Devotionals by Delve Christian Ministries

The Way We Witness

Michael Lane — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 14:31:09 -0800

Many years ago while I was attending a Baptist church about 50 miles from where I now reside, the leadership devised what many felt was an overly-simplistic and overly-expensive plan to bring unbelivers into a relationship with the Lord. The idea was to mail a copy of John's Gospel and Paul's letter to the Romans to each and every home in the city of one-hundred-thousand residents. The cost was astronomical. At the time, the dissenters could only shake their heads at the idea of all these precious volumes collecting dust, unread, at the bottom of someone's drawer - or worse - the bottom of their recycling bin. Surely, they reasoned, there must be be a more cost-effective way to reach people with the message of the Gospel.

Many Christians have the same negative reaction toward televangelists or to people they pass on the street corner handing out tracts. Once out of earshot, they wonder aloud if anybody seriously believes that this is an effective way to reach unbelievers. Even Billy Graham, a man who has led untold thousands to the Lord, is seen by many of today's modern Christans as a relic from a past era. Today, witnessing consists of private and dignified conversations with friends and family, or else it is the job of missionaries in far-away countries. Many would say that bold, public declarations make people uncomfortable and probably turn off more people than they save.

I'd be curious to know what these same doubters would think of a man who traveled from town to town, preaching at the top of his lungs in the center of the city's populated business district; a man whom authorities regularly carted off for causing a disturbance, only to have him return the very next day. How many modern-day Christians would view this as an effective and appropriate way to witness to unbelievers?

This is precisely how the apostle Paul spent most of the last half of his life.

Is our culture so different from Paul's that it's no longer appropriate to carry the message of the Gospel in the same manner as he did? I'm not so sure. I was brought to the Lord, not by someone preaching the town square, but by something just as bold and requiring just as much faith and humility. I was led to Christ by a stranger who knocked on my front door one Saturday morning. I didn't realize it until the very moment that he stood on my front porch, but I had been looking for a way back to God. I found myself wanting to accept his invitation to the next Sunday service. His visit that morning became the catalyst for a journey which eventually let to my salvation, my baptism, and ultimately, this ministry.

I can only imagine how much courage and faith it took that man to knock on door after door each and every weekend. How many insults and slammed doors did he have to face? How much ridicule did he endure? If he had listened to the doubters who declare that it's a waste of time to witness this way, what would have become of all of us who have come to know the Lord as a result of his hard work and incredible faith?

That man, I would soon discover, was the associate pastor of that same baptist church which would undertake to mail copies of John and Romans to the entire city. I had already seen firsthand what God can accomplish when we humbly and faithfully accept the hard work that is before us and allow Him the bless the results. I had been a recipient. For that reason, I was a strong proponent of the idea.

We never knew for certain how many people allowed the Word to change their life, nor how many simply tossed it aside with barely a glance. And that is exactly the point - we never know. We need to surrender our methods of witnessing to Jesus just as we surrender every other aspect of our lives. That young pastor did not know that he would find a receptive heart behind my front door, but he nevertheless surrendered his will to the Lord and followed the Spirit to my home.

Each of us has unique needs, a unique background and a unique personality. Thus, the method of witnessing which will be the most effective is unique to each individual. You may find televangelism pointless because it would never have been effective in leading you to the Lord, but many thousands have been touched by television ministry, even if you are not among them. As an unbeliever, you may never have responded to that young pastor inviting you to attend service. But I did.

We might find it naive and old-fashioned to preach on street corners and hand out tracts, but if that is how the Spirit is calling one of our brothers or sisters to witness, then we absolutely must support their efforts and admire their faith. If we find ourselves thinking that their methods are impractical or pointless, then we need to examine ourselves and consider the pride which would cause us to hold in contempt anyone who is following the Lord's commandment in a Spirit-led way. Someone will come along at any moment and be forever changed by that ministry, no matter how unlikely it seems to us that it might ever be effective. The moment when an act of witness captures the attention of an unbeliever is a mysterious and sacred act between God and his creation. It defies all of our projections and predictions about what ought to be effective.

It defies all logic that I should have responded to that knock on the door. It likewise seems unlikely that anyone would respond to the Gospel arriving in the mail or over the airwaves. Yet, think back to the moment when you accepted the Lord. How likely was it that all the correct circumstances would come to pass that you should be in a position to know and accept the Lord? If not for a set of very unlikely circumstances, we would all be lost. Surely, a lost soul accepting the Gospel as it is preached from a street corner, a radio or a television is no more unlikely than a salvation which is free to all, no matter how we finally hear the news.

How is the Spirit asking you and your congregation to witness? Is it perhaps a little unconventional? Would it seem to require extraordinary faith and courage? Understand that when God places a desire in our heart to serve Him, it never comes without the necessary strength and courage. Follow the calling of the Spirit boldly with the knowledge that someone very special and unique is waiting for you to proclaim the Gospel in your own special and unique way.

Loving the Sinner

Michael Lane — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 15:32:05 -0700

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." - Matthew 7:1-5

I have discovered this principle of life -- that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love Gods law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. - Romans 7:21-25 (NLT)

A few weeks ago, my wife and I enjoyed a visit from our church's senior pastor. One of the topics that came up during the conversation was the murder of a prominent abortion doctor while he attended Sunday service. We briefly discussed some of the obvious ethical questions raised by the murder and strongly agreed with each other that taking his life could never be condoned no matter how strongly one feels about abortion. However there was another, more subtle point which I wanted to bring up. The doctor had been attending a Christian service, so I presume he called himself a Christian and felt that he was a follower of Jesus. He must have somehow, quite mistakenly, been able to reconcile his work with Christ's teachings. Presumably the pastor or minister of that church as well as many among the congregation would have been aware of his chosen profession, and had also been able to reconcile his profession with his desire to follow Christ.

How would our own church react under the same circumstances? I asked our pastor if he would knowingly allow an abortion doctor to attend the weekly service at our church. "Absolutely," he replied with no hesitation. "I would not allow him to become a member of our congregation without first renouncing his profession, but I would be delighted to have him there in the pews every single week. What a great opportunity that would be to help him understand God's will for his life!"

This example of a Christian who performs abortions is extreme to be sure, but it got me thinking about how most Christians usually react to those in their congregation who are failing to live up to God's standards, especially those who know it and are trying desperately to change. Our pastor's response expresses deep love and a desire to help, not criticism and judgment.

If only every follower of Jesus had the same response! Sadly, the typical Christian's reaction to sin in their brothers and sisters is not a desire to lend a helping hand. What they really want to do is gossip about it.

Sin is a very uncomfortable topic among Christians. We're supposed to be different from those who don't know the Lord. We're supposed to be better. Sure, it's true that we're called to a higher standard, but that certainly does not mean that we don't make mistakes. Paul explains this very clearly in chapter seven of the Book of Romans. The difference between those who serve Jesus and those who don't is that we have made a commitment to do everything we can to avoid sinning and will repent when we fail to do so. Fail we will, each and every one of us.

As you look around your congregation on Sunday morning, know this about every single person you see -- they sin. Some of them have serious problems with drugs or alcohol. There may be a few who are addicted to gambling or pornography. Some feel that their marriage is beyond saving and are contemplating divorce. Somewhere in your church this morning may be a married man who dearly loves his wife, but is having an affair and feels powerless to stop it. Perhaps a young lady in the back of the room has gone too far with her boyfriend and is now pregnant.

All of these people love Jesus and want to live in His will, yet for one reason or another, they have fallen short. In all likelihood, they are ashamed of their failure and have either asked for God's forgiveness or will do so very soon. God will hear them and will help them according to His plan for their life. He will forgive them when they ask because they are His beloved children.

If all those gathered at your church on a Sunday morning knew of these sins, would they be as gracious as their Lord who suffered and died for these very sins He forgives?

There would certainly be a great deal of hushed whispering between friends in empty hallways, but most of it would consist of feigned disgust and manufactured outrage. We all know from personal experience that sin remains an ongoing problem after we give our lives to Jesus, yet many remain incredulous that anyone at their church could be battling any given particular sin. It makes them uncomfortable but at the same time it's interesting and curious. And so, in order to maintain the pretense that everyone in their own circle of friends, at least, would never indulge in that particular sin or vice, they reassure one another that it's a heinous sin to which none of them would ever fall victim. When this phenomenon gets really bad, as I've seen on a few occasions, the whispers escalate into staring glances and loud talking which halts abruptly when the person who is the topic of conversation walks into the room. The people being stared at and talked about are not oblivious - they know exactly what's going on and what's being said about them behind their back. It won't take long before these people move on to another church where they can battle their sin in loneliness and anonymity.

All of this sounds extreme, and many of you may not be able to believe that such a thing could go on in a Christian church. I wish that it were not so, but I've seen it now a dozen times in several different churches. I'm too pragmatic not to believe that this kind of thing is going on in churches all over North America.

There is only one acceptable motive for talking about someone else's battle with sin, and that is to ask, "How can I help?" If there is something tangible which we can do to help, then we have an obligation to offer that help. An offer of help does not in any way suggest that we condone the sin. It's entirely possible to demonstrate great love and compassion even as we let the person know that what they're doing is at odds with God's will for their life and that we want to help if we can.

If we've nothing tangible to offer, then the very least we can offer are our prayers. Beyond that, we have no business talking about what someone else is dealing with. It may not be appropriate to associate with believers who are continually engaging in sin, as Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 5:11, but we must never stop showing our love and extending our hand.

This situation in our churches will only change one person at a time. We each have to be committed to neither listening to or spreading gossip. When we judge our brothers and sisters in Christ, it must be in the context of wanting to help them get right with Jesus, never as an exercise in boasting about our own righteousness. It's time to end the back-room prattling in our churches, and dispense with the ridiculous notion that someone who is battling sin deserves anything except our genuine empathy and all the help we have to give. Even in extreme cases where a Christian will not confess or repent of their sin, what do we gain by forcing them out of our churches or alienating them to the point that they leave? As our wise pastor rightly pointed out, there is no better place for them to be on a Sunday morning than right beside us, where they can hear the Word and observe the love of Christ at work in us.

Loving the Lost

Michael Lane — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 17:58:27 -0700

He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. - Mark 16:15-16

The Lord is not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance - 2 Peter 3:9

If you take a look back at the last few year's worth of devotionals on Delve Into Jesus, you'll see a common theme of emphasizing action over emotion. When it comes to concepts such as humility, forgiveness and surrender, it's important not to let our feelings get in the way of living according to the principles Jesus taught. We need to first be obedient to those teachings, regardless of how we feel. We mustn't wait to feel something before we do something.

Nevertheless, in some circumstances our emotions can be enormously helpful when it comes to understanding and abiding in God's will. We should embrace they ways in which emotions can serve to ignite a desire to obey God. That is not to say that we should wait to be obedient until our emotions drive us, but rather, that emotions can be a powerful driving force and offer a constant reminder of what we need to do. I can obey the commandment to remain faithful in my marriage without considering any of the emotional consequences. It should be sufficient that I desire to obey the commandments given to us by our Lord. Yet, how much stronger my conviction will be when I spend time understanding the depth of my love for my wife and how much pain she would suffer if I were ever to be unfaithful.

Nowhere is this more evident than when we consider how each of us are personally undertaking the commandment to spread the Gospel.

Though God reveals Himself to the lost in many different ways, He has commanded His followers to be the primary means of informing mankind about the gift of salvation. Without digressing into a debate about the doctrine of salvation and predestination, it's nevertheless clear to me what is at stake should I fail to seize an opportunity to share the Gospel. At best, another follower will be required to do the work which I failed to do. At worst, this beloved of God may never have another chance to hear the Gospel and will be lost forever.

If we are going to be effective in delivering the message of salvation to the lost, we should first try to come to an emotional understanding of just how much Jesus loves them and desires that they should not perish. Realize that the love we feel for our own children cannot compare with that which God feels for each and every child of His, whether they call Him Father or not. Contemplate a love which is so intense that you feel as though your heart will burst, and understand that God has more love than this for even those who have turned their backs on Him and cursed His Holy name.

I regret that in my past, I have been indifferent towards those who have never heard the Gospel and disdainful of those who reject it. All of that changed one night as I held my daughter and rocked her to sleep. I was overwhelmed by my immense love for this small miracle, and could not stop thanking and praising God for such a precious gift. In that moment, God helped me to understand His deep love for all of His children. To what lengths would I go to rescue her if she were lost? Would I give all my possessions, all my time and even my life to save her? Without hesitation!

All this and more God is asking us to undertake to save those whom He loves.

We might preach the Gospel, witness to friends, support our congregation's missionaries and even take a mission trip of our own if only to remain obedient to God. In our desire to please the Lord, we may be quite effective. God may choose to use us as His instrument to win many souls for His Kingdom. But how much more effective could we be if our hearts, as well of our minds, were completely invested in the work? What if we were motivated, not just by a desire for obedience, but by a deep desire to save the lost? Fear is a wonderful motivator, but love is the greatest of all.

Consider your personal commitment to spreading the Gospel. Are you seizing every opportunity to tell friends, family and co-workers about the Lord? Not everyone is destined to serve in the mission field, but we all have an obligation to provide assistance to those who are called. Are you giving more than just the minimum tithe to support the critical work that they do? If you find yourself doing the least that is required to honor this commandment - if you know that your heart is not engaged in spreading the Gospel - then ask the Lord to change how you feel about these lost souls. Ask Him to reveal the depth of His love for His children and ignite a passion for sharing the Good News.

When God reveals just a fraction of that deep love, you will never again see unbelievers the same way. When you see the lost as He sees them, you will not be able to stand the thought of losing a single one. Then will you fully appreciate what God is asking each of us to do, and never again will you miss an opportunity to be used in the service of saving the souls of God's precious children.

