Monthly archives for January, 2010

Help May Be Closer Than You Think

Jan18
2010 Written by Warner Smith

Some days are better than others. Fridays are good, so good, in fact, that a restaurant chain has taken the initials of a common phrase spoken by most of us on Fridays as their name, “TGIF” (Thank God It’s Friday).  At the other end of the spectrum is Monday. The day we return to work is not often our favorite. The girl group The Bangles summarized how many feel in their song Manic Monday. If you don’t remember, let me remind you, the opening lines were:

Six o’clock already
I was just in the middle of a dream
I was kissin’ Valentino
By a crystal blue Italian stream
But I can’t be late
‘Cause then I guess I just won’t get paid
These are the days
When you wish your bed was already made

Another group, The Mamas And The Papas, of an earlier generation, verbalized some of our feelings in a line of their song Monday, Monday. The lines of this song is:

Monday Monday, can’t trust that day,
Monday Monday, sometimes it just turns out that way
Oh Monday morning, you gave me no warning of what was to be

There is truth in the statement “can’t trust that day.” We can’t trust any day, whether it be Monday, Friday, or any day. I have often been guilty of allowing the circumstances of life to prevent me from enjoying life. Too often I have been guilty of believing that “When x, y, or z occurs, then I will be able to relax, or enjoy myself.”

I have come to realize that this reasoning is poisonous. The reality is that you and I should not trust any day, we should only trust in the Lord everyday. If we are living in accordance to God’s will everyday will be worthwhile and meaningful, although not without challenges. Our Monday morning’s are nothing when compared to the morning “the servant of the man of God” had in 2 Kings 6:8-18. There we read:

Now the king of Aram was at war with Israel. After conferring with his officers, he said, “I will set up my camp in such and such a place.” The man of God sent word to the king of Israel: “Beware of passing that place, because the Arameans are going down there.” So the king of Israel checked on the place indicated by the man of God. Time and again Elisha warned the king, so that he was on his guard in such places. This enraged the king of Aram. He summoned his officers and demanded of them, “Will you not tell me which of us is on the side of the king of Israel?” “None of us, my lord the king,” said one of his officers, “but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.” “Go, find out where he is,” the king ordered, “so I can send men and capture him.” The report came back: “He is in Dothan.” Then he sent horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city. When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh, my lord, what shall we do?” the servant asked. “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes so he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 2 Kings 6:8-17 (NIV)

We each need to be men and women of God who can pray and show others that the help they seek is closer than they have imagined.

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This Is The Day of the Lord

Jan17
2010 Written by Warner Smith

As a child, I seldom went to church. Many of my friends did, but I almost never did. For me, Sunday morning was a day to sleep in and be lazy. Today, most Americans seem to be of the same opinion. For too many, rest and relaxation have replaced worship and praise. Do you think that there is a connection between our increasing problems as a nation and our decreasing church attendance?

Pop culture is highly influential in our society and it places little value on giving God worship or praise. Instead, pop culture emphasizes self. The Bangles had a line in their song Manic Monday:

I wish it was Sunday
‘Cause that’s my funday
My I don’t have to runday

Far too many of us have taken this philosophy and made it our own.

Because it is the Lord’s day, Sunday should be the most important day of our week.  Sunday is a very important day for Christian’s.  Sunday is the day Jesus rose from the dead.

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Matthew 28:1-9 (NIV)

Jesus’ first appearance to His disciples following His resurrection was also on a Sunday.

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” John 20:19 (NIV)

Jesus’ second appearance to His disciples following His resurrection was also on a Sunday.

A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:26 (NIV)

I hope everyone who reads this devotion is one who has been blessed because, although you have not seen Jesus, you have believed in Him nonetheless.

The Holy Spirit descended upon the Church on, you guessed it, a Sunday.

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Acts 1:4 (NIV)

Christians have much to celebrate on Sunday. Is Sunday your fun day, your not have to run day or do you spend it in Church praising the Father and waiting for Jesus to bless you once more, perhaps with the fresh wind of His Spirit?  It is true that you do not have to be in church to meet Christ, but it is also true that if you want to see someone whom you have had trouble finding for sometime, a good place to start is at their house.

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We All Need Someone Who Believes In Us Part 2

Jan16
2010 Written by Warner Smith

We all need encouragement. Individuals who come to the aid of someone they see to be in moral distress are encouragers. The great encourager in the New Testament is Barnabas, and the two most notable recipients of his encouragement are Paul and John Mark. Paul (formerly Saul) was an outsider to the church. John Mark was a church kid.

Yesterday I explained how Barnabas had gone out of his way to encourage Paul even though most of the Church of his day were afraid of him. Today we will focus on Barnabas’ showing encouragement to John Mark.

We are first acquainted with John Mark when we learn that the church met to pray in the home of Mary, his mother.

When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. Acts 12:12

When Barnabas returned to the church in Jerusalem and gave them his report on the condition of the church in Antioch, Paul accompanied him. When Barnabas and Paul (formerly Saul) returned to Antioch they brought with them John Mark.

