Day 334: I Cor 1:1 - 4:21

As a young pastor, the first two chapters of I Corinthians are so incredibly encouraging. It's easy to hear or see an incredibly big and deep sermon and think that that is what it's all about, but Paul shows us in verse 2 of chapter 2 that all we need to understand is Christ and Him Crucified. I'll never forget one of the most powerful sermons I've ever heard was based on this one verse and it had 2 parts - Christ, and Him Crucified. The pastor started off by simply reading off in alphabetical order every single name of Jesus in the Bible. Before he could even get half-way through the list, people all over the building found themselves weeping and worshiping God like I'm sure many of them had never done before. In fact, God's presence was so strong in that service that the pastor began weeping before he could even get to the crucifixion. Needless to say, by the time the sermon was over, God's presence had fallen all over that place and hundreds of people wept and repented and just experienced God's Love like never before. I realize that this has been more of a recollection of a past even for myself, but it perfectly illustrates the point of these verses. People don't need to hear some sort of fancy flashy speech in order to have their lives changed. It's our jobs as believers to preach the message of Christ and Him Crucified and allow the Holy Spirit to work through our words into the hearts of those listening.

- Lord, when I preach, may there be less of me and more of You. Help me to not focus on some sort of fancy speech or clever delivery, but rather on Christ and Him Crucified. I know that aside from that, nothing really matters. -

Day 333: Rom 14:1 - 16:27

The subject of chapter 14 is unfortunately one that plagues the church like a hideous, growing cancer - drama. If you've ever spent much time in the church or even more so in the ministry, you no doubt have been exposed to drama like none other. It's no coincidence that this subject is in the Bible because it is one that can tear a body of believers apart faster than anything. All too often, we and our fellow believers find ourselves caught up in little spats over topics such as drinking and smoking or whether or not women can preach in church; all the while, people (people that we have been called to reach) are dying and going to hell having never heard the Gospel preached in such a way that can truly turn them around. I appreciate the way that Paul deals with petty arguments such as this so that we can get our minds off of the little stuff and focus on what's really important. The bottom line from Paul's perspective is this - if you're involved in something that could be interpreted as evil (whether or not it actually is) and could cause your brother to stumble, it's not worth the risk. So I would encourage anyone reading this to re-examine what you're doing and decide whether or not it's worth the risk because there are people out there right now who don't need to be bothered with petty arguments that plague the church, they need to hear the Gospel that will not only get them to heaven, but will ultimately lead them to true victory in every area of their lives.

- Father, help me to not waste my time or yours on the petty arguments that plague today's Christian society, but let me go forward with Your Word and change the world in which I live. Give me the strength and courage to go into every corner of this earth and spread Your love and truth to this lost and dying world. You are the only subject that is truly worthy of discussion. -

Day 332: Rom 10:1 - 13:14

In chapter 11, Paul compares a very familiar feeling with those of Elijah when he describes himself as being one of a "loyal minority." It's interesting to note that Elijah felt that way hundreds of years before Paul and yet we still feel that way nearly 2000 years later. It's important now, as it was then, for us to be reminded of the fact that our focus should never be on ourselves or this seemingly "small" army that we have become members of. As long as we keep our focus on the One leading the army, He'll be sure to keep His focus on His troops. I know at times I've felt like I was the only one for miles and miles who had any sort of relationship with God, but we must remember at times like these that we are not some sort of outsider or mutation, but rather we, the loyal minority, are much more comparable to a rare gem or item of value. Instead of allowing our passion to count us out and force us out of the picture, we can stand strong knowing that we have something that the world needs whether they realize it or not. And just like the army of Gideon we, the minority, can conquer all that God has laid before us, not because of what we can do, but because of Who He is!

- Lord, help me not to be intimidated when I feel outnumbered by those in opposition to Your Word. I know that as long as You're on my side, I don't need anybody else. It's not by my might nor by my power, but by Your spirit that I can move forward and claim my world for You! -

Day 331: Rom 8:1 - 9:33

Romans 8 is one of those passages that I could read 100 times and hear 100 different sermons about, and I would still feel as though there's more to learn from it. I love this chapter because it goes directly against the attitude that religion has taught for centuries. Religion seems to think that the way to live a Christian life is to start on the outside and eventually it will make its way inside. Growing up in church, I can't remember how many times I heard my father say that you can't clean a fish before you catch it. Of course, what he meant by that is that a true Christian life doesn't stem from our outward lifestyle. In fact, it's exactly the opposite. Paul reminds us in this passage that we are called to live in the spirit and die to the flesh. If we will take our focus off of the flesh and turn our hearts completely to the Father, He will see to it that not only are our hearts in the right place, but that our flesh lines up with His will.

