Daily Light - October 20, 2010

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"He must increase, but I must decrease."

John 3:30

Why do we pray the way that we do? Have you ever thought about the intentions and motives of your prayers? The Bible clearly teaches us that we are to do all things for the glory of God, but I am personally convinced that often I pray for what will make me happy not Him. Communion with God through prayer is an awesome privilege that allows us to have direct communication with the Father. A clear look at Scripture will teach us that God opens this pathway so that He might have fellowship with His creation. He receives glory by talking with us. We must be careful to not make prayer all about us.

Now, I am not saying that you should stop praying for the things that you currently have on your heart. I am simply suggesting that we need to consider our motives for doing so. Let me give you an illustration. I often pray for God's protection over my life and the lives of my family members. What I mean when I pray this is that I want God to keep any harm or any thing bad from happening to us. Obviously there is nothing wrong with wanting to protect my family, but what is my real motive? The truth is I just don't want to have to deal with pain and difficulty. Consider this question with me though. What if God wants to allow something in my life that is painful and trying? There are plenty of illustrations in the Scriptures where some of God's most faithful servants faced great trials. Did God not answer their prayers for protection?

Here is the change that must take place in our prayer lives. We must start praying for God's will to be done and not our own. However, when you do, be aware that God's will may be far different than your own. God's will may have difficulty and suffering in it. God's will is about bringing Him glory not you. John the Baptist experienced this as much as any one. He gave up every thing to be the forerunner for Jesus Christ. He surrendered his life to do the will of the Father. It eventually cost him his life. Do you think he complained when he met the Father? No, I believe he heard the words well done, because his life brought the Father glory.

John's prayer for his life was that Jesus might increase while he decreased. Many of us often pray that God would "lift us up". Could I encourage you to change this part of your prayer life today? Ask God today to bring you low! Ask Him to humble you so that all that you desire and want is the will of the Father. It is a difficult prayer, but it is desperately needed in our spiritual lives.

May you be brought low before a holy God today!

Daily Light - October 19, 2010

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision!

For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision."

Joel 3:14

Lately God has been speaking to my heart of two types of fire that are necessary in my life. First, there is the fire of judgment that burns away all that God has rejected in order to make us more pure before Him. The second fire is one of revival or renewal that burns like the flame of a holy sacrifice to God. As the Holy Spirit settles on our lives we burn for the sake of God's kingdom and for His glory.

These thoughts have driven me to study the minor prophets toward the end of the Old Testament. The section of the minor prophets starts at Hosea and ends with Malachi. I must warn you if you decide to start studying this section of Scripture that it can be very dark and troublesome. For years I avoided it, because I didn't really understand all that was going on, and every time you turn around someone is being consumed with fire. God is judging the nations right and left, and you get the idea that no one can survive before a holy God. Then, one day a light went on in my heart. I think that is exactly the point of these minor prophets. Who are we as mere mortal men to stand before God in our unrighteousness and expect Him keep extending His mercy? He is a holy God, and His purity will not be compromised. This is exactly the message that the church of Jesus Christ needs in this day.

Recently, as I read in the book of Joel, I came across the above verse. God has before Him all of those who are standing in judgment. Notice that it says there are multitudes, multitudes awaiting the verdict. I imagine in my mind's eye a multitude of people standing before God as far as the eye can see. They are awaiting the verdict upon their lives. The Bible says that the Lord will judge the dead and the living. There are many there in that day that will know that their doom is certain. There will also be many that stand before God knowing that they have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. However, I believe that most of the world will stand at this moment in the hope and belief that their righteousness outweighs their sin. Many of these people will have a claim that they have been a good, fair, and honest person. Many will even be able to accurately testify that they attended church on a regular basis. In their minds they have convinced themselves that they are good enough, but they will be shocked by the final decision.