One Answer

Michael Lane — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 10:37:08 -0700

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'" -Matthew 7:21-23

"Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." Mark 8:34

Then Jesus said to them, "Don't you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? The farmer sows the word. Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop - thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown." Mark 4:13-20

We are often reminded that our life on this earth is short, and no one knows the time or day when our journey on earth will end. Every time we lose a loved one or hear on the news that a tragic accident has claimed the life of a child, it's natural to wonder where they've gone and what has become of them.

Scripture tells us that there is a heaven and it is a paradise beyond our imagination. Scripture also tells us that not everyone will gain admittance. I imagine that Jesus will, either literally or metaphorically, ask each of us why we should be allowed to enter that paradise and spend eternity there with Him.

What kind of response could we offer which would allow us to obtain this wonderful and eternal gift? We certainly can't hope to impress Jesus with our wealth or power. It won't be enough to say that we were loving parents or faithful in our marriage. Not one of us can offer as evidence a sinless life in perfect obedience to the law.

There is only one answer which will suffice. As Paul explains so clearly in Ephesians 2:8, there is nothing we could ever do to earn our salvation. Our hope rests in Christ alone when we place our faith in Him. If we are to provide an acceptable answer, then we must be able to face our Lord and confidently declare, "Jesus, you know me, and I know you. By faith, I have placed my hope of salvation in you alone."

In that answer, the most important word is "faith". It's also the most misunderstood. A common misconception is that faith is little more than a passive choice we make. Many Christians believe that if they make the deliberate, intellectual decision that Jesus is Lord then they have, through the making of that choice, demonstrated real faith.

There is so much more to faith than this! The kind of the faith which is necessary to understand the depth and truth of what Jesus is offering is one which is vibrant, active and alive. It must be evident in the life of the believer and demonstrated continually through obedience, love and service. This is precisely what James is teaching in verse 2:26 when he writes, "Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works" (NLT). Faith is much more than a choice. It changes the way we think and act, affects the course our our lives and is evident in everything we do.

Make no mistake - James is not at odds with Paul, nor is he trying to say that we can in any way earn our salvation. James is simply echoing the words of Christ Himself who proclaimed that, "only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven will enter the Kingdom." Works are not the means by which we earn our salvation, rather, doing the will of the Father is the natural expression of the living faith which allowed us to accept the gift of salvation in the first place.

There is a growing belief in modern Christianity that if we ask Jesus to save us, no matter what we really feel or believe, then we automatically gain admittance to Heaven. It's a get-out-of-Hell-free card, with no conditions or strings attached. This is a terrible oversimplification of the idea of grace, and does not place the necessary emphasis on the need for a deep and abiding faith. Asking Jesus to save you is a very powerful prayer - one which can completely change your eternal life - but unless you use that as a foundation upon which to build a life-long relationship with Him, then they are just empty words. We are not saved by words, nor can we accept the gift of salvation by casually asking for it on a whim absent a true understanding of who we are in relation to Jesus Christ. We only receive salvation when we believe with our heart and proclaim with our mouth that Christ is Lord and that He alone can save us. That is the kind of faith which Paul is talking about, and that kind of faith, James teaches, naturally produces fruit which is evident for all to see. The evidence is a life dedicated to serving and loving Christ with all our hearts.

If that faith is no longer evident in our lives after we have asked Jesus to save us, then we may be in danger of having, in retrospect, never truly believed at all. We can never lose our salvation, yet neither can we possess a gift we've never accepted.

If we want to honestly tell Jesus that we know Him and that we accept His free gift of salvation by faith, then that faith must be evident in real terms on a daily basis. It is not enough to say a few simple words, admitting our sin and asking Him to save us. It is not enough to pray whenever we need something or to enter a church whenever it's convenient.

To truly say that we are faithful followers of Christ, we must spend time with Jesus in prayer and learn all we can about Him by reading God's Word. We must deny ourselves, take up His cross and serve Him. We must confide in Jesus, trust Him and surrender everything to Him. We must obey His commandments and those of the Father who sent Him. We must boldly and fearlessly proclaim that Jesus is our Lord.

These are the fruits of a genuine, living faith in Jesus Christ.

Spring Cleaning

Michael Lane — Sun, 10 May 2009 19:47:14 -0700

Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. -Matthew 5:48

Sin is not an unfortunate slip or a regrettable act; it is a posture of defiance against a holy God. - Max Lucado

There's a good reason why little chores around the house never seem to get done - it's too easy to justify putting them off for just a little longer. Changing the furnace filter? That can wait another week. Cleaning out the garage? Maybe next month. It always seems the bigger, more important chores get most of the attention while the smaller ones keep moving further down the priority list. Yet, if we keep putting off the little things indefinitely, in time we'll reach a point where the cumulative neglect has turned the house into a real mess and everything is falling apart. Eventually, all the little things pile up to a point where we can ignore them no longer. When we reach that point, it's time to grit our teeth, get down to business and perform some much needed spring cleaning.

Dealing with sin in our lives is a bit like taking care of chores around the house. None of us are free from the need to battle sin; it is an ever-present, daily struggle to identify and weed out problem areas where we are not living the life Jesus intends for us. The more frequently and diligently we do this, the cleaner our spirit will be. If we neglect this task entirely, it won't take long before we are wading in filth and grime.

Most of us do an admirable job of identifying and tackling the bigger sins, even if we don't always win the fight every time. If someone has issues with abusive or violent behavior, adultery or addictions to drugs or gambling, these sins are so overwhelmingly destructive that no Christian could ignore their devastating effects for long. These issues might represent a life-long war where battles are constantly won and lost, but resources are abundant in our churches and communities, and most followers of Christ will do whatever is necessary to bring these behaviors under control.

But how are we doing with the little sins? I'm referring to the ones which keep getting put off and pushed down our chore list as we battle for control over the larger and more serious sins. We can procrastinate for a little while, but eventually the combined effect on your spiritual health of these so-called "smaller" sins can cause just as much damage as the larger ones. If we are going to keep our spirits clean and healthy, then maybe it's time for a little spring cleaning.

Little sins have two big problems - they are hard to identify and easy to justify. Few non-Christians would think twice about committing these sins and would have little remorse afterward. Not many people seem to think it's a problem to steal supplies from work, cheat on taxes, download illegal software or watch pornography. It's become old-fashioned to wait for marriage before sharing physical intimacy, and we barely notice anymore when someone tells vulgar jokes or uses our Lord's name as a curse.

Christians are called to a much higher standard, and we understand intellectually that these are things we should not be doing. However, our culture and media send strong messages about our right to selfish, materialistic and lascivious lifestyles. It is a real challenge to tune out these messages and remember to measure our actions against the standards which Jesus taught, not what society dictates. Like it or not, we exist in a culture which has drastically different values and morals than our own. It's a genuine challenge to keep our perspective.

Thankfully, there is an easy test to help us distinguish between what is acceptable behavior for Christians and what is not, regardless of what the rest of the world might think. The simple test is this - consider whether or not there is anyone to whom you would feel compelled to lie in order to prevent them from knowing about your actions. Is there anyone - your pastor, spouse, supervisor or child, whom you would be ashamed to have discover your behavior? Would you feel a strong desire to cover up what you are doing if they walked into the room? If so, then you can be certain that this behavior needs to change. This is not a perfect test since our conscience is an imperfect guide, but you will find that in the vast majority of cases, a desire to lie is a strong indicator of the presence of sin.

Now is the time to compile a list of these behaviors and get honest about what they really are - rebellion against God. Are you surprised to hear such a dramatic description applied to such common, mundane behavior that most people would excuse or condone it? That may be fine for a world which has turned it's back on God, but that is not acceptable for those who follow Christ. He instructed us to "be perfect" in all things, large and small. If we choose to willfully engage in these behaviors knowing that it is not God's will for us, what else could we call it but rebellion or defiance?

Make a commitment to start tackling that list and let the spring cleaning of your spirit begin today.

God In the Driver's Seat

Michael Lane — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 18:02:00 -0700

"If you will only obey me and let me help you, then you will have plenty to eat. But if you keep turning away and refusing to listen, you will be destroyed by your enemies. I, the LORD, have spoken!" - Isaiah 1:19-20 (NLT)

Last week as I made my way to the office, I felt a familiar "thud" as the car approached a red light and the automatic transmission down-shifted. It was a symptom I knew all too well, since the same problem three years earlier had necessitated a long and costly rebuild of the transmission. Now with over two-hundred-thousand miles on the odometer and a whole host of other small mechanical problems, I knew it was time to retire this car and start shopping for a new one.

My wife and I discussed which manufacturers we would consider and which we would not. We solicited recommendations from friends and family and spent hours on the Internet reading reviews. Finally, we narrowed the list to two manufacturers. Since each had only one model in our price range, we essentially had two cars from which to choose. I test-drove each one and carefully priced them with the options we needed. We considered safety, reliability and fuel economy. We calculated the monthly payment based on the available interest rate and finally made our choice. I went in to the dealership knowing exactly what I wanted and what I was willing to pay, and gave the salesman one of the quickest and easiest commissions he would ever have. Four days after the first signs of transmission trouble, we had signed the paperwork on a new car.

As I lay in bed that night waiting to fall asleep, I considered how thorough and efficient I had been in choosing the right vehicle for our family's needs. I had not succumbed to emotion, nor had I impulsively purchased the first good deal I found. No, I had made a very well-educated and informed decision. "What a smart and responsible man I am", I thought.

Just then, I heard the small voice which I have come to recognize as the Holy Spirit. He whispered, "You never asked me what I wanted you to do."

I immediately felt convicted and ashamed. It was true! During the entire four days, I had not even once stopped to pray and ask God which car was right for us. I never asked for His guidance or assistance. I never even asked God if we should be buying a new car at all. Worse still, I never thanked Him for allowing us to have the ability to buy a new car at a time when so many others are suffering financially. For four days, I never once spoke to God about the situation even though it was the most important issue on my mind at the time. I simply forged ahead, relying on my own limited judgment to guide me.

I should know better. In the three years that Delve Christian Ministries has been publishing devotionals, I have written frequently about the need for relying on God, surrendering to His will and allowing Him to be in control of everything we do. Yet, here I had a perfect opportunity to put these concepts into action and failed miserably. As a result, I may never know what God intended to give us or what consequences we might face as a result of not seeking His will. I don't believe that God punishes us each time we wrestle with Him for control over a situation. No, he does something much worse - He leaves us to our fate and permits us to bear the full brunt of all the consequences of our choice.

We must not make the mistake of thinking that surrendering to God is something we do once and never again. Total surrender to God is not a state of being which we can achieve and then ignore. It is a moment-by-moment way of living that we must practice every day of our lives. Some are better at it than others, though with practice, each of us can become more experienced at living this way. Yet, even those who have become very good at daily surrender still need to put it into action at every opportunity.

We should not think that surrender is an abstract, intangible concept with little practical application to our daily lives. Every choice you make, no matter how small, presents a real opportunity for you to surrender your desires to God and to seek His will. The practical application is this - before you contemplate the decision before you, pause for a moment and speak with God about the issue at hand. With every choice, there will be something you desire and something you do not. Tell God that what you want is not as important as His will and that you will accept and embrace His will, even if it is not what you desire for yourself. Next, ask God to reveal His will to you. Pray for the wisdom and discernment to know what direction He would have you take. Ask Him to reveal the paths you should follow, and hide those which you should not.

Once you have done all this, take some quiet time alone and carefully listen for God to speak to you about the issue. Be patient, and await the arrival of that sense of peace which informs us that we have understood the message which God is trying to convey. Do not act until you have that peace to guide you unless the matter is urgent and you need to move quickly. Even then, do not act until you have at least taken a few moments to call upon God and request His help.

All of these I failed to do as I considered my purchase. It would have taken mere moments for me to spend some time in prayer, but I was too wrapped up in my own cleverness and my own desires for a new car suited to my liking. Thankfully, today and tomorrow will present new opportunities for me to surrender, and hopefully I will have learned my lesson. I also hope that each of you can learn from my mistakes, and that you will be able to recognize your own opportunities to surrender to Him.

Temptation

Michael Lane — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 16:09:26 -0800

You shall see neither hook nor line, much less the subtle angler himself, while he is offering you his bait. And his bait shall be so fitted to your temper and disposition, that he will be sure to find advantages within you, and make your own principles and inclinations betray you; and whenever he ruineth you, he will make you the instruments of ruin to others. - Richard Baxter

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. - 1 Corinthians 10:12-14

At Delve Into Jesus, we offer a section of our website where visitors can post prayer requests. In the last few years, I've been overwhelmed and deeply saddened by the vast number of prayer requests for shattered marriages. From this and other evidence we've compiled from visitors, I am firmly convinced that Satan is attacking marriages with a vengeance. While this is going on, Christians remain largely unaware of just how quickly a marriage can fall apart if the couple is not wise and careful, and how devastating it is for everyone involved if the union is not restored.

In the vast majority of cases, marriages fail because one spouse is abandoned in order that the other spouse may focus on another lover. That lover is usually, but not always, another person, however it can just as easily be overwork, gambling, pornography, drug addiction or any other sinful passion.

Marriages don't fall apart overnight. Rarely does temptation overtake someone suddenly and without warning. There are signs and warnings all along the way that must be willfully ignored if one is to reach that moment when temptation seems too much to bear and life-altering mistakes are inevitable. Few married men, no matter how committed they might be to their wife, could resist the seductions of a beautiful, determined woman in a secluded hotel room. However, it would not be the lack of willpower in the moment that would be his downfall, it would the choice to enter the room with her - a choice that he should have foreseen would lead to a terrible, devastating mistake. The sin of lust has already been committed when a married man has allowed a situation to develop to the point that he is alone in a hotel room with a beautiful and determined woman. At this point, almost nothing could draw such a man away from the power of temptation and prevent him from compounding this sin. Meeting the woman at the hotel would have been the last, but certainly not the only warning sign this man would choose to ignore. At the very moment he felt an attraction to this woman, he should have understood and acted upon that serious warning sign and taken appropriate precautions to never be alone with her.