- Lord, help me to stop living in the flesh and begin living a life completely focused on You. It's easy to focus on living a good life and not even think about the One who gave me life. Give me the focus and strength to focus on You and I know that You will make sure everything else in my life lines up with Your Word. -

Day 330: Rom 4:1 - 7:25

Grace is always such an interesting topic of discussion because no matter what we say or do, it is always human nature for us to think of anything God offers as us something that we must earn or buy. God's grace is something that none of us could ever earn and yet each and everyone of us can have it. All too often, we find ourselves focusing on the part of grace that deals with us when, in reality, God's grace has nothing to do with us and everything to do with Him. Some Christians tend to view God's grace as some sort of "get out of jail free pass," giving them a license to sin all they want. On the other end of the spectrum are the people who think that we must somehow earn His grace by doing as many things as possible right and avoiding doing anything wrong. The problem with both of these beliefs is that they are focussed on the recipient and not the giver. God offers us His grace not because of who we are or aren't, He offers is because of Who He is. And we can see that when we are truly living in the grace of God, the very grace that He gives will provide us with the strength and fortitude necessary to live Godly, righteous lives not in an effort to earn His grace, but as a direct result of the grace He has given.

- Father, I want to live my life in the light of Your grace. I know that there is no possible way that I could earn Your grace, all I can do is humbly accept it and allow You to make the changes in me that are necessary to live the life that You have ordained. -

Day 329: Rom 1:1 - 3:31

The book of Romans can sometimes be a difficult book to read if you aren't prepared to pay attention and use your brain the entire time. Reading the first 2 1/2 chapters without continuing on with the rest of the book can be both discouraging and dangerous. What we have learned so far, and will continue to learn, is the fact that without the law, grace would mean very little. We have found ourselves living in a society exactly like the one described in this passage where people have attempted to remove right and wrong in an attempt to absolve themselves from any real responsibility. Unfortunately, ignoring a truth could never make it any less true, and in fact, our society's ignorance of the necessity of righteousness has not only proven ineffective at getting rid of it, but has actually done well to support and even prove the fact that we are a lost generation without the desire to obey God's Word. The discussion of law vs. grace can oftentimes be a very heated one, and it is abundantly evident in the fact that God has written an entire book of the Bible specifically on this subject, but we are beginning to learn that Jesus didn't come to simply destroy the law and make it completely useless, but rather He came so that mankind would finally receive the final piece of the puzzle that doesn't cancel the law, but completes its purpose in our lives.

- Father help me to live a life of righteousness without becoming a legalistic Christian. I realize that I have yet to fully understand this subject, but I pray that as I continue to explore the book of Romans, You will continue to reveal this beautiful contrast between grace and the law. -

Day 328: Acts 27:1 - 28:31

You know, it's really difficult to read this passage of Scripture and not understand the point. Paul had a call from God, the devil tried to stop him by putting him right in the way of the storm, and God saved him from the storm so he could get to Rome. As easy as it would be to just end it here, I feel that would be cheating, so I will do my best to elaborate. God has called each and every one of us to do something great for His kingdom. Although the call on each of our lives may have the appearance of being more or less important, we must realize that we all play an integral part in advancing God's kingdom. And the truth is that no matter how important we may think it is, the devil always knows how important it is and will do everything he can to stop it. Regardless of who you are and what God has called you to, there is a storm in some form or fashion that the devil is trying to throw in your way, but you can take heart knowing that God will keep you safe if you will just trust in him. We must remember that even if everything around us falls apart and sinks to the bottom of the sea, God will always be there to keep our head above the water and if we will let Him, He will use the very same situation that we saw as a disaster and help us get to the place that He has called us to.

- Lord, help me to keep my faith in You when the storms arise. I know that You will always remain faithful and will save me from any storms that the devil might throw my way. You are the One I put my faith in and with You, I can never drown. -