spiritual mechanics

Posted on January 7, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

SDC11999 Luke 4:8-12.  Some teach that getting what you want from God is a matter of spiritual mechanics.  All you have to do is find some promise in the text of scripture, put your faith in it, and act out that faith so that people know you are sincere. Satan apparently followed that philosophy when he tempted Jesus to trust Psalm 91 to protect him. Jesus responded by quoting Deut.6:16. For him to put his life in danger and then trust God to rescue him because of the words of a promise would be testing God. It would be taking advantage of the relationship for personal gain. A loving son would not do that to his father.

LORD, teach us to respect you, and not to take advantage of our relationship with you for personal gain.

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a rock and a hard place

Posted on January 7, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

SDC11262 Psalm 6.  David is suffering between a rock (apparently an illness from which he needs healing (2)) and a hard place (his enemies gloating over his misfortune).  He does not want to die for two reasons. First, the state of death (Sheol) offers no opportunity for a worship or a conscious relationship with God (5). Second, his enemies would have even more reason to gloat at his defeat. He prays that the LORD would deliver his life (4) for the sake of his steadfast love. By the end of his prayer he is confident that God has accepted his plea, and that his enemies will have to retreat. He knows God is going to intervene.

LORD, when we are between a rock and a hard place, remind us to pray. You can change things.

Posted in conditional immortality, conflict, prayer, relationship with God, sleep of death, suffering | Tagged | 1 Comment

empowerment or destruction?

Posted on January 6, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

SDC11986 Luke 3:1-22.  John the Baptist had the incredible responsibility to lead his nation to repentance in  preparation for the Messiah and his mission.  Isaiah encouraged the same nation to prepare themselves for the deliverance God wanted to give them (Isaiah 40:3-5). The Messiah would baptize his people in the Holy Spirit, providing both purity and power. But The Messiah will not work among the unrepentant. Those that are not ready to be used by the Holy Spirit to win the nations, Christ will treat as chaff. He will baptize them not with the Holy Spirit, but with fire that destroys. Those were the two options. They still are.

LORD, forgive us for our sins, and empower us for your mission.

Posted in conditional immortality, Holy Spirit, judgment, repentance, witness | Tagged | 1 Comment

transformed ministry

Posted on January 5, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

SDC11985 Luke 2:22-52.  From the few incidents Luke records of Jesus’ infancy and childhood, it is reasonable to assume that Mary was one of the eyewitnesses that he consulted. She told of the day they brought him into the temple at Jerusalem to be dedicated. There they met an old man named Simeon who called Jesus The Lord’s salvation.  He blessed the parents, but he also warned Mary that there would be opposition and grief. Simeon’s ministry of prophecy found its completion that day because he saw the Christ, so he could depart this life in peace. They also met one of the temple widows, Anna’s ministry of worship was transformed from that day because she finally saw what she had been praying and fasting for. Years later, Mary and Joseph are back in the temple, looking for their 12 year old son, whom they had misplaced. He is sitting among the teachers, amazing everyone with his understanding. No doubt the ministry of a few teachers was transformed that day.

LORD, transform our lives and ministries by your presence.

Posted in faithfulness, hope, Jesus Christ, leadership, ministry | Tagged | Leave a comment

the line to see Jesus

Posted on January 4, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

SDC11977 Luke 2.  Becky Kelley’s video “Where’s the line to see Jesus?” has her in a mall at Christmas time, and people are in line to see Santa.  A little boy appears and asks her “Where’s the line to see Jesus?”  It is an effective reminder that the holiday should be about him. The shepherds in Luke 2 could have built a shrine where the angels had visited them. They could have advertised the site, and had others pay to see it. Instead their Christmas message sent them “with haste” to see Jesus. They wanted to be first in line. And after they saw him, they “make known the saying” so that others would understand how special Jesus is.

LORD, may we get in the right line — the one to see Jesus.

The video is available at this link: http://wheresthelinetoseejesus.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=93&Itemid=159

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the third way

Posted on January 3, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

SDC11972 Gen .3. The tree of life appears first in scripture in the creation account. In addition to all other kinds of trees that are nice to look at, and nourishing, God makes two other trees: the tree of knowing good and evil (which God prohibits man from eating), and the tree of life (which God does not prohibit).[1] After Adam and Eve transgressed and ate of the tree of knowledge, God was true to his threat and made them mortal,[2] and also banished them from the Garden so that they would not have the opportunity to eat of the tree of life, and thus gain immortality in their unredeemed sinful state.[3] Human beings had actually two opportunities for immortality in Eden: escape becoming mortal by obeying God’s prohibition, or simply taking of the tree of life itself. This was not superfluous. It was merely our gracious God in action, giving his creatures more grace than they deserve. He was not finished with us even after the fall. He provided a third way to eternal life through Christ.

LORD, thank you for your grace; thank you for Christ, our way to eternal  life.

[1] Genesis 2:9.

[2] Genesis 2:17, 5:5.

[3] Genesis 3:22-24.

Posted in conditional immortality, eternal life, grace, Jesus Christ | Tagged | Leave a comment

our way back

Posted on January 3, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

SDC11971 Psalm 2.  This psalm speaks of the LORD, the God who created the nations. It also speaks of another, whom the LORD calls “my Son.” The LORD speaks to the Son and chooses somehow to beget him on a certain day. The LORD does not create him as a person; he brings him into existence as a human. The One to whom the LORD is speaking is already in existence as a divine being. He is the Son — the “anointed” who is to become King of Zion. The LORD warns the kings of the nations to kiss the Son, lest he be angry and they suffer his coming wrath. The author of Hebrews asserts that God’s Messiah would be a Son of God who would have “days of his flesh” (Heb. 5:7). During those days he would suffer, and become “the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him” (Heb. 5:9).

LORD, thank you for your eternal Son, our way back to you.

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we need grace

Posted on January 2, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

SDC11970 Gen. 2:7,16-17. Two important truths about humanity are made clear in this early passage. First, human beings are made up of the stuff of earth, and our lives are dependent entirely on God. Second, we had an opportunity to be something more by obeying the prohibition  in Eden. We blew it. Anything we ever become is by God’s grace.

LORD, we acknowledge our need for your grace.

Posted in conditional immortality, grace | Tagged | 1 Comment

among the crowds

Posted on January 2, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

09320065 Psalm 1.  Wicked persons trust in the strength of numbers.  They are comfortable among the crowds, where sin is the norm, and people scoff at religion and piety. They are among the sheaves of wheat — thousand in the field — all look alike. They take their security from their sameness. Harvest day comes. Suddenly they realize that their sameness did not save them. They perish, burned up because they are only chaff — an outer shell with no substance.

Righteous persons trust in God’s word for their security. Their roots go deep and they prosper in God’s due season. Their confidence is in this: the LORD knows them.

LORD, challenge us to stay rooted in you, and not to get too comfortable among the crowds.

Posted in conditional immortality, confidence, discernment, wisdom, worldview | Tagged | Leave a comment

certainty

Posted on January 1, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

SDC11825 Luke 1.  Luke wrote his Gospel account so that Theophilus could be sure that the things he had been taught about Jesus Christ are true and accurate. To Luke, it does matter what one believes. If you base your entire philosophy of life on a lie, your life will reflect that lie. So Luke does Theophilus (and all his readers) a favour. He carefully investigates all of the stories, legends and myths that had begun to be associated with Jesus. The result is a document that is historically accurate.

LORD, you have given us the truth about yourself. Now help us to reflect that truth and share it with others who need to know you.

Posted in scriptures, truth, witness | Tagged | 1 Comment