For others, their lover is not of flesh, but takes the form of addiction or gambling. There are abundant warning signs here too, as one descends from casual drinking into drunkenness, or from playing friendly poker with friends to midnight bouts at the casino. The fatal blow to a woman's marriage might come at the moment she bets the couple's life-savings on a spin of the roulette wheel, and here also the temptation to make that bet might have been too much for her to endure. However, the real mistake was to enter the casino in the first place knowing what the outcome could likely be.

If we are to resist temptation and the devastation it causes, we have to abandon the notion that we are strong enough to overcome all temptation by sheer willpower. This is naive, proud and dangerous thinking and it denies the reality of how temptation enters our lives. It is not a guest which arrives unannounced or unexpectedly. Temptation usually slides a foot inside the door at our invitation and once inside, rarely leaves until it has been satisfied. Our best defense against temptation is to deny it an invitation. We do this by making decisions, well in advance, about what actions are not acceptable in any and all situations. Then, with the conviction that our marriages, families, jobs, reputations and spiritual health are all on the line, we choose to never engage in these activities no matter how hard or inconvenient it might be. For some, the decision might be made to never let alcohol touch their lips. Others may decide never to set foot in a casino. Every Christian man and woman should make the resolution to never allow any kind of pornography into their home in any of its forms. Married men and women should resolve to never be alone with someone of the opposite sex.

Unfortunately, once we've made these resolutions, our work is far from done. The Devil will look for ways to weaken our resolve and convince us that we simply must make an exception this one time. Consider the salesman who is showing a rich, important client around town. What to do when that client asks you to take him to the city's best strip club? What to do when the attractive, single co-worker asks you to come to her home to fix a broken computer? Even with our resolutions firmly established, it will be difficult and extremely inconvenient to make the right choice.

The apostle Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians that God always provides a way out when when an initial temptation arises. For example, when the man is first introduced to the attractive co-worker, or the woman first realizes that she desires to gamble - those are the moments when we must look to God to guide us away from harm before it is too late. We need to recall and recommit to the resolutions we've established which are, in turn, based on the standards which God has established.

Often, we need to be a little creative and resourceful in order to get out of a sticky situation. For example, we could try telling the client that we don't know anything about the local clubs since we don't partake in that kind of entertainment, and recommend a nice restaurant or sporting event instead. We can ask the coworker to drop the computer off at work and we'll return it the next day. There are many ways to keep our resolutions without resorting to simply saying, "Sorry, I can't help you." There is no need to antagonize the client or disappoint the co-worker if there is a way to help them without compromising our values. If we are delicate yet resolute, others will respect our values rather than being turned off by them.

Yet, if it comes to that, we must be prepared to simply say no and explain the faith which informs our choice, even if that means risking that the client or the co-worker may not understand. We cannot let anyone become more important at an uncomfortable moment than our commitment to God and our families. We cross the first warning barrier at our peril, for the surely the next one will be even easier to ignore.

A Foundation For Faith

Michael Lane — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 16:58:25 -0800

That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day. 2 Tim 1:12

"You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God." - John 6:67-68

I have a private pilot's license, but I am restricted to flying only when the weather is good enough to navigate by referencing landmarks on the ground. Although the airplane has very sophisticated instruments which allow for traveling through and above the clouds, pilots are not permitted to fly in these conditions without rigorous training. The reason is that when we cannot see the ground or some other stable reference outside the cockpit, most people slowly begin to get imperceptibly disoriented. In time, our bodies begin to send conflicting signals which don't correspond to what the instruments are telling us. For example, we might feel like we're turning, but the sensation is inaccurate and our instruments will faithfully show that we are flying straight and level. Sadly, without the necessary training, most inexperienced pilots will subconsciously begin to respond to their bodies and not their instruments. Disaster soon follows, and many pilots lose their lives in this way.

In our walk with Jesus, it's likewise extremely important to trust the information we know to be correct, especially when we become disoriented in storm clouds and our senses are telling us that we're heading off course.

The fact that I am the Executive Director of Delve Christian Ministries and the author of these devotionals should not persuade you that I possess exceptional faith; on the contrary, I am on the same journey of surrender as those whom our ministry serves. I also get "disoriented". On a few occasions over the past decade, I have been on the verge of walking away from Christianity. Those were the times during the journey which were so difficult and lonely that I felt I simply could not go on. My senses were telling me that "this whole religion thing is a waste" and that "it's time to get real". Each time, it was my instruments which allowed me to steer clear of disaster. Once I corrected my course, I found myself echoing Peter's words, "Lord, to whom shall I go? You have the words of eternal life. I believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."

I have studied the evidence and have become convinced of the truth of the testimony about Jesus. These are my instruments in the cockpit. I don't just believe that Jesus is Lord - I know it. It has been proven to me beyond all doubt. Thus, whenever I feel disoriented, I can rely on this unchanging foundation of evidence. That evidence is so compelling that I simply cannot doubt where I'm going. It is strong and timeless and is not susceptible to the whim of my emotions. Thus, whenever I wonder how it is that God could possibly exist when I feel so alone or when there is so much pain in the world, I fall back on the evidence of creation, the facts of the resurrection, the fulfilled prophecies and the testimony of the apostles. Whether I feel it or not, Jesus is the way to eternal life. Feelings come and go, but truth never changes.

That is why it's so important for me to not only feel God's presence in my life, but also to know and accept all the facts about the life of Jesus which so convincingly persuade me that He is Lord. In those terrible moments when I don't feel that I want to follow Jesus anymore, I am able to stop myself from abandoning my faith when I realize that to reject Jesus is to reject truth itself.

Jesus is not a concept or an idea; He is an eternal, unchanging truth. We might be free to reject any number of traditions, customs or beliefs and those would cease to have power over us. However, we cannot make facts go away by ignoring their truth. We would do as well to reject the law of gravity. Whether we choose to believe or not, the fact remains that Jesus is Lord over all, believers and unbelievers alike. Our doubts cannot take Him off the throne or diminish His glory in the slightest.

Every Christian needs to possess this unshakable foundation of fact and evidence which will guide him or her though the clouds. Without this foundation, there is no means of getting back on track when our faith is weak and our emotions are steering us away from Jesus. We need to know and believe as Peter did, that Jesus is the Holy One of God.

Peter and the other apostles had the benefit of witnessing Jesus' teaching, miracles and resurrection and therefore needed no other evidence. We don't have the privilege of that first-hand experience, yet by God's grace, it was recorded for us so that we could see through their eyes. Therefore, knowledge of Jesus begins with the Bible. It contains all the information you need to build this foundation. As you read the Bible for inspiration and comfort, also spend time in its pages acquiring knowledge of who God is and what He wants you to know about Him. Explore the Gospels and allow yourself to become convinced that no man could have said and done what Jesus did unless He is the Son of God. In addition, diligently study the Book of Romans, perhaps the greatest presentation of the evidence for Christianity ever written. Paul's letters are not easily understood by everyone, and may require time and patience, but yield profound results for those who are willing to probe their treasures.

If you wish to supplement your understanding, I recommend reading the apologetic works of C.S. Lewis, Philip Yancy, Ravi Zacharias and Lee Strobel. These authors can help clarify your understanding and solidify your convictions. If you invest some time in reading apologetic literature, you will gain an enormous appreciation for just how intellectually fulfilling Christianity can be. That knowledge can serve to guide you when your senses are taking you off course.

Priorities

Michael Lane — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 12:47:29 -0800

I learned an important lesson from my wife early in our marriage. Like any couple, we found that there were always errands outside our home which demanded our attention such as buying pet food, dropping off dry cleaning or returning rented videos. I don't mind driving, so I would often volunteer to tend to these errands outside the home while my wife would take care of chores in the home such as laundry and tidying up.

On one occasion, she offered to come with me as I drove all over town. Being obsessed with efficiency as I was, her offer made little sense to me. If she came with me, the trip would surely not take any less time and all that housework would be waiting for us both. If she stayed and did what was needed at home, when I returned we could both relax and spend quality time together. "Why do you want to come?" I asked. "It's not going to be any fun, and then there will be less time for us to relax later." She replied, "I just want to spend time with you."

An important realization came to me at that moment. I was only interested in spending time with my wife when it was rigidly planned and involved doing something fun. Conversely, my wife just wanted to be with me no matter if we were shopping, driving or doing nothing at all.

In the previous devotional titled "Work Hard, Play Hard", I described the origin of my tendency to be inflexibly goal oriented. When we live our life this way, we tend to segregate our time into those moments which constitute work and those which constitute leisure. We don't like to have any overlap or ambiguity. This can have a devastating effect on our relationships, especially our relationship with Jesus.

In this devotional, I want to examine a practical way to ensure that we maintain a balance in our relationships.

What I understood from that interaction with my wife is that she does not want to be a priority; not even the top priority above all others. Setting priorities encourages the tendency to segregate and compartmentalize our lives so that we see everything on the list as a "chore" which must be completed. Once we complete the highest priority item on the list, we're free to move on to the next item until our list is exhausted and we make a new one.

My wife does not want to be a "chore" that I have to be "done with" before I can move on to the next chore. Even if she is my top priority, thinking of her in these terms fosters the idea that at some point, I need to leave her and move on to something else, and since she occupies a single compartment in my life, she can share with me in no other.

Instead, my wife wants to be a partner and companion in all that I do. She wants to be a common thread, present to some degree in all my daily activities, whether she is physically there or simply present in my thoughts. When I decided it was better to do all those errands without her, I was treating her like a priority which I would attend to after all the work was done. When she asked to come with me, she was helping me to see her as something much more valuable than just an item on a list.

If we're guilty of doing this with our spouses, then how much more are we guilty of doing this with God?

Spending time with God in prayer, reading His word and worshiping with other believers are all extremely important, but you must be aware of your intentions when you engage in these activities. If you read a chapter of the Gospel before bed, does it feel like you can now scratch "read the Bible" off your list of chores? During daily prayer time, do you feel a nagging urge to rush through it so that you can move on to other things?

Consider that if you set God as one among many priorities in your life, then obviously you are the one setting priorities, not God. As contrary as it may sound, God does not want to be a priority in our lives. He does not even want to be our first priority. He wants to be the One who sets the priorities.

God desires to be our all and everything - the context in which we accomplish everything we do. He wants to share in every aspect of our lives and desires that we call upon Him and converse with Him throughout the day, not just at some predetermined time.

Simply put, God desires our complete surrender to His will.

Forgiving Ourselves

Michael Lane — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 21:36:51 -0700

And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God's people, let us go right into the presence of God, with true hearts fully trusting him. For our evil consciences have been sprinkled with Christ's blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. - Hebrews 10:21-22

The last devotional discussed the topic of forgiveness, but one important aspect was not addressed and that is the issue of forgiving oneself. It would seem that of all the people who have wronged us, the easiest to forgive would be ourselves since we are uniquely able to judge the depth of our own remorse and forgive accordingly. However, that is a misconception which we covered in the previous devotional; true forgiveness does not depend on the wrongdoer's level of remorse. We need to forgive for our sake and for the sake of our relationship with Christ, even if the offender will not even acknowledge the hurt they have caused. Forgiveness is for our benefit, not theirs.

Why is it often so hard to forgive ourselves? Being both the wronged and the wrongdoer places us in the awkward position of being able to reject the forgiveness. A thief cannot reject the forgiveness his victim offers since it is not for his sake that it is offered. Yet, we can and often do refuse the choice to forgive ourselves because we are experiencing tremendous guilt and believe that we deserve more punishment. Failing to forgive ourselves is one way to keep the punishment in effect. It is a way for us to martyr ourselves over and over again.

The foolishness of this practice should be self evident. What can our self inflicted punishment do to help our victim, or for that matter, ourselves? What good can come of it?

It's common to hold on to guilt and shame when we've hurt someone, but those feelings do not come from God. They come from our enemy, Satan. Guilt and shame prolong pain and suffering while providing nothing of value to anyone. They leave us looking back, and while we're busy focusing on the past, it's very difficult to move forward with Christ.

Instead of guilt, God requires repentance. These two words mean very different things. Repentance is an acknowledgment of the wrong we have done followed by a commitment to change our ways, but guilt carries no such commitment. Guilt causes us to live in the shadow of our past disgrace, while repentance looks forward in anticipation of God's grace.

We know that because of Christ's amazing sacrifice, all our sins are forgiven whenever we call upon the Lord with a repentant heart. God has the most perfect sense of justice in all of creation, yet in His mercy He has decreed that all offenses are paid in full by Christ's blood for those who call Him Savior. In His eyes, we stand worthy to be forgiven.

If we fail to forgive ourselves, what we are saying is that we have a more stringent standard of justice than God's and by our standard, we are not worthy of forgiveness. In other words, we know better than God, and though He might decide that it's fine to forgive us, we know better.

What does that say about Christ's sacrifice, by which we're reconciled to the Father? What message do we send to God when we will not forgive ourselves? If God forgives our offense, surely we must do the same otherwise we demonstrate some measure of contempt for the cross.

We must forgive ourselves as we forgive others and for all the same reasons - so that we can move past anger, bitterness, loss and regret. There is no honor in guilt and there is nothing to be gained in prolonging our punishment. There is no exception in God's laws about forgiving ourselves so we must remember to apply this commandment to ourselves. Never forget that guilt and shame come from the Enemy, so do not give them a foothold. Replace guilt with repentance and begin moving ahead to where Jesus is waiting to continue His walk with you.