The church, like the nation of Israel, needs to repent of placing so many things before God that He almost gets lost in the shuffle of our works and ministry. We need to confess a pride that has caused us to justify ourselves by our own righteousness. We live in a world that will be desperately hopeless on this day of judgment, but we have all but isolated ourselves from them. Too much of today's church has holed themselves up in their church buildings and forgotten a needy world. Let's wake up and realize that there is a valley of decision that stands before all of us. What have we done with what God has given us, and will the things that we have produced be able to endure the fire of God's judgment?

May you be ready to face the Lord on that day!

Daily Light - October 18, 2010

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"Where could we get enough bread in the wilderness to fill such a great multitude?"

Matthew 15:33

Faith is a funny thing. Most people say that if they could see something then they would believe. Of course we know that is not always true, and it is also by definition not faith. I am sure that there were some that saw Jesus do great miracles and called Him Lord as a result of those miracles. However, it was not long before they were shouting "Crucify Him" about the same Man. They saw, but they did not believe.
Jesus' disciples had this same problem. This particular passage is when Jesus fed four thousand people with seven loaves and a few fish. Yes, it was four thousand! This is after Jesus had miraculously fed five thousand with five loaves and two fish. Surely they knew that nothing was impossible for Jesus now. Right! No, instead when Jesus presented the situation to them, all they could see was the impossible. Why? I think the passage gives us a few clues.
First, they said "we" in their response to Jesus. Somehow they thought that the answer was dependent on them. What could they do? They had no resources with which to feed people or money to buy food. They were helpless in themselves. I think that is exactly the way God wants us to be. He desires that His children be completely dependent on His power and resources. Second, they were focused on where they were. They asked where they would get enough food in the wilderness to feed such a crowd. How much we need to realize that our circumstances will never determine the extent of God's power! We often feel that if we were in a better situation that things would be better spiritually. Remember that it was on a stormy sea that Jesus met His disciples and taught them one of the greatest lessons of faith. Third, the disciples could only see how much they had and how big the crowd was. What they forgot to realize was that they had the Creator of the world standing right next to them, and nothing is impossible for God. When we look at the overwhelming situations of our lives, we must realize that God is never overwhelmed. He knows exactly what to do when we cannot see an answer.
Once again, this was the second time that Jesus had performed a similar miracle. Why didn't the disciples have faith that He could do it again? Let's ask ourselves that question. How many times has God worked in our lives and done great things, but when a problem comes up we seem to forget all about the last time? Give God what you have by faith and watch Him do the miraculous! He is a mighty God that knows exactly how to accomplish His will in your life.
May you trust Him completely today!

Daily Light - October 15, 2010

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst."

John 8:9

There is no doubt that she is guilty. This woman was caught in the very act of adultery. Of course there are plenty of questions that have to go along with that statement. How was a private affair such public knowledge? Where is the man that was with her? Is she just a pawn in this cruel game to set up Jesus? While those questions may swirl around in our minds, she is considering none of them. This woman is lying in front of an angry and hateful crowd that is gathering stones for her unavoidable execution. This Teacher that they have brought her to is acting quite unusual. The mob obviously doesn't like Him very much, but He just calmly writes in the sand.

To this woman's shock, Jesus' first words were not of condemnation or ridicule. As a matter of fact, He hasn't even acknowledged her. Instead He addressed her accusers by telling the one's without sin to cast the first stone. As self-righteous as this crowd acted and as condemning as they were, surely there was one that thought he was perfect. She braced to feel the sting of the first rock to pelt against her body. Instead she heard the thud of rocks falling to the ground and footsteps leading away from her. She wanted to look up, but she was too afraid. Suddenly, she heard the voice of the Teacher. At this point she realized by His inflection that they were alone. She stole a look upward to where He was and saw the kindest face that she had ever seen. He asked her where her accusers were. Was there no one left to condemn her? She took a long glance back to where her accusers had once stood. She saw the scattered pile of stones lying on the ground. Through tear-stained eyes she looked at Jesus and replied with a parched throat, "No one, Lord."

