pray he has many more for you and for all of us!
(Tomorrow…”correcting and training in righteousness”)
Apply: Are you learning from the Scripture? Commit today to personal Bible reading and to join a solid Bible teaching church or group to grow together in God’s Word! Take time today to thank a person that has taught the Scriptures to you!
Prayer: Lord thank you for my dad and many others like him who understand and trusted the Scripture as the source of your message of grace and salvation as well as the way you equip us for every good work you have planned for us. AMEN.
Believe Week 4: Is your source credible?
Devotions this week based on the Message: “BELIEVE: Week 4: The Bible: God’s Inspired Word!”
(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.)
Being prepared starts with learning from a credible source.
What would you trust as a credible source?
When I think about that question the most important is this:
The person giving the information is trustworthy.
So if we are looking to be thoroughly equipped and prepared for life as a Christian, we can find confidence in the credibility of the Bible. Some may challenge this, but consider the question, “Is the source of the information in the Bible trustworthy?”
The Apostle Peter gave this insight: 2 Peter 1:21 “For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
Some suggest that the Bible is human stories with spiritual truths. Other discount that the Bible is any special book. There is much to be said about this, but simply consider Peter’s point. Scripture’s authors were human, but directed by the Holy Spirit. They were “inspired.” One key evidence of this is that if I were making up a story, I would not do or say things I didn’t want to do or say. Yet consider that what is recorded is men speaking and doing things they would not have spoken or done on their own.
Consider just three examples:
The prophet Jonah…he fled from the message the Lord gave him to speak: The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. (Jonah 1:1-3)
The prophet Isaiah…he was given a message the people would harden against (who would want to make enemies?): [The LORD] said, “Go and tell this people: “‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’
10 Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”
11 Then I said, “For how long, Lord?”
And he answered: “Until the cities lie ruined and without inhabitant, until the houses are left deserted
and the fields ruined and ravaged, 12 until the Lord has sent everyone far away and the land is utterly forsaken. (6:9-12)
The prophet Ezekiel…told people wouldn’t listen to him (What preacher would preach on his own if no one would listen?): But the people of Israel are not willing to listen to you because they are not willing to listen to me, for all the Israelites are hardened and obstinate. (Ezekiel 3:7)
Do you think these men would have come up with these messages on their own? Do you think they would have faced the ridicule or hardship if they were coming up with a message for the people? These hard messages that the prophet’s spoke to the people were clearly God’s voice, not the voice of men. The voice of men downplayed sin, overlooked idolatry, and declared peace when there was no peace. God’s voice spoke and speaks truth…always.
The Bible we fully believe is the inspired words of the living true God, Father, Son & Holy Spirit. This truth gives us confidence then that what is preserved in the pages of the Bible IS the very words God wants us to know, believe and put into practice. He, through His Word, will equip us for the days of good works ahead!
Tomorrow we will see how!
Apply: What gives you confidence the Bible is the word of God? What causes questions? (Email me your questions at pastorgeiger@gmail.com)
Prayer: Lord, thank you for recording through the pens of men the very words you wanted us to learn, trust and believe. AMEN.