Forgiveness

Michael Lane — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 08:58:01 -0700

For if you forgive others when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. - Matthew 6:14-15

"To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you". - Lewis B. Smedes

Forgiveness is surely one of the most misunderstood concepts in Christianity. Despite the fact that we are all called to forgive as our Father in Heaven forgives, misunderstandings are widespread. In this devotional, we want to broaden your understanding of what it means to truly forgive.

As is so often the case, it's easier to consider forgiveness by taking a look at what it's not.

First, we have to acknowledge that forgiveness is not an emotion. It is a conscious choice which has nothing to do with how we feel. Forgiveness happens when we choose that we will no longer expect those who hurt us to repay us for the harm that was done. We choose that we will get on with our lives and no longer dwell on the hurt.

In past devotionals, we've looked at other, similar choices we are called to make which are often confused with a feeling. These include our choice to love our enemies, our choice to be humble and our choice to be thankful. Forgiveness certainly falls into this category. If we believe that we have to wait for our anger to subside before we can forgive, then we have the issue entirely reversed. The choice to forgive comes first; the soothing of our emotions happens consequently.

Forgiveness is not initially about the person who wronged us; it's about us. If we will not forgive someone who failed to meet our expectations, we start to change on the inside. We grow in anger and resentment. The quality of our own life continuously suffers and in this way, we compound the wrongdoing until it becomes something far more damaging than it originally was. One of the most important reasons we must forgive is that we cannot grow into the mature Christian whom Jesus is calling us to be with all that hurt and animosity building up inside us. Forgiveness is that act by which we release ourselves from our own prison of bitterness.

Forgiveness does not require that the wrongdoer apologize or is remorseful. It does not even require that they are aware of the fact that they hurt us. All that is required is that we simply say, "I'm letting this go. I will not let this incident change me in any way. I'm getting over it." What the wrongdoer does or does not do should make no difference in our decision to move past it and begin our healing. As we release them from their duty to remedy the harm that was done, we release ourselves from the burden of making them accountable to their responsibility.

Forgiveness does not mean that we forget the offense and it certainly does not mean that we need to stay in a relationship with the one who wronged us. If someone hurt one of my children, you can be certain that I would never forget and would never again allow them to be near my children. If it were a friend of mine who did such a terrible thing, then we could no longer be friends after such a violation of trust. Forgiveness does not require that relationships never change. It does require that we move past the incident in our hearts and that we refrain from dwelling on it.

Finally, forgiveness does not mean that the wrongdoer "gets away with it" or is "off the hook." It certainly does not mean that we condone what was done to us. Lewis Smedes explains,

When we forgive evil we do not excuse it, we do not tolerate it, we do not smother it. We look the evil full in the face, call it what it is, let its horror shock and stun and enrage us, and only then do we forgive it. "

Furthermore, our forgiveness does not prevent us from calling out to God and asking for His perfect justice to be done. A person who steals or murders should face the appropriate penalties under God's laws. Forgiveness changes the reason we desire that they should be brought to justice before Him. Before we forgive, it's natural to feel that they should be made to suffer just as they made us suffer. We want them to pay for what they've done to us! After we forgive, a transformation happens in our heart. We have released them from their obligation to us and so we can now pursue God's justice for its own sake, not for our own; For His Glory, not for our revenge. We trust their fate to God, content that they no longer have any obligation or responsibility to us.

Forgiveness is not easy, but it is also not optional - our Lord commands it in Matthew 6:14 as a prerequisite for our own sins being forgiven.

If you are having difficulty forgiving someone today, take a moment and examine your reasons. Is it because the hurt is so big? The bigger the hurt, the more devastating is your prison of bitterness and therefore the more important it becomes to let yourself out. Are you having difficulty because they have not apologized and show no signs of changing their behavior? Remember that your forgiveness is about you, not about them. Are you struggling because you are still so angry and hurt? The pain will not subside until you make the choice to forgive. Ask the Lord for the strength and conviction to emulate Him, and make that decision today.

God Is Good

Michael Lane — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 09:15:21 -0700

"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." Romans 8:28

"...there is no foundation for comfort in the enjoyments of this life, but in the assurance that a wise and good God governeth the world..." - William Law

Last year, I wrote a three-part devotional series titled, "Asking God for Help". The main teaching of that series was that we need to ask God for help in all difficult situations, large or small. God wants us to ask and He stands ready to help us, but we have to be prepared to accept His solution according to His timing. He knows how and when to work things out.

Asking for help is easy and costs us nothing except a few moments of our time. Most Christians do this frequently and automatically whenever difficulties present themselves, but there is usually a little shade of doubt that their prayers will do any good. We tend to petition God "just-in-case" it might actually help, but in reality, we surreptitiously expect that either circumstances aren't going to work out, or that we are going to have to get the job done ourselves. For the most part, we live as though we believe in an impersonal, disinterested Creator. We understand intellectually that God is in charge, but practically, we go about our business as though He's nowhere to be found and that we're going to have to steer the ship in His absence.

We fail to live in the truth of Romans 8:28 because subconsciously, we don't fully believe that God is good. We don't believe that He loves us, nor do we completely trust that He has our best interests at heart. To use a favorite phrase of author John Eldredge, we suspect that God is holding out on us.

Why do we hold onto these doubts when scripture is so unambiguous about God's endless love and immeasurable goodness?

First, many of our relationships on Earth result in betrayal. We believe that we can't really trust anyone because so often when we trust someone close to us, they let us down. This leaves many of us wondering if we can really trust God to come through when we need Him the most. We especially tend to relate to God in the same way as we related to our earthly fathers when we were young. We unintentionally ascribe to Him the same failings and deficiencies we witnessed in our own father. If our father was not around when we needed him, we expect God to be absent too. If our father was especially strict or had difficulty expressing his love for us, then we expect God to be the same. Relating to God as a loving Father is especially difficult for those whose own father was abusive.

Secondly, undermining our belief that God is good and trustworthy is one of the oldest and most powerful weapons that Satan wields. It began long ago in the Garden. "You will not certainly die," the serpent said to the woman "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." (Gen 3:4-5) One can almost see the changing expression on Eve's face as she wonders, "Really? Should I not trust God? Did He lie to me?" The Devil will do whatever he can to make you doubt God's benevolence and cause you to ask the question, "Is He holding out on me"?

Finally, our lack of trust in God stems from the observation that this fallen world can be so exceptionally evil. All we can do is wonder at the meaning of it, for we lack God's ability to see how all the puzzle pieces are going to come together in the end to form a beautiful picture. For us, the world just seems to be a random, chaotic collage. We cannot see the glorious pattern God is weaving though it all, and so we wonder in the midst of this confusion if He has walked away and abandoned the world to its own devices.

How, then, can we overcome our reluctance to trust in God and His goodness?

First, we need to understand what is really meant by the phrase, "God is good." What it does not mean is that there is some universally accepted standard of goodness which, if we are to judge His motives and character, God can always be counted on to meet. If this were so, where did this standard come from? Who is able to stand in judgment of God to rate His goodness according to this standard?

The phrase "God is good" is not telling us anything about God's performance or record of achievement. The phrase does not, in fact, tell us anything at all about God. The statement, rather, is telling us about that standard of goodness. It does not answer the question, "What is God like?" It answers the question, "What is goodness like?", and the answer is God.

It would be meaningless to even try to judge God by the very standard which He defines by His being. It would be like trying to judge the wetness of pure water, since water is the very essence that defines wetness. There is no higher authority than God by which we can make an appeal to the nature of right and wrong. Whatever He decrees to be good is good and whatever He decrees to be evil is evil.

The application of this important concept is simply this: we must be wary of judging God. We do this whenever we harbor expectations about what we think God should or should not do in any given situation. We "expect" God to heal our friend with cancer, or we "expected" Him to stop that drunk driver who took the life of our loved one. It's so easy to doubt God's goodness whenever we think we know what's right or wrong, and to then turn around and accuse Him of clearly missing the mark of an obvious standard of righteousness. It's especially easy when the Enemy is whispering in our ear, casting aspersions.

We have to let go of our expectations of God. His plan is good, and for some reason beyond our comprehension, it does sometimes include allowing death, war and disease. I don't know why God sometimes determines it's necessary to allow evil, while other times He intervenes to prevent it. I don't understand His total plan from beginning to end. But I know it's good.

What a huge, daunting responsibility it is to require ourselves to understand the entirety of His plan before we will trust Him! If we will instead step back and trust in His inherent goodness, never question His motives and restrain the impulse to judge God when we don't understand, we will have much greater peace when trouble comes.

If you're struggling with trusting God's goodness, as most of us do, ask the Holy Spirit to help you now. Pray that the pride that causes you to hold God in judgment will be lifted away. When things don't make sense and you cannot see how good will ever come from tragedy, ask the Holy Spirit to humble you so that you can overcome the need to understand God's purposes and simply trust and abide in His perfect goodness.

Work Hard, Play Hard

Michael Lane — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 12:59:31 -0700

It is useless for you to work so hard
from early morning until late at night,
anxiously working for food to eat;
for God gives rest to his loved ones. -Psalm 127:2

I observed everything going on under the sun, and really, it is all meaningless-like chasing the wind. - Ecclesiastes 1:14

I got my first part-time job when I was seventeen years old, working for a computer store in the small town where I grew up. The owner of the store was a charismatic man named Scott who was, from my limited teenage perspective, very worldly and well-traveled. He was an intelligent, larger-than-life character with strong opinions about almost everything, so I enjoyed the quiet Saturday afternoons we worked together when we would take a break from the world of computers and he would teach me about how the "world" really worked. He would typically start his afternoon lesson with a phrase like, "Here's something they won't teach you in school" or "Let me explain something that almost no one understands".

His favorite lesson, the one I remember most after all these years, was to "Work hard and play hard". He explained that most people waste their life by working half-heartedly at menial jobs for eight hours a day and then coming home to nothing more than television and sleep, only to repeat the entire process the next day. Eventually, they wake up and realize they are past the prime of their lives and have not accomplished anything of consequence.

For Scott, this was the epitome of a wasted life. He cautioned me to make every second count and never to waste time on anything that wasn't either hard work or serious leisure. His life consisted of long days with almost no time-off for several months, followed by two weeks in the Caribbean at an all-inclusive resort. Occasionally, he would fly to New York or London or would spend a weekend gambling in Las Vegas, but you would never catch him watching television, going out to a movie or hanging out with friends. For Scott, it was all or nothing. He was either working hard or living the good life. Anything else was a waste of time.

His philosophy resonated deep within that impressionable teenager and I vowed that I would live a life just like his. For years, I tried to emulate his style, working long hours, taking one course after another, accepting new contracts until I was inundated, all the while refusing any leisure unless it was expensive and impressive. If I took a break from work, even for a few moments, I could feel internal pressure commanding me back to work. The entire time, I could hear Scott's voice in my head rationalizing and urging me, saying, "No one understands this but us. We are the only ones who are living the good life." Except, I realize now, it was never really Scott's voice; it was the voice of the Enemy. It was no life at all.

I don't blame Scott, since he fell into the same trap as I did and he believed the same lies about what life is supposed to be about. Fifteen years later, with the help of the Holy Spirit, I see the "work hard play hard" philosophy for what it really is - a perversion of a deep truth. Every successful lie the Enemy tells us is effective because it contains some truth, and the truth in Scott's philosophy is that it really is very important that we make our time on Earth count. The lie is that a good life has anything to do with fourteen hour work days or luxurious vacations. Living a good life is about service to and relationships with God, our family and our community.

I have seen firsthand how the "work hard, play hard" mentality shatters all kinds of relationships. In practical terms, if you are living your life this way then every second of every day is accounted for. From the moment you awaken to the moment you fall asleep, you are working or learning. Everything else is an interruption. When it comes to friends and family, you are inflexible, unavailable and unapproachable. Unless the person is a business associate or is accompanying you on your next vacation, you have no time for them.

How could anyone hope to maintain a marriage or friendship in that environment? How many times do our spouses or children come to us, asking for a little of our time and we send them away because we have important work to do? We tell them that it was not in our plans for today and resent any attempt to alter our agenda. We tell our spouses that we are working hard in order to provide a better life or that we are taking on one more contract to pay for that next getaway. Sure, expensive vacations are nice, but are they really more essential than the customary dinner with your wife? More valuable than a night out with friends? More precious than holding your newborn baby while she sleeps?

Finally, we come to the most devastating aspect of the "work hard, play hard" philosophy - the effect it has on our life in Christ. When we are consumed by that lifestyle, He too becomes just one more interruption or one more obstacle in our way of getting more work accomplished. So many times I told Jesus, "I can't pray right now, I'm studying for my Theology final." or "I can't read your Word right now, I'm doing some paperwork for the ministry." I never once allowed Jesus to tell me what was important to Him.

In the ultimate act of selfishness and pride, not only do we fail to spend enough time with Jesus, but we tell Him that our work and leisure are too important to entrust to Him. We are going to control our agenda since we think we are better able to set our priorities, all in the hope of living a full and meaningful life.

Truthfully, there can be no full and meaningful life without Christ at the center, nor can we reach our full potential until all things are surrendered to Him. That includes our work and leisure time. I understand the compulsion that drives us to make every second count, but we need to surrender and trust that to God, for He is much more capable of giving meaning to our lives than we could ever be. It's extremely important to work hard when it is appropriate to do so, but we must also remain balanced and flexible. We need to keep our priorities straight.