She knew of her guilt and that is what really mattered. If this Man asked her if she was guilty, she would have to respond affirmatively. What she did not realize though was that Jesus knew of her guilt as well. As a matter of fact, He knew even the man that she had been with. In His mind He knew every thing about her. He knew how life had been for her and how she had gotten to this point. Although God detests sin, the effect of it on His creation deeply saddens Him. It is this awesome love of God that extends mercy to the guiltiest of sinners. Jesus spoke to her and said, "Neither do I condemn you." She thought her heart would burst with joy and relief. She knew that she was guilty, but she had been released from the payment for her sinful act. With this instruction, Jesus gave her one more word of important instruction. "Go, and sin no more." He was telling her to not abuse His grace and mercy. Don't foolishly take advantage of what God has freely given. See it as a gift from God, and repent of sin. Putting on God's righteousness does not give you the right to wallow in the mud and filth of sin.

In my mind's eye, I fast forward to a later date. This woman is standing watching the barbarous punishment of a crucifixion. She normally doesn't come to see these disgusting rituals, but this one is different. The One in the middle is the Teacher who refused to condemn her. As the sky turns black and the ground shakes, she hears Him cry to His Father. Suddenly, it all makes sense. The reason that He did not condemn her that day even though they both were so sure of her guilt was because He knew that on this day He would take her guilt upon Himself. She wept once again knowing that this was no simple man or teacher. She had been forgiven by God Himself.

May you know the mercy of God today!

Daily Light - October 14, 2010

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"No one can...say to Him, 'What have You done?'"

Daniel 4:35

There have been numerous times in my life that I have wondered what God was doing and why He was allowing certain things to happen. If any one ever tells you that they have figured God out, caution them that they are in for some big surprises. Isaiah even said that it is impossible for our human mind to completely understand God and His ways. There have been many people that have felt that God is not fair at times, yet the Bible teaches us that His judgments are always true, just, and righteous. What is it then that we have to understand about God in order to be able to rest in Him even though we may not always understand Him?

The one thing that we must know about God is that He is sovereign. This word is usually used in a reference to a king or ruler who is declared to be the final authority. Although many versions of the Bible do not use this word, it is what is meant whenever you see a phrase such as "Lord GOD". This phrase teaches us that God is supreme above all things and that He is Lord (owner and controller) over all things. In our passage King Nebuchadnezzar had to find out the hard way that God was sovereign. He walked through his kingdom proclaiming his power, goodness, and majesty. The Scriptures tell us that while he was still speaking God spoke up and showed him that there was only room for one Sovereign King. Nebuchadnezzar was humbled and sent as a wild beast out into the field for seven years. When he returned, he did not complain to God that his treatment was unfair. Instead he cautioned any one to speak against the supreme will of the Most High.

Have you made God the Sovereign Lord of your life? I am not asking about your salvation; I am asking about who has control of your every day life. It is amazing to me how many of us try to control and manipulate life on our own and then complain to God when it all falls apart. We can get ourselves into an insurmountable amount of debt because we have to have so much stuff, but when the bills come due we complain to God because we don't have the money to pay them. Why don't we just admit to Him that we got in this mess because we took control instead of giving it to Him?

God also sovereignly allows difficulty and pain to be a part of our lives. There is this belief that any thing difficult comes in one's life must be from the enemy. I have learned that there is nothing that comes into my life that God did not allow. Scripture proves to me that He either allowed it or maybe even caused it. When we realize this, now we have an opportunity to let God be God and surrender to His plan for our lives no matter how we may feel. Granted, this is easier said than done. However, it is when we are completely surrendered to the plan of God that we see Him as King, Lord, and the Lover of our souls.

May you make God Lord of your life today!

Daily Light - October 13, 2010

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"For the life of the flesh is in the blood."