When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission, they returned from Jerusalem, taking with them John, also called Mark. Acts 12:25

This missionary team began their work and traveled to Antioch, then crossed by ship to the island of Cyprus, crossed the island and then once more by ship went to Perga in Pamphylia (on the coast of modern Turkey). It is at this point that John Mark leaves them and returns to Jerusalem. The exact reason for John Mark’s departure is unknown, but whatever his reason it did not meet with Paul’s approval.

Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the brothers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.” Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches. Acts 15:36-41

John Mark’s departure from Barnabas and Paul’s missionary journey and his invitation to rejoin them on a second journey caused such a problem that Paul and Barnabas “had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company.” Barnabas the encourager takes Mark and Paul takes Silas and they depart.

The encourager is always going to help the underdog. Previously, it was the outsider Paul, now it is the insider John Mark. True encouragers do not care who, they help those whom they see in distress. The fact that Barnabas was related to John Mark (they were cousins Col 4:10) may have had something to do with his decision, but I think it is more his nature as encourager.

In the final analysis Paul tells us that he acted to hastily and that Barnabas was right and John Mark’s rehabilitation was worth all of Barnabas’ effort.

Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry. 2 Timothy 4:11

Who needs your encouragement today? It may be an outsider who will stretch you beyond your own comfort zone or an insider (perhaps even a member of your own family), but someone needs your encouragement and your gift given to them will help you both, and God’s kingdom.

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We All Need Someone Who Believes In Us Part 1

Jan15
2010 Written by Warner Smith

Have you ever been a disappointment to your family and friends? When it has been made clear to everyone that you are not the man or woman which your parents raised you to be, it is easy to feel shame. It is precisely at such moments, and while dealing with these kinds of circumstances, that we need someone to come to our side and offer us encouragement.

Individuals who come to the aid of someone they see to be in moral distress are encouragers. The great encourager in the New Testament is Barnabas, and the two most notable recipients of his encouragement are Paul and John Mark. Paul (formerly Saul) was an outsider to the church. John Mark was a church kid.

We first meet Saul in Acts holding the coats of those who are stoning Stephen, and, lest we think that Saul might have been pressed into this service against his will, Dr. Luke informs us that Saul approved of Stephen’s execution.

Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep. And Saul was there, giving approval to his death. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison. Acts 7:58b-8:1

Little wonder that when Paul was converted, few Christians rushed to his side to rejoice. Most Christians were happy to fellowship with their new brother Paul from a safe distance. Barnabas, however, was going to Paul and then taking him and making introductions on his behalf.

When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. Acts 9:26-27

When the church in Jerusalem needed someone to go and investigate what was happening in the church at Antioch, they quite naturally chose to send Barnabas. On his way Barnabas chose to go out of his way to Tarsus and look for Saul first.

Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, Acts 11:25

Notice that being an encourager to Saul required Barnabas to go out of his way. This is why there are so few encouragers. With our hustle and bustle lifestyles too few of us take the time and go to the trouble to encourage others, particularly those who appear as risky to us as Paul appeared to be to the early church. Each of us needs someone who will go out of their way to come and look for us. Barnabas went about 100 miles out of his way to find Paul. The distance you need to travel to encourage someone today may be much less. Perhaps you need only to go down the hall to your child’s room. There may be emotional distance you need to cross to encourage your spouse.

If you would like someone to encourage you, why not start by being an encourager to someone who God places in your path today?

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Too Often We Take Our Most Important Gifts For Granted

Jan14
2010 Written by Warner Smith

Why do Christians need to be renewed from time to time in their Christian walk? Sometimes it is due to overt sin, but other times it is due to a sin that is not as pronounced or noticeable. That sin is the failure to love God enough. I don’t know about you, but I find myself taking God, and his many gifts to me, for granted.

You may have experienced this in your life as well. Children most often take their own parents for granted. As one whose parents are deceased, let me encourage to not persist in making this mistake. In relationships often one person will take the other for granted. When we do this we are being ungrateful, and presumptuous.

When you notice this happening to you in your relationships you need to think about the many things about which you have become accustomed and try to imagine life without them. What if you had to go through life without those people or things that you now take for granted?

This is also a very good exercise for us when we begin to take God for granted. Think with me of just some of the wonderful gifts God has given to us. G. K. Chesterton said it well, “When it comes to life, the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude.” Below are some gifts God has given each of us which we should take with gratitude.

1. God has given us the gift of life.

Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. Genesis 2:7 (NASB)

2. God has given us the gift of natures beauty.

And the Lord God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed. And out of the ground the Lord God caused to grow every tree that is pleasing to the sight and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Genesis 2:8-9 (NASB)

3. God has given us the gift of purpose.

Then the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it. Genesis 2:15 (NASB)

4. God has given us the gift of free choice.

And the Lord God commanded the man saying, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die.” Genesis 2:16-17 (NASB)

5. God has given us the gift of marriage and companionship.

The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”. . . But for Adam no suitable helper was found. So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, He took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, “This is now bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called `woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame. Genesis 2:18;20c-25 (NIV)

6. God has given us the gift eternal life through His Son.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 (NIV)

Have you taken these and the other wonderful gifts which God has given us for granted? If so, you can begin to renew your relationship with God today. As long as you have breath, it is not to late.

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