If you've struggled with this issue as I have, then take a moment now to invite the Holy Spirit to lead you in overcoming this. Pause and ask Him for guidance whenever you feel pulled in too many directions. Ask for wisdom and clarity whenever you're tempted to tell someone you love that you don't have time for them; especially when that person is Jesus. Finally, let Jesus know that you understand how important it is to find the right balance and that you trust Him completely to help you find the complete life He intends you to have in Him.

Ambition

Michael Lane — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 18:52:36 -0700

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came over and spoke to him. "Teacher," they said, "we want you to do us a favor." "What is your request?" he asked. They replied, "When you sit on your glorious throne, we want to sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left." But Jesus said to them, "You don't know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink? Are you able to be baptized with the baptism of suffering I must be baptized with?" "Oh yes," they replied, "we are able!" Then Jesus told them, "You will indeed drink from my bitter cup and be baptized with my baptism of suffering. But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. God has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen." When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. So Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many." - Mark 10:35-45

God created the world out of nothing, and so long as we are nothing, He can make something out of us. - Martin Luther

Ambition is a hot commodity. Watch a few day-time talk shows and you'll hear mothers complaining about their teenager's lack of ambition. Check out a few dating shows and you'll hear the same complaint from women who can't find men with any ambition.

There's no question; ambition is a quality that's in high demand.

We tend to think of personality characteristics as being either entirely positive or negative. It seems obvious that justice is a good quality while impatience is a bad one. However, C.S Lewis warns us that even the most positive traits must be tempered; otherwise they all have the potential for harm. He writes,

"There is none of our impulses which the Moral Law may not sometimes tell us to suppress, and none which it may not sometimes tell us to encourage. It is a mistake to think that some of our impulses - say mother love or patriotism - are good, and others, like sex or the fighting instinct are bad. The most dangerous thing you can do is take any one impulse of your own nature and set it up as the thing you ought to follow at all costs. There is none of them which will not make us into devils if we set it up as an absolute guide."

Ambition is an excellent example of what Lewis is talking about. While ambition is a much sought-after quality in our employees, spouses and children, it's easy to imagine ruthless business tyrants whose unrestrained ambition drives them to the top of the ladder, leaving a mess of devastated adversaries and shattered relationships in their wake. Scores of movies and books have been written about men and woman such as these. Without a doubt, ambition has to be restrained by love, justice, mercy and tenderness. This is true whether you're a Christian or not.

However, for Christians, the need to be wary of our ambition is far greater. Ambition will be one of those qualities that the Moral Law will more often tell us to suppress, especially when we are not careful to fully understand our goals and motivations. If the final goal is personal success and glory, then when we examine our motivation, it is pride which we find there.

Unfortunately, pride is completely incompatible with living within God's will. By its very nature, it drives us to strive for our own glory and achievement. When that is motivating us, how can we also strive to be that which God is intending us to be? We cannot serve two masters. While we harbor greater desires for personal glory, we will turn our back on God's will for our lives. We will be, in essence, attempting to deny Him the glory which is rightfully His alone.

If we are to empty ourselves and live in service to God as Jesus taught, then we must abandon whatever status or success we desire for ourselves.

Should Christians abandon all ambition? Not at all! We just need to be clear about whose glory we're seeking. If the reward of our struggle is for ourselves, then we must walk away from that struggle and allow God to give us whatever money, status or position He desires for us.

However, we should always be ambitious in meeting goals and setting high standards for what we can achieve for God's glory. There is nothing wrong with having ambitious goals for your ministry or your God-centered service to others. If you serve as a youth pastor in your local church, it's great to have ambitious plans for your youth programs. God deserves the best you have to offer, and He wants you to use your gifts to their fullest. Just be wary of crossing that line into personal ambition where the goal becomes recognition and accolades for the work you've done. If you're a musician, then set ambitious goals for the quality of the music you write and your dedication to putting on an inspiring show, but let God decide how successful you will be and how many albums you will sell.

Pause for a moment today and take an inventory of the ambitions in your life. If you achieved all of your goals, who would get the glory? Are you striving for you or for God? Take a moment to determine if there are any adjustments you need to make to the goals you've set, and ask God in prayer to help you realign your personal ambitions so that you desire nothing but His will in your life.

Freedom

Michael Lane — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 00:02:16 -0700

"Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls." - Matthew 11:29

"All of my
ambitions, hopes and plans,
I surrender these
into your hands.
For it's only in
your will that I am free"

-Robin Mark, All For Jesus

In the last devotional, we touched briefly on the idea that we are prisoners whom Jesus has come to set free. In this devotional, I'd like to expand on that idea and explore what it really means to be free.

I wondered briefly if we could call freedom the absence of all responsibility, conflict or suffering. I think that's close, but I imagine that a life with no conflict of any kind would be shallow and insignificant and would prohibit any kind of spiritual development. Freedom has more to do with an absence of unfulfilled desires; never having something we want yet which for whatever reason, is always beyond our grasp. I believe this is what William Wallace meant by "freedom" in the movie Braveheart. The liberation of Scotland was his unfulfilled desire, and each cry of "freedom" reminded all his men what they were fighting and dying for.

Wallace's pursuit of freedom was noble, but most of us are consumed with less righteous desires for pleasure and enjoyment, fame and fortune or status and recognition. Oh, how these unfulfilled desires cause us no end of anxiety! How will we ever find the money for that vacation? I don't want to do this assignment, but I'll fail if I don't! When will they notice me at work and promote me? What can I do to make her love me? I want to have an affair with that co-worker, but I'll lose my family!

This tension robs us of so much peace and joy. One of the great lies of our age is that peace comes from fulfilling each and every desire at any cost, for we suppose that eventually we will fulfill that final desire and achieve the elusive freedom we so long for. People chase satisfaction with such single-mindedness that they don't seem to notice that every satisfied desire provides only temporary relief, for it is immediately followed by another longing which demands our attention. The net effect is that our lives seem to spin out of control as we try to make sense of all the directions in which we're being pushed and pulled, trying to resolve our responsibilities to our jobs and families while also keeping ourselves entertained and contented. Christians are by no means automatically exempt from this, and it can leave us wondering, "Where is the peace which Christ promised?"

The truth is that peace comes from eliminating our desires, not chasing after them. I'm not talking about asceticism or temperance. True freedom comes not from suppressing desires, but by being liberated from them.

What if we could pursue one single, unambiguous desire which would forever quench all others? Let me paraphrase what Jesus is trying to tell us about peace and freedom:

"You're trapped in a prison of unfulfilled desires. You think you can just work harder and harder and that will fulfill more of your cravings until finally you will be free. But that's a trap! You will never find peace that way, only a bottomless pit of worry and disappointment. You think to yourself 'I've got this under control' but you know that's a lie. Let me make you a deal. Surrender yourself to me completely. Stop worrying about everything in your life that you cannot control and simply focus on me. Put me above all else in your life. I will take care of you. I won't promise that you will not have suffering or pain, but I will promise that you will never have to worry about anything ever again because I will be in control. You can trust in my love for you and my ability to care for you. If you will do that, you will have greater peace than you have ever known. But, you have to let me be in control - you have to let it all go and stop chasing after anything but me."

Can it be that we find freedom by giving control to another? Yes, absolutely! Can we be free when our only desire is to submit to the will of another? Certainly! William Wallace did not want anarchy, nor were his unfulfilled desires about maintaining control for himself. His desire was for wise, benevolent rulers over Scotland whom he could trust and follow. Freedom is not about being in control, it's about no longer having to struggle every day to satisfy our desires. The ultimate freedom comes from the knowledge that our desires will be fulfilled by a God who is in control.

Therein lay the peace and freedom which Christ promises, but we have to take it for ourselves. We have to decide to lay down all other desires and take upon ourselves a single desire, which is an intimate relationship with Jesus. We must surrender to Him in every way, and we must do it daily. By doing this, all other desires disappear except the one which never disappoints, and that is when we become truly free.

The Hero of the Story

Michael Lane — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 09:22:09 -0700

No doubt all history in the last resort must be held by Christians to be a story with a divine plot. - C.S. Lewis

For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves - Col 1:13

It's natural for us to see life as an on-going story where we are the central character and the hero. It is our biography, happening in real-time and we have been cast in the starring role.

If we're the hero and the star, where does that leave God in all of this? Well, He's the author, of course, carefully weaving the situations and conditions into a plot which assures a victorious outcome for the hero. Like all good authors, He is making sure the hero overcomes all conflict in the end while the villains get the justice they deserve.

This kind of perspective can lead to some serious disillusionment. If we're the hero, shouldn't we have a better job, fewer problems and more adventure? Shouldn't the story have a more interesting plot than this? Sometimes it feels like we're not living the life we would have chosen for the hero, and that can leave us feeling bitter and disappointed. What kind of author is God, anyway?

It's absolutely true that God is the author, and He is indeed weaving the plot to ensure the best outcome for the hero. Yet, God is not just the author, He is also that hero about whom He is writing. The story is about God.

Does this mean we are some small, bit player in the drama? Not at all! We may not be the hero, but we are the next best thing. We are the hero's beloved who has been separated from Him and locked away in a terrible dungeon. This particular chapter of God's story is about how the hero fights and wins many battles in order to rescue His beloved. In the end, they live happily ever after.

For most of us, we've not yet arrived at that happy ending. Instead, we find ourselves nearing the climax of the story. From outside the dungeon walls, God calls to us, "I have come for you. I have endured many trials, won many battles and even lost my only Son in order to rescue you. I have unlocked the doors. Come out now, and let us leave together."

The dungeon we're in is a peculiar one. Many of us do not know we are even in a dungeon, and some don't want to be rescued. Inside the dungeon, we are the hero. Despite the terrible conditions, we are in control and no one can take that away from us. We fail to see that we are the hero of nothing -- an empty, lonely life in a cold and desolate world. Yet, we hesitate to leave the security and eminence of our own story to join ourselves to another where we are not the hero. And so, God waits patiently outside the walls hoping that we will at last truly desire the unimaginable love which awaits us in His story when we choose to be with Him.

It's almost impossible to understand how anything in life is supposed to make sense when we cling to the notion that we are the hero and that God is crafting a story just for us. In that context, how could we ever hope to explain the loss and suffering we all experience? When trouble comes, as it always does, part of us wonders, "How could you do this to me, God?"

The answer makes more sense when, with the proper perspective, we understand the story simply is not about us. The story is not about a happy ending here, on Earth. It's not about fame, wealth or success in our career. Those things may or may not be made available to us depending on what God is accomplishing in our lives, but they are not the hero's reward and we are not the hero. No, this chapter is about our happy ending with God in Heaven, while the entire story is about His eternal glory.

When things don't make sense in our lives, we should not ask, "Why me?" Knowing our proper place in the story will help us to ask instead, "What do You want me to learn about You from this situation?" and "How can I help You to accomplish Your will through me?" Maintaining the right perspective will go a long way toward keeping us from the bitterness and despair which await those who demand the starring role and insist on directing every scene.

When we have the correct point of view, we will learn to trust the author and the hero. Secure in the knowledge that He loves us and has come for us, if we will only just trust Him and leave the dungeon behind, He will take us home to His Kingdom. We can maintain that trust even when the particular details of the plot are difficult to understand. No matter how hard life becomes, regardless of the dangers we face and the losses we endure, we will never stop following His voice as it guides us out of the dungeon and into His loving arms.

Love Our Enemies

Michael Lane — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 10:51:13 -0700

If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 1 John 4:20

"If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?" Matthew 5:46-47

Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. 1 John 3:18

There are many different types of love, each with many sides and aspects. One of the many flaws of the English language is that we have a single word to describe them all, so it's understandable that we may fail to distinguish between that which we feel for our husband or wife, and that which compels us to feed the poor. This linguistic limitation has the most impact when it tricks us into believing that love is a feeling, and worse, one over which we have no control.

We don't usually choose whom we love romantically, and we may fall in and out of love at the whim of our emotions. Since this is the kind of love with which we are the most familiar (and perhaps the most comfortable), we struggle when we hear Jesus speak of "loving our enemies." A contradiction forms in our mind as we think, "How can I love them? I don't feel a shred of sympathetic emotion for them at all!"

The love of which Jesus speaks is not a feeling in any sense of the word. It is a decision resulting in action. It is a choice you make that has nothing whatsoever to do with how you feel, and quite often, occurs in spite of a feeling to the contrary. This kind of love judges the needs of a person but never the person themselves, and responds according to the gravity of the need, never the character of the person.

Understand that you must absolutely restrain whatever you feel for a person and treat them with as much compassion and kindness as you would show your own mother or child. This is the kind of love that Christ demands - not a feeling, but rather a spirit of service, selflessness and humility. It is the ability to give to others with no regard to what they can do to repay you, what they feel for you or what you feel for them.

This kind of love is extremely hard. Unlike romantic love, which naturally drives us to do wonderful things for our spouse, loving our enemies goes against what our sinful nature desires us to do. It is far from effortless. Very often, when we stand at the brink of loving our enemies, our sinful nature cries out, "I don't want to do this!" and stands poised to halt our progress. We have to push through it. We have to resist the notion that something so difficult and so contrary to our natural desire could be called "love". It is, in fact the greatest kind of love. It is the kind of love that God demonstrated when He saved us while we were His enemies. (Romans 5:10)

There are opportunities for each of us to put this kind of love into practice every day, but it takes extraordinary courage and faith to even recognize these opportunities, let alone act on them. Imagine a coworker that you simply cannot get along with who is on the verge of making a huge mistake that will get her fired. Our sinful nature revels in this, and tells us that it serves her right. Let her get fired! Yet, if we are to love as God loves, we cannot let this situation unfold. We must intervene and prevent her from making that mistake despite all objections from our emotions. This is not at all what we will "feel" like doing, and that is why it requires such courage and faith. And what reward will we get? Perhaps she will thank us, or perhaps she will tell us to mind our own business. Yet, our love does not expect her appreciation. Our motives are simple and pure - love her as God loves her.