Leviticus 17:11

Have you ever been to the barber shop and noticed that red, white, and blue pole out front? Traditionally that pole would have only been red and white. It seems that in the U.S. the blue was added for possibly a couple of reasons. If you were to go all the way back to the Middle Ages, you would find out the significance of that red and white pole. Tradition has it that the red and white stripes on the barber's pole represented the clean and blood-soaked bandages. At the top there was a basin that represented what the leeches were held in and at the bottom was another basin to catch the blood. A barber many years ago did more than give you a shave and a haircut. He was also a surgeon. One of the surgical procedures that was common for many years was bloodletting. It was believed that there was "bad blood" in a person's system and if it was removed they would be healed. This procedure was in part one of the reasons for the death of our first president, George Washington.

How could that happen? Science had it all figured out that this procedure would saves lives not take them. It would have been good for the scientists and physicians of the day to take a look at the Bible and see very clearly that God said that the life of the flesh is in the blood. The answer was right in front of them. This isn't the only area in which science and even religion has failed. For many years the official church of Rome taught that the world was flat. To argue against this ridiculous philosophy could cost you your livelihood and even your life. The church said that they were the final authority and the earth was most definitely flat. If someone in the church would have taken their time to look at Isaiah 40:22, they would have seen God described as "He who sits above the circle of the earth."

Once again, God was right and man was wrong. As we look at the world around us today, there are a large number of people who doubt the Word of God. They have trouble accepting it as truth. I have been told by several people that I would describe as quite smart if not intelligent that the Bible is just a book of made up stories and fairy tales for weak-minded people. They intellectually can't accept that Jesus Christ is the only way to the Father, that there is a Heaven, and that a loving God would allow someone to spend eternity in Hell. Here is what we must understand. Their doubt does not change its truth. The philosophies of man will never trump the truth of God's Word. It is true still today that the life of the flesh is in the blood. It is also true that the life of the Spirit comes through faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ. This is the clear teaching of God's Word. His Word has been tested and tried for centuries, and it still holds true.

May you let God's Word be the final truth for your life.

Daily Light - October 12, 2010

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!"

Matthew 17:5

What do you think of when you hear the word "hero"? According to what age you are and where you are in life, I am sure that several different things come to your mind. For some there is the picture of a soldier that fought to defend the freedoms of their countrymen and even the citizens of another country. Others may think of a family member that bravely battled a disease for several years of their life while continuing to be a light to those around them. There are of course those that have accepted the role of helping and loving those who are helpless and hurting.
Unfortunately, the word has been cheapened to mean some very small things as well. I often hear young people say that their heroes are athletes and celebrities. However, it is not fair to place that on just our young people. Turn on the television any given day and watch a sporting event. You are almost guaranteed to see grown adults spending way too much money and time to celebrate the fact that someone can throw, catch, shoot, or hit a ball. They may not say those people are their heroes, but their actions say otherwise.
Jesus took Peter, James, and John up to a mountain to pray. This was not an unusual event, but little did they know how unusual things would get. Suddenly Jesus was literally shining like the sun, and He was not alone. There, standing beside Him, were Moses and Elijah. Here are three Hebrew men who have heard and read about Moses and Elijah their whole life. If they would have had Bible trading cards in those days, these disciples would have had their cards prominently displayed in the spokes of their bikes when they were boys. The word "hero" does not even begin to explain how highly revered these two men were. We know they didn't have pictures of them in their Torah. We don't read that Jesus introduced them to the disciples. We conclude that in the super-natural we will be able to automatically identify people. They were completely amazed. They were so amazed that in the excitement Peter expressed how great it would be to build three tabernacles to commemorate the moment: one for Jesus, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.
That is when God the Father spoke. The purpose of this moment was not to glorify man. Moses and Elijah may have been used in powerful ways by God, but they were still men. There is nothing that they accomplished that they could have done apart from the power of God. God the Father is jealous for the glory of His Son. Our praise and adoration is never to be for men and their accomplishments however great they may be. All things are for God's glory, praise, and honor. The disciples fell to their faces humbled by the voice of God and His admonition. How wonderful it would be if we fell to our faces today before a God and gave Him all the praise that He deserves! Quit being so obsessed with man that you forget about the One who came to give you true life.
May you live in awe of the Messiah today!