Remember that this kind of love is not about emotion, it is about action. Never stop looking for these opportunities to act in your life, and don't give in to the nagging voice which insists that love must always be easy and rewarding. Don't stop when you are on the brink of kindness because it doesn't feel right, for it often doesn't. This kind of love can be hard and uncomfortable, but it is the most important of all, for it is by this kind of love that others will know that Christ lives in you.

Healing the Wounds of War

Michael Lane — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 14:22:28 -0700

"He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn - and I would heal them." John 12:40

A few weeks ago, I wrote a devotional about spiritual warfare with the intention of convincing our readers that none of us can escape the devastating war which has engulfed this world. In this devotional, we want to continue the theme of spiritual warfare by looking at the effect this war has had on each of us, and how we can finally become healed.

There are many certainties about war, and one of the most tragic is that combatants and bystanders alike get wounded, sometimes grievously so. In the case of the war for the Kingdom, you have already been wounded whether you realize it or not.

Often, the severity of your wound is proportional to your determination to serve God and accomplish His will on this earth. If you are a fervent follower of Christ, you can be absolutely certain that the Devil and his forces have taken note of your involvement in this war. Perhaps long before you were actively involved in the conflict, the forces of evil understood how powerful and dangerous you would be and dealt you a serious wound in hopes of taking you out of the fight. If you are serving Christ and resisting the Devil, then their wound has not had the desired result, but that does not mean it has not affected you. To at least some extent, that wound has affected the course of your life and has caused suffering and heartache for a very long time.

What kind of wounds am I talking about? There is almost no limit to the various ways the wound manifests itself in your life. The symptoms can appear as anger, violence, low self-esteem, depression, addiction, promiscuity or difficulty in maintaining relationships. For many of us, the wound is experienced as a lack of peace and joy that we know should be there, but are inexplicably absent from our lives. However, these are just the symptoms of the wound - they are not the wound itself. The wound takes the form of lies that you have believed and accepted as truth. The lie was told to you by the Father of Lies at a time when you were young and vulnerable. It was whispered in your ear as your first love walked out of your life or your parents divorced and went their separate ways. He might have said, "This is your fault", "You're not good enough", or perhaps, "You're not lovable."

Since the time you first believed the lie, things have never been the same in your life. For as long as you carry this wound, you are not able to be the warrior for Christ that He intended you to be. You might be fierce, faithful and powerful in this war, but your wound is keeping you from being complete. It has robbed you of untold peace and joy and you deserve to be healed. The time is now.

All healing ultimately comes from God, and He is where you need to begin your journey of healing. As we read the countless stories of Jesus healing those with disease and afflictions, we cannot ignore the truth that our health and well-being, physical and mental, matter to Him.

Take some time alone in prayer, and begin by asking God to reveal the depth and scope of your wound. Its true nature may be obvious to some of you, while others may need the Holy Spirit to take you deep inside to reveal where you've been injured.

If you are going to ask Jesus to heal the damage that's been done, you need to be prepared to go down into the depths with Him. Your journey of healing will ultimately take you back to the time when the lies were first told and your world was torn apart. Ask Jesus to take you back to that painful time and repeal all the lies that were told. Ask Him to show you that it was not your fault, that you are loved and that you matter to Him. Open your heart to the truth with which God wants to fill you. Visit those painful places with Jesus at your side and let Him comfort you. Let Him show you the truth about what was really going on. Let Him heal you.

For some, those places will be just too difficult and frightening to revisit alone even in the knowledge that Jesus is there with you. There is no shame whatsoever in having a trusted advisor, such as a pastor, counselor or therapist assist you in this process. The healing itself will come from Jesus, but sometimes it can be absolutely necessary to have someone by your side before you begin the journey. For anyone whose past is scarred by severe abuse, it may be imperative to take this journey with someone trained, experienced and trusted.

The important thing is to get the help you need, and to get it right away. The wound that was given to you is not your fault. The suffering that you've endured as a result is not your fault either, and you've already endured it for too long. Jesus Christ longs to heal you and bring you to a place of joy and peace. Allow Him to give you the healing you need and deserve.

Author's note: This has been the most challenging devotional I've ever written. More than once, I came close to tears as I pondered my own wound and the effect it's had on my life and my loved ones. My own journey of healing is now underway, and I would never have understood what I needed to do without the wisdom and insight found in John Eldredge's book, "Wild At Heart". Thank you from the bottom of my heart, John. You have helped to free a multitude of ransomed hearts.

World at War

Michael Lane — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 20:42:44 -0800

"Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring - those who keep God's commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus. " Rev 12:17

"Enemy occupied territory that is what this world is." - C.S. Lewis

"The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he did not exist." - The Usual Suspects.

Christianity is, to some extent, a religion with a bit of an identity crisis. There are aspects of Jesus' teaching which have universal appeal and make for an easy sell. Who doesn't want more peace and love in their life? At the same time, there are elements of Christianity which are less pleasant and so we may have a tendency to hide them in the closet and focus on areas where we are more comfortable. While contented with the lovely fundamentals of Christianity, we tend to overlook the fact that the Bible reveals the existence of an enemy who seeks to annihilate us. We don't want to even think about spiritual warfare, much less do anything about it. Maybe if we pretend it isn't real, it won't affect us.

That strategy simply won't work. Few combatants in war ever wanted to fight but they could not shake off the conflict once it consumed them. Once the shooting starts, all you can do is choose sides. As Aragorn tells King Théoden in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Two Towers, "Whether you would risk it or not, open war is upon you."

There is a war raging all around you at this very moment. Those who oppose God are locked in fierce combat with those who remain ever loyal. We know that God and the forces of good triumph in the end, but that day has not yet come. In the meantime, no one is invulnerable to the effects of this war. We are all casualties and have all been tormented by the forces of the evil one.

It would be a mistake to attribute every bad decision or selfish act to the influence of the forces of evil, but worse still would be a steadfast refusal to acknowledge the existence of this wicked army. As you grow in intimacy with God and succeed in doing His work on Earth, the more Satan and his minions will rally against you. If you are oblivious to this opposition or its source, you will be ill-equipped to handle it.

The most common tactic the devil will use to torment us is to tell lies and deceive us. Frequently, we will get the message that we are worthless or that our efforts to serve God are in vain. At its worst, it can leave you wondering if God even exists at all.

"You're not good enough to pull this off."

"You're nothing but a filthy sinner."

"You're wasting your time."

When you hear that denigrating voice, you must make no agreements with it! You must never allow that voice to lead you down the path of hopelessness and despair. Don't give your tormentor a foothold by thinking, "...Maybe I am wasting my time." Recognize it for what it is and demand it to flee.

There is more to spiritual warfare than ignoring Satan's lies. There is an active role for you to play and your efforts are desperately needed. Paul gives us our marching orders in his letter to the Ephesians. He writes,

Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Eph 6:11-17

Paul is not being metaphorical or figurative. Your best defense in this war is truth, righteousness and faith. Your best weapon is the Holy Word of God. Living according to the principles Jesus taught provides the best possible protection against the devil's schemes. Our commitment to witnessing and teaching the Gospel, our dedication to proclaiming the good news of the Word - is a sword which pierces the Enemy's heart.

I would like to give special thanks to John Eldredge for his incredible book, Wild At Heart. His chapter on spiritual warfare is the inspiration for this devotional and the source of many of the ideas within.

Humility and Thankfulness

Michael Lane — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 14:10:53 -0800

Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: "Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don't cheat, I don't sin, and I don't commit adultery. I'm certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income. "But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner. I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted." Luke 18:9-14

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. James 4:10

Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. - 1 Thessalonians 5:18

As I have meditated on the qualities of humility and thankfulness in the past week, I've discovered just how strongly they are linked. We cannot exhibit one without also exhibiting the other. As we grow in one, we grow in the other and where we fail in one, we fail in the other.

In order to be truly thankful and humble, we must resist our natural tendency to exaggerate what we deserve, particularly in the area of material possessions. For example, if we are not truly grateful for the beautiful home God has given us, our pride roars when we look at what other people around us have been able to afford. Likewise, if we do not have our pride in check, we will not feel particularly grateful for our job when a co-worker is promoted ahead of us.

The Bible is full of reminders that inflated pride and a lack of appreciation inhibit intimacy with God. Psalm 10:4, says, "In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God."

Pride, arrogance, greed and selfishness are rampant today. Our culture has conditioned us to look out for ourselves and fight for what we're entitled to. More emphasis is placed on self-fulfillment than morality and our children are taught that it's more important to feel good than to do good. Clearly, we do not live in an environment conducive to humility and gratefulness. What can we do?

Notice carefully what James tells us. His command is to, "humble yourself." In a similar way, Paul tells us to, "Give thanks."

The apostles are not telling us to, "be humble" or to "be thankful."

I can't speak for everyone, but I'm not certain how to make myself become humble or to force myself to feel thankful. If I were to attempt it and fail, then I might be inclined to shrug my shoulders and give up in despair. But no, we are commanded to do, not to be. Fortunately, I do know how to humble myself and how to give thanks, so I can concern myself with doing something tangible, instead of trying to be something intangible.

Though we may not succeed in becoming humble and thankful by striving for that directly, by humbling ourselves, we will become humble and by giving thanks, we will become thankful.

Every day, there are terrific opportunities to humble ourselves which we may overlook. It's a choice we have to consciously make whenever we feel that we may not be getting our due. When we discover that a co-worker has been promoted to the position we felt we deserved, then we can choose to compliment and congratulate them or we can choose a bitter and resentful reaction. When you volunteer for an event at your church and all that remains is the job of cleaning up, then you have a choice to make. Will you walk away in disgust because that job is beneath your talent, or will you gratefully accept the task and complete it without grumbling? Humbling ourselves is as simple as making the decision to suppress our pride whenever it rears its ugly head. The more we do this, the easier and more natural it will become until, at long last, we will be humble.

Giving thanks is likewise a conscious decision we need to make daily. As part of our regular prayer time, we need to get on our knees - metaphorically and literally - and thank God for the abundant and rich blessings in our life. We should list all of our blessings - our home, a warm meal, the love of friends and family and most importantly, our salvation - and take a moment to truly appreciate each of them. In time, we will evolve from someone who gives thanks to someone who is truly thankful.

Almighty God

Michael Lane — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 14:10:01 -0800

I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory." At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty." Isa 6:1-5

God is wonderfully complex and can never be fully defined by any single thought or idea. He has many natures and many sides which are all very different and all equally valid. For example, one of the most cherished images we have of Jesus is that of an accessible and compassionate friend and companion. Without a doubt, Jesus fulfills that role for His faithful. Yet at the same time, consider the image of Christ we get from the Book of Revelation.

"His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow. And his eyes were bright like flames of fire. His feet were as bright as bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice thundered like mighty ocean waves. He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was as bright as the sun in all its brilliance." Rev 1:14-16.

The contrast is startling. Jesus is kind and loving, but He is also a fierce warrior. The Father is likewise loving and merciful, yet this very same God declares, "I will pour out my vengeance on all the nations that refuse to obey me." Micah 5:15.

We can be certain that any descriptive term we use for God, in isolation, will fall well short of elucidating all that He is. The best we can do is to continually appreciate and accept all His many qualities, without neglecting those we may not understand.

Last year, in another devotional entitled, "Human God", we emphasized Jesus' human qualities and invited you to remember that His physical and emotional suffering on the cross were very real. Jesus was not merely God in human form. He was fully man, and during the time of His crucifixion, He was horrifically tortured and completely alone.

In this devotional, we want to take you to the other side of the spectrum and look at another aspect of God's nature which may be equally overlooked. If we are guilty of overlooking the fact that Jesus became a man, then perhaps we are sometimes guilty of failing to remember His awesome power, His supremacy and His authority.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with our cherished image of the peaceful and kind Jesus who calls children to Him and always turns the other cheek. It's a completely accurate albeit incomplete description of our Lord. As an extension of that image, we may have the idea that if we were to meet Jesus face to face, we would shake His hand, perhaps give Him a hug and then go grab a coffee.

This passage from the Book of Isaiah is a startling reminder of what would happen if we were to actually meet our God face to face, revealed to us in all His true glory. Like Isaiah, in the presence of the Almighty God, seated on His throne, we would fall on our knees and proclaim "Woe is me - my eyes have seen the King!"

Let us never forget that God is to be feared. God is to be respected. He is the creator of everything seen and unseen, and deserves our worship and adoration. His power is limitless and without equal. His glory and holiness are beyond our measure.

Our purpose in this devotional is not to in any way diminish Jesus' human qualities or His love, mercy or compassion. Without those qualities, we would all be lost! Rather, our hope is that when you ponder Jesus Christ and all that He is, you might never forget His power and glory which completely fill the heavens and the earth. As you love and surrender to Christ, may you not forget to fear Him as well.

Listening To God

Michael Lane — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 13:02:23 -0800

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. John 10:27

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6

One of the concepts we've tried to emphasize in the last few devotionals is the idea that our relationship with Jesus has much in common with our relationships with friends and family. When we demonstrate effort and commitment in our relationships, they flourish. When neglected or abandoned, they suffer and decline.

Last week's devotional examined the difficulty many of us have with attentive listening, so with that in mind, let's look at how we can apply the concepts from that devotional to our relationship with Jesus.

Does God talk to us? Can we actually perceive God communicating with us? Absolutely! God does not typically speak in an audible voice, but He most certainly is speaking with us. The voice of God whispers directly into our heart and soul, guiding us, counseling us and comforting us. But are we listening, or are we too busy talking? God will not scream at us to pay attention, so if we are too preoccupied with our own thoughts, His gentle voice will be drowned out.

Our prayer time must consist of listening as well as speaking. We need to attentively reach for that small voice and eagerly let it guide us. In quiet prayer, ask God to reveal His will and then listen patiently for His response. The more often you do this, the easier it will become.

However, if you fail to do this, you will miss out on the advice and direction God is offering. Worse still, your relationship will suffer, just as a marriage suffers when one partner simply refuses to listen.

For Christians who know Jesus intimately, the deterioration of their relationship which comes as a result of not listening is a steep downward slope. For those who are just getting to know Him, it can be a serious impediment to growth in their relationship. If you consistently fail to pay attention to what God is telling you, it will become progressively harder to make out His will against the background noise of your own desires. It may become so difficult that you will no longer believe that God even speaks at all.

Let me close with a powerful example from Erwin Raphael McManus. His son Aaron had run into trouble at camp and was preparing to leave. In a final effort to convince him to stay, Erwin had the following conversation.

I asked him a simple question: "Aaron, is there any voice inside you telling you what you should do?"

He paused and then responded, "Yes."

"What's the voice telling you?"

"That I should stay and work it out."

I asked him, "Can you identify that voice?"

He immediately said, "Yes, It's God."

It was the moment I had waited for. I didn't expect it to come under those circumstances. Nevertheless, it was there. I turned to Aaron and said, "Aaron, do you realize what just happened? You just heard the voice if the living God. He spoke to you from within your soul. Forget everything else that just happened. God has spoken to you, and you were able to recognize Him."

I'll never forget his response: "Well, I'm still not doing what He said."

I explained to him that was his choice, but this is what would happen. If he rejected the voice of God and chose to disobey His guidance, his heart would become hardened, and his ears would become dull. And if he continued on this path, there would be a day when he would never again hear the voice of God. There would come a day when he would deny that God even speaks or has ever spoken to him. But if he treasured God's voice and responded to Him with obedience, then his heart would be softened, and his ears would always be able to hear the whisper of God into his soul. (Erwin Raphael McManus, The Barbarian Way, pp. 87-88, Thomas Nelson, 2005)

Listening To Each Other

Michael Lane — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 16:05:20 -0800

For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." But if instead of showing love among yourselves you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another." Galatians 5:13-14

I overheard a conversation a few days ago at lunch which began when a woman noticed one of her co-workers looking downcast. She sat beside him at the lunch table and asked him if he wanted to discuss what was bothering him. He began to talk about the recent trouble he was having relating to his daughter, and it was obvious from his tone and his expression that this was a serious matter which was weighing heavily on him. He had barely begun to explain the essence of the problem when the young woman interrupted, exclaiming, "I know exactly what you mean! My daughter..." And just like that, the conversation shifted as she went on for several minutes describing her own situation. When she finally paused to take a bite of her meal, the man got up and walked away dejectedly. Without missing a beat, she turned to the next person at the table and continued talking about her daughter. I had a pretty strong reaction at the time. I remember thinking, "You don't care about his situation! You just wanted an excuse to start talking!"

It's easy to be critical of this woman, but realistically, this kind of thing goes on all the time. I have done it to my wife and she has done it to me. I have seen pastors do it on many occasions. Few of us are immune. We are rarely listening; usually, we are just waiting impatiently for our turn to talk. We nod and agree in all the right places, but really we are pondering the next thing we are about to say.

It's a shame that so many of us are guilty of this offense, and it speaks volumes about how most people really feel about themselves and those around them. If you struggle with this as much as I do, then it ought to be very humbling when you realize just how difficult and rare it is to have a conversation with someone during which you are far more interested in what they are saying than what you are about to say. It's hard to clear our mind, offer our undivided attention and just listen.

If we dig deeper, we will discover that our egocentric conversations are just one of many ways in which we fail to demonstrate love for each other. I could just as easily point to any of a long list of ways we fail to keep this commandment. I chose this one because it is so subtle and pervasive that for the most part, we've simply stopped noticing that we've stopped listening. I'm sure if you were to ask the woman at the lunch table, she wouldn't have any idea that she had done anything wrong.

The next time you're speaking to someone, especially if they are hurting, make an effort to erase any thoughts of yourself. Instead, give them one hundred percent of your attention. Make a commitment to ensuring that they are able to get their point across, and don't worry about yours. It seems like such a small thing, but it will make a huge difference in not only how you perceive people, but how they perceive you.

You see, loving your neighbor is not like loving your spouse. It may not be something you feel, but it is something that you do. It's the act of sacrificing your own needs and desires for the sake of someone else.

You can demonstrate that love in such a meaningful way by just listening.

Adulterous Hearts

Michael Lane — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 13:36:34 -0800

"...how I have been grieved by their adulterous hearts, which have turned away from me, and by their eyes, which have lusted after their idols. They will loathe themselves for the evil they have done and for all their detestable practices." Eze 6:9

She sits quietly on the living room couch, her glance alternating between the clock over the fireplace where the seconds grind away, and the front window where she will see the headlights turn in the driveway when he finally comes home. He may not come home tonight; it would not be the first time. He has not called, so she is not certain where he is or when he might come home. She has an idea where he might be since there are only a few possibilities. He may be at the bar, the race track or the casino, or he might just be working late. Most likely, though, he is in the arms of another woman at this very moment; again, it would not be the first time.

He has neglected to come home more often than she can remember, and though he makes excuses every time, she understands the bitter truth that she is far from the most important thing in his life. He will not say it, of course, but whatever has kept him from coming home has occupied his full attention while thoughts of his wife have not even crossed his mind.

Her heart aches deep inside her as it does every time he does this. It feels as though her heart will burst from the sting of this betrayal. Her pain and disappointment are immense.

Yet, she will forgive him no matter where he's been and what he's done. She will do this despite the fact that she herself has never been anything but the perfect wife. She has honored the commitment they made with every ounce of her being and with complete love and devotion. Despite his years of gambling, drinking and philandering, she would never leave him no matter what his indiscretions may be. She loves him more than he could ever comprehend.

It's difficult to read this parable and not feel some powerful emotions about what this woman has had to endure. However, it's not simply a story about a husband and wife. It's a story about God and His people.

I would ask you now to go back and re-read the parable and as you do, understand that each of us are the wandering, unfaithful husband and God is the loving, devoted wife.

As you consider the emotions which this parable evokes, I want to challenge you to change how you think about sin. We have a tendency to think of sin in terms of mistakes, weaknesses or even personality quirks. It is considerably more serious. Every sin that we commit breaks that covenant we have with God. We were created to place Him first above all else and when we sin, we are laying something else in that sacred spot reserved for Him alone. It is much more serious than a mistake or a slip-up. We have taken another lover. We have committed adultery against God.

Let this devotional today be the catalyst for some change in your life. If there is any recurring sin which you have been sweeping under the rug or justifying as a "little problem", realize now how that sin grieves God. I pray that you will make a commitment today to stop that sin and come home to God.

Like the husband in the parable, we are completely undeserving of the love and forgiveness that God offers, so let us never take that for granted.

Asking God For Help Part 3

Michael Lane — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 11:07:53 -0800

In part one of this series, we looked at the importance and necessity of asking God for help. In part two, we examined the significance of taking an active role in solving those elements of our problems which are under our control, even as we lean on God for help in those areas which are not. Finally, today we will look at the role anxiety plays in letting us know when we have failed to do either of these two things. As Christians, whenever we find ourselves worrying about the outcome of conflict or crisis, it's an indication that there is something we have failed to do, or something we need to stop doing.

"Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand." Phil 4:6-7

What kind of peace is Paul talking about? He is not talking about an absence of conflict, since conflict will unfortunately forever be a part of our lives on this Earth. Paul is talking about a lack of anxiety in the face of conflict. He is promising that if we truly give our concerns to God, then we will never have to worry about the outcome.

We may have apprehension about physical or emotional suffering on the horizon; this is perfectly natural. Once again, let us turn to the example of Jesus in the Garden, (Matthew 26:38-39) and take note of the fact that Jesus is troubled by the knowledge of the suffering that He will soon endure, but not the outcome. Jesus knows beyond any doubt that His Father in Heaven is in charge and that victory over death is assured. We must follow Jesus' example and never forget that God's amazing plan for you will not be circumvented.

How, then, can we possibly have anxiety when such a powerful, loving God is in charge, and what does it mean when we just can't stop worrying about how things are going to turn out?

1) You have not fully trusted God with the outcome.

In the face of conflict, it's normal for us to say a quick prayer asking God for help, but this is not the same as lifting the problem up to God and trusting Him with it. Too often, we conclude our prayer and then immediately resume fretting about how we will ever resolve the situation. If the problem keeps you up at night or occupies your mind constantly, then you have not allowed God to truly be in charge. You are still trying to solve the problem. Only after we allow God to be in charge will the peace which Paul describes begin to flow into us. If we do not have that peace, then we are still trying to be in control.

2) You have not done your part to solve the problem.

When trouble comes, what often seems like unease about the outcome is nothing more than guilt about our failure to do what must be done. We often know exactly what we must do, and our anxiety comes from our failure to act. The irony is that if we would simply do what we know must be done, our anxiety about the outcome would vanish. The example comes to mind of a man who has been cheating on his taxes and stays up nights worrying about when the IRS will finally knock on his door. He can pray to God all he wants that his indiscretion will not be found out, but God will be very reluctant to help until the man comes clean. His worry will not diminish until he finally calls the IRS, confesses what he has done and faces whatever consequences are to come. Immediately, the anxiety will vanish. The man now has a new dilemma wondering what his fate may be, but this is a new issue which he must lift up to God anew, one in which God will be much more inclined to intervene.

Are you worried about getting poor grades in school? What you may really be feeling is guilt for your inadequate study habits. Your anxiety at not being able to find a job may actually be remorse at doing more TV watching than job searching. If you have concerns about your situation, search yourself and really examine how much is worry and how much is actually your guilty conscience. Do whatever you need to do in order to make things right, and then you can come before God with a right heart, truly ask Him to take control and implore Him to relieve your angst. If you do these things, His amazing peace will follow.

Asking God For Help Part 2

Michael Lane — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 20:42:14 -0800

The miracle of Jesus feeding the five thousand as told in John's Gospel is a very well-known Bible story; in fact it's one of the few miracles which is recorded in all four Gospels (see also Luke 9:12, Mark 6:36, Matthew 14:16). However, John's account is slightly longer and contains a detail which is not found in the others. See if you can pick it out.

When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?" He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. Philip answered him, "It would take almost a year's wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!" Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up, "Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?" Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, "Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted." So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, "Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world." (John 6:5-15)

Did you find it? The detail which is missing from the other three Gospels is the little boy from whose meal Jesus creates the feast.

As I play this scene out in my mind, I imagine the apostles making their way through the crowd calling out for anyone who might have a scrap of food to share. Their desperation and their desire to please the Lord would have been written on their faces and evident in their voices.

In the midst of all of this, a boy comes forward and selflessly offers all that he has. From this simple offering, Jesus performs His miracle.

There are many ways Jesus could have solved this problem. He could have rained bread from Heaven, or He could have waved His hands and filled their stomachs. Instead, He took what was freely offered and turned it into something miraculous.

This pattern is repeated time and time again in our own lives. There are many ways God can help us during our times of need, but the most common pattern is for God to take what we offer and turn it into something greater than we can do on our own.

In conjunction with asking God for help, we need to ensure that we do the part that we can do. If we've lost our job, then we need to start working on our résumé right away. If we have an exam coming up, we need to study. Only once we have done all that we can do will God take over and do what only He can do.

If we are asking God to open doors for us, we need to be standing at the doorstep, ready to enter.

Asking God For Help Part 1

Michael Lane — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 12:47:44 -0700

"So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you." (1 Peter 5:6-7)

I think we sometimes miss the point of petitioning God. There is absolutely nothing wrong with asking God for things we need or even things we want. The important thing to keep in mind is that actually getting the thing we're asking for is the least important part of the whole process.

This seems counterintuitive. Why ask for something if you don't care if you get it? I'm not saying you should not care about the issue which is troubling you; I'm saying you should not be concerned with the exact outcome. We need to trust God to solve the problem His way.

Suppose you're having trouble making ends meet and you're not sure how you will pay this month's bills. You may ask God to send you some extra money. You may ask God to help you find a better paying job. In all likelihood, God is not going to do either of those things, though it's certainly possible. The point is that it really doesn't matter how God decides to solve the problem. By asking God for help, you have admitted that you need Him, and that is what really matters. How God decides to deal with the issue is immaterial, but rest assured He will intervene in the best way possible.

God does not want you to depend on a particular solution; He wants you to depend on Him.

Asking for God's help in all situations is a very important part of our relationship with Him. When you ask for God to help, you are indirectly saying that you trust Him and that you need Him. You are admitting your weakness and acknowledging His strength. You are submitting and surrendering to Him.

But what are we saying to God if we never ask for His help? We are saying we don't need Him. We are sending the message that we have no need of His blessing or protection and we want to go it alone.

Another reason to ask for God's help is not to seek a specific outcome, but rather to receive His comfort, support and peace. God may not provide a direct resolution to every difficulty in our lives, but He will comfort us. When you seek God during times of trouble, large or small, you are saying, "God, be with me during this time. Let my thoughts be with you and let me feel your presence."

Fail to bring your cares to God, and you are not only saying, "I don't need you" but also, "I don't want you around right now. I'm busy dealing with this problem."

As is so often the case, Jesus provides us with the example.

Then Jesus brought them to an olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said, "Sit here while I go on ahead to pray." He took Peter and Zebedee's two sons, James and John, and he began to be filled with anguish and deep distress. He told them, "My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and watch with me." He went on a little farther and fell face down on the ground, praying, "My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will, not mine." (Matthew 26:36-39)

Let's first take note of the fact that the night before His greatest trial and suffering, Jesus wants nothing more than to spend time with the Father. Though He must be weary and worn out as His disciples are, there is no greater priority for the Lord than to pray.

But what is perhaps more surprising is that Jesus is asking for something He knows He cannot have. When Jesus asks, "Let this cup be taken from me", He is perfectly aware that it is the Father's will for Him to proceed, so why even ask?

Jesus speaks these words not to seek a result, but simply to express His anguish and anxiety. Jesus is not asking for a reprieve; He is asking for comfort. Just as we must do, Jesus is asking His father to be with Him, support Him and give Him the strength to endure what must be done.

This is the pattern our prayers must follow. Tell the Lord everything you need and share with Him every care and worry that is on your mind. Don't seek a resolution, but seek God instead and you will receive peace and comfort, along with God's best solution thrown in for free. It almost certainly won't be the solution you had in mind, and it may not be easy to endure, but it will be the right solution in the long run.

Human God

Michael Lane — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 19:12:52 -0700

I have fond memories of the 1985 movie, D.A.R.Y.L. I was 9 years old when it came out, about the same age as the title character. Daryl is an android, one so sophisticated that no one would have the slightest idea if not for his super-human abilities. But after having escaped from a top secret government lab, Daryl wants nothing more than to fit in with his adopted family. He tries to do all the same things boys his age do so as not to arouse suspicion, but if you were Daryl's adopted family, knowing that he was a machine covered in human flesh, could you love him as deeply as your own children? If he became adept at acting like other boys his age, could you forget he was little more than a computer wearing a human mask? If you hurt his feelings by saying something mean or thoughtless, could you shrug it off? If he fell and scraped his knee, would you feel sorry for him?

Many of us are guilty of seeing Jesus this way. We have no trouble remembering that Jesus is God, but we minimize and overlook the fact that He is also fully human. Jesus was not just God in a human mask, nor was He merely a spirit indwelling a human body. Jesus Christ was as fully human as you are.

There was a time in His life when He could not read or write; someone had to teach Him how. We can imagine that at some point during His childhood, He fell and scraped His knee and Mary carefully tended to His wounds. For nearly a decade before His ministry began, Jesus lived with His family and earned a living. He got angry, experienced disappointment and sometimes cried. He felt joy and love. He was tempted.

However, it is when we think about His death that we must not fail to remember Jesus' humanity. As we think about the extraordinary suffering that He endured during His final days, we must not trivialize His anguish by appealing to the fact that He was God. Jesus was not granted any supernatural protection, emotionally or physically, from the torture He endured. He felt every blow of the beatings. He felt the nails pierce His flesh.

Perhaps worse still was the anticipation of what He was about to endure. Jesus was completely aware of the fate which awaited Him and this knowledge filled Him with extreme anxiety. Let's take a look at Matthew's recounting of Jesus' anguish in the garden:

He took Peter and Zebedee's two sons, James and John, and he began to be filled with anguish and deep distress. He told them, "My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and watch with me." He went on a little farther and fell face down on the ground, praying, "My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will, not mine." Matthew 26:38-39

From this prayer, we know that Jesus was experiencing the most powerful human emotions imaginable. In this way, we fully see His humanity; that Jesus was extremely apprehensive about His death on the cross, but He will endure it anyway. He will face the death which awaits Him because of His great love for us.

When you think of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, never forget that it was not just God who was nailed to the cross; it was a man who was terrified, tormented and alone.

The Path To Passion

Michael Lane — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 22:38:20 -0700

And how can we be sure that we belong to him? By obeying his commandments. If someone says, I belong to God, but doesn't obey God's commandments, that person is a liar and does not live in the truth. But those who obey God's word really do love him. That is the way to know whether or not we live in him. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Christ did. 1 John 2:3-6

There's something really special about Christians who become born-again in their adult years. Almost all the men and women I know who endured a childhood and adolescence without Jesus but have recently accepted Him, now seem to love Jesus with such fiery passion. The moment when they accept Jesus becomes a catalyst for change in their life, and nothing seems the same afterward. These people shine with love for Jesus, and they are such a joy to be around.

I'm not a very emotional person and this extends to my relationship with Jesus. I have always been an intellectual Christian, which is to say that I believe in Jesus Christ because it makes sense. When I weigh the facts and the evidence, the logical conclusion I reach is that Jesus is who He said He is, and that conclusion demands a response. And so, I worship Jesus because that is the logical thing to do. But that is not the same thing as loving Jesus, and that has been a very difficult path for me to follow.

Years ago, I attended a very powerful youth retreat. At the conclusion of the evening's service, the pastor gave an impassioned plea for all of us young men to commit to God. He implored us to reach deep within ourselves, find the empty void and invite Christ to come and fill it. The room became awash with emotion, and soon two dozen young men were weeping, falling to their knees and crying out to God. Yet, I felt nothing. I wanted to feel something - anything - but I was empty inside. I was concerned and wondered, "What is wrong with me?" Not long after that event, I walked away from Christianity, and it took me ten wasted years to come back.

I made the same mistake many people do. I assumed that passion for Jesus is something that just happens once we decide to make Him Lord. For some, it does, but many others don't automatically have the same emotional response. It depends on your state of mind when you come to Christ. If you come to Jesus from a place of desperate emotional need, He responds on that level, and there may still be work that must be done to understand Him on an intellectual level. If, however, you come to Christ on an intellectual level as I did, there is work to be done in order to connect with Him emotionally.

What work am I talking about? It is obedience to His commands.

It may seem that obedience to God is the result of our passion for Him, but in reality, the opposite is true. If you come to Christ from an intellectual perspective as I did, your passion for God will be the result of your obedience to Him.

There is certainly an analogy we can make between our relationship with Jesus and a relationship between husband and wife. When we come to Jesus simply because He makes sense, it is like choosing a spouse based on their suitability and compatibility. This may not be real love, but it's a start. How could we change a relationship such as this into one based on real, passionate love? By getting to know the person and by spending time with them. Falling in love takes time. So it is with Jesus - spend time getting to know the One you have chosen as your Lord, and you fall in love with Him.

It's a mistake to wait until we "feel" something before we start "doing" something. God is not just asking us to accept Him, He is asking us to put that acceptance into action. He is asking for a relationship. That takes the form of regular prayer, reading His word, attending church, removing sin from our lives and serving in our church and community. We need to obediently do these things even if we don't yet feel anything on an emotional level.

Oh, how hard it is to pray and read our Bible in the beginning! It takes conviction and self-discipline. In time, God rewards our obedience by touching us emotionally and allowing our passion for Him to grow. The more we are obedient, the more we will feel His presence. In time, we will have that passion that we so desired - not by seeking it directly, but instead, by seeking to please God.

Pray Without Ceasing

Michael Lane — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 20:36:14 -0700

Pray without ceasing. - 1 Thessalonians 5:17

For those of us who have been fortunate enough to be in love with someone very special, we can recall what it was like during the few weeks after we first met. It's impossible to be with that person every moment of every day, but they are still on our mind, day and night. Thoughts of this person pervade our entire life, even when they are not around. We find our mind drifting even while we are at work, wondering what they are doing at any moment. We imagine what our next moments together will be like. We dream of ways to surprise them or make them happy, and we can't wait to see them again and make them smile. We store up in our mind all the things we will tell them when we see them, and can't wait to hear what they were up to while we were apart. When we have joy, we wish they were there to share it, and when we have difficulty, we wish they were there to help us through. It seems like they are all we can think about, but it's wonderful and amazing!

Hold this picture of just how much that person occupied your attention. It was as if we carried that person with us everywhere we went, keeping them in our thoughts with every passing moment. They were all we wanted and all we desired. Everything else that happened in our life was just a distraction, keeping us from what we really wanted.

Now, we have an idea of what Paul is talking about. We cannot pray every second of every day any more than we could have been with that person every moment. But it is possible to love Jesus Christ so much that we carry Him with us wherever we go, just as we did with that true love. In this context, Paul is not talking about prayer as an action; He is talking about it as an attitude. It is an attitude that places Jesus above everything else in our life. Even as we work, spend time with friends or relax at home, He is ever present with us.

Unlike our earthly loves, which start out like a flame but often fade over time, our love for Jesus may start small but will grow into a wild fire if we fan the flames. For that to happen, we need to nurture our relationship by remembering Him in everything we do. We need to let Jesus occupy our heart and mind every moment we are awake. If we adopt this unceasing attitude of prayerfulness which Paul describes, our love for Christ and the joy we gain will eclipse anything we have ever known before.

What Are You Afraid Of Surrendering?

Michael Lane — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 09:06:19 -0700

When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son (Genesis 22:9-10)

Late last year, my father and I sat in a hotel room following a men's conference in Toronto. Though he had given his life to Christ months earlier, he was still struggling with what it means to put Jesus first in his life and to surrender himself completely to Christ. "Let me ask you this," I said. "Would you trust Jesus enough to let Him take Mom from you, if that was required of you in order to follow Him?" He pondered their thirty-eight years of marriage and all that she means to him. He finally replied, "I don't know."

I empathize with my father as surely as I empathize with Abraham, whose test of faith has become an archetypal example for us all. The question for most of us, including my father, is academic since few people ever have to make such a dramatic choice. However, it's a useful test of the depth of our trust in Christ to ask, "What would I give up to follow Him?"

If we will be honest, there is something which each of us fears losing so much that it strains the limits of our faith to contemplate entrusting it to God. Our life is perhaps the least of these, for surely there are fates worse than death. Perhaps it is losing our wife, husband or child. Perhaps it is losing our freedom, our health or our mind.

As I began to take this inventory for myself in my twenties, I came across one thing which I could never permit God to take from me and which I could not offer in sacrifice. It was my mind. I justified this by saying that if I lost my sanity or my ability to perceive the world around me, how could I serve Christ? How would I even know who He is? If that were the case, would I be lost forever? Does my salvation rest upon my ability to understand it? I concluded that I could withstand any manner of torture so long as I had clarity of mind, but I told God, in no uncertain terms, that my conscious mind was off limits.

Years later, I came to a similar conclusion to the one which must have preceded Abraham's reluctant decision to sacrifice his son, and one which every Christian must reach before they can sacrifice the last remaining sacred treasure they have been withholding. I thought, "God, if you take this from me, it's part of your amazing plan and I can trust you." It was part of the realization that if God is going to allow something to be taken from me, He will faithfully comfort and see me through the pain of the loss. He will give me whatever strength, faith and endurance I require to sustain me. This is the promise Jesus gives to all who place their faith in Him.

I don't know how God would sustain me if I had brain injury and lost my ability to reason. I don't know how my father would endure the pain if he lost his wife. The point is that we don't have to worry about any of that once we surrender to God. We simply trust in the Lord with everything we have and He will see us through. God never said it would be easy, but He did say He would sustain us through the hard times and welcome us with open arms into His Kingdom when our time comes.

Search deep within yourself now and contemplate the one thing that you have not been able to surrender to God. Find that one thing about which you have subconsciously said, "God, take anything you require but please don't take this." I know that it feels like you would be destroyed if God took that from you, but you have to trust Him. If God takes this from you, He will sustain you. Whatever He takes from you will be given back to you tenfold in Heaven. Most importantly, if God takes it from you, it is part of His perfect plan. Trust God with it now and let your surrender to Jesus Christ be complete.

The angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time and said, "I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me." (Genesis 22:15-18)

You Never Thoroughly Intended It

Michael Lane — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 19:17:29 -0700

I read quite a lot, both for pleasure and for my theological studies. Every so often, I read something that stops me dead in my tracks and affects me so deeply that I have to put the book down and consider what I've just read. Let me share such a quote from William Law:

If you will stop here and ask yourselves why you are not as pious as the primitive Christians were, your own heart will tell you, that it is neither through ignorance nor inability, but purely because you never thoroughly intended it.

If we consider Christianity to be a life-long journey, then surely the destination is a perfect and complete union with Christ. We begin the journey by not knowing Christ at all and it is complete when we have surrendered to Christ so fully that nothing of ourselves remains.

If we stop to take a look at the factors which prevent us from reaching that goal, it will appear that there are hundreds of little things on the journey which block our way. Work, friends, community and family responsibilities all present obstacles. We're so busy!

The truth which Law brings to our attention is that there are not many reasons, but rather one simple reason which underlies it all. If you don't have the kind of passion and intimacy in your relationship with Christ that you should then you don't fully intend to. You see, the quality of your relationship with Christ is all in your hands and no one else's. This is not like a marriage where both husband and wife must work to achieve closeness. Christ is and has always been completely accessible and available. He waits patiently for us to take each next step toward Him. You either take the step or you don't.

Every reason you can imagine for why you have not taken the next step on the journey can be distilled down to one simple fact - you don't want to. There is no secret or magic formula here. It's simple. We come closer to Christ by spending time with Him, reading His word, serving Him and praying. None of us are being physically prevented or restrained from doing these things and so the choice to do them or not to do them is our's alone.

Yet, we chase other pursuits instead. We watch TV, put in a little overtime at work or spend time on other activities which seem so important to us at that specific moment. It's a given that there are things we must do to survive such as eating or working in order to pay for our food and shelter. We need leisure, otherwise we will work ourselves to death. Jesus understands all this. Yet, there is so much time spent on activities which are nothing more than mindless distraction. All that time, we could be working on our relationship with Jesus.

I'm busy! I have work to do! I'm tired! Wrap the excuse any way you wish and surround it by any reason you like. When you unwrap it, what you will find inside every time is the same basic truth. You don't intend to have a better relationship with Jesus.

The relationship you have with Jesus is exactly the one you want to have. When you want to have a closer, deeper relationship with Him, you will. Nothing in this world can prevent it.