Daily Light - November 23, 2010

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful."

1 Corinthians 4:2

One of the keys to this verse is the word "required". There is no doubt that all that we have has been given to us as a trust by God. Therefore, we know who the owner of every thing is. We are stewards of what belongs to God. He requires of us that we take care of what we have been given and use it in a way that would bring Him honor and glory. The requirement to be faithful comes in when we recognize that this stewardship responsibility is a daily task. Let's look at one of these areas.
We are responsible to take care of our bodies and our health. Many times we only think of our health when something is wrong, then we expect the doctor to fix the damage that we have already done. As Americans we eat too much and exercise too little. I know that this is probably not a good thing to talk about the week of Thanksgiving, but it is still true. I love good food like anyone else, and I am thankful for all that we have. However, we must learn moderation in every area of our lives. It is essential that we recognize that habits such as excessive eating, unhealthy eating, smoking, drinking, and others are damaging the temple of God. Paul emphasized to the church of Corinth that this body is not ours but the Lord's. This is the point of stewardship. If it belongs to the Lord, why would we do that which would be damaging and detrimental to it?
Also, we must exercise to keep this body that God has given to us healthy. The Bible speaks many times of walking, running, and other physical activities. In many cultures physical activity is a way of life. In our culture we are known more for sitting at desks all day then going home to spend the evening in the recliner. No wonder we are leading the world in diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. A pastor that I deeply respect is an avid runner. He runs several miles a day and has done that for years. I assumed that he was just an active person and that is the reason that he ran so much. However, one day he gave his personal testimony and told why he exercises so much. He suffers from severe diabetes; he gives himself several shots of insulin a day. The doctor told him that if he did not eat right and exercise regularly that he would die. He took the doctors words seriously and started doing what was necessary to be healthy.
His testimony went beyond the physical however. He testified that the reason that he did what he did was because God gave him responsibilities that he could not abandon. God had entrusted him with a wife and children. God had entrusted him to be the pastor of a ministry. He ran every day with the thought that he wanted to prolong his life to take care of his family and serve the Lord in the ministry to which he was called. His desire to exercise was as much spiritual as it was physical. He had decided to be a good steward of all that was given to him.
May you surrender your body to the Lord today!

Daily Light - November 22, 2010

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful."

1 Corinthians 4:2

What does God expect from you? Many people have some ideas about God's expectations for our lives that are not Biblical and surely not practical. As a pastor I encounter people that feel like they cannot serve God or live for God because they are not worthy to do so. They are correct in the fact that in our natural flesh we are not worthy, but when we have come to Christ and trusted Him as Savior, He makes us worthy. We are living this Christian life based on not how valuable we are in ourselves, but solely on how valuable what we have in Christ is.
The Bible calls believers "stewards". A steward is one who takes that which he has been given by a higher authority and does with it what the higher authority would have him do. As a believer, our higher authority is without any doubt the Lord, Jesus Christ. We have been given an inheritance by the Father through His Son; everything that we own and possess is given as a trust from the hand of the Almighty. It is now imperative that we use those things as God would have them to be used. Stop for a moment and consider literally every thing in your life. Your health, family, possessions, ministry, and all that you can think of belong to the Lord. He has called you to be a steward of those things.
It is important that you realize that God never called any one to be miraculous or amazing. It was never stated any where in Scripture that a steward needed to be extraordinary. There is no prerequisite of the Christian that he be incredibly, gifted, talented, or brilliant. God's only requirement for a steward of His goodness is that he be faithful. Any one can be faithful, but that is the one thing that Jesus asked if He would find when He returns.
For the next several days I would like to challenge you to consider these areas for your life and ask yourself if you are truly being a God-honoring steward in them. I would like to encourage you today to stop during this first day of the Thanksgiving week, and praise God for all with which He has blessed you. It might even be a good idea this week to make a list of everything that God has bestowed upon your life. At the end of the week you will probably have a greater understanding of the words of the hymn writer that stated, "Count your blessings; name them one by one. It will surprise you what the Lord has done."
May you be found faithful today!

Daily Light - November 19, 2010

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"The Lord...saw that there was no man,

and wondered that there was no intercessor;

therefore His own arm brought salvation for Him."

Isaiah 59:16

I love this portion of Scripture, because it reveals the two most consistent truths found in the Word of God. First, man is completely sinful and has no righteousness found in himself. Some will balk at that comment, because they will point to their morality and acts of kindness as a degree of righteousness. We must always understand that the Bible does not declare us to be sinners because we commit sin. That is the common misconception about man. We are declared to be sinners by a holy God, because we were each born with a sin nature and that nature separates us from God. Even if we lived completely moral lives and did not commit any transgressions, by our very nature we would fall short of the standard of God's holiness.
Isaiah declared in this passage the facts of man's unrighteousness. If we listen closely, we can hear that the things that he says about his day are true in ours as well. Listen to verse 14: "Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands afar off; for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter." The line that truth is fallen in the street is gripping. It seems that he is saying that men have made up their own truth and have ignored God's. They have decided that they know what is best and have chosen to do what they feel that they can justify. Now, this may not seem very encouraging, and it is not supposed to be. It is a dose of reality in a world that likes to believe in fiction. We are sinners that have been separated from a holy and righteous God. Without Him we are lost and will be that way for eternity.
But...
Here is the second consistent truth found in God's Word. God in His love has reached down to man to give Him hope, life, peace and joy. It was a choice of God to do this that had no basis of man's merit at all. God in His sovereign grace extended His hand of love for man to be saved. Hallelujah, what a Savior! I heard a pastor preaching on the internet. He made a statement that I completely disagree with. He said that man does not come to God until he gets desperate for God. He tried to find some illustrations to back up his point, but I don't think he realized how badly they backfired on him. One of his illustrations was the woman at the well. May I point out the obvious? This woman did not come to Jesus; He came to her. He came out of no obligation but only by His choice and His love. Praise God that He did the same for you and me. The cross of Calvary was not a place of sacrifice because we deserved it; it was instead a divine appointment set up by the Father Himself to redeem His people. Without any doubt our sin is costly, but thank God that the price has been paid by the loving-kindness of God.
May you shout a shout of thanks to the Lord today!

Daily Light - November 18, 2010

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!"

Philippians 4:4

"Gloom, despair, and agony on me; Deep, dark depression, excessive misery." Some of you remember those words from an old television program. It was part of a song that was to poke fun at how pitiful we think we are. I always loved the line of the song that said, "If it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all." If ever there was a song of discouragement, this is it. I feel, however, that I'd rather hear a song of discouragement than watch a life of discouragement. It seems that some are trying to live out the lyrics to the song.
Unfortunately, many of those walking around with despair clearly on their faces are people who claim to be children of God. Now, I understand that difficulty comes into all of our lives, but surely life as a believer is not so bad that we should be walking around with sad or disgruntled faces. Some "believers" just look angry all of the time; they have a continually sour disposition. Some are always aching and moaning about their circumstances, finances, or health. If you stay still for too long when you are around them, you will get the whole story of their present calamity and those that they predict for the future.
I believe that it is time to recognize that we are children of the Most High God and start acting like it. We are blessed and privileged to be in God's family, and we have a hope that is sure. God saved us by giving us the most precious gift of His Son, and with that He has also given us the benefit of joy unspeakable and full of glory! It is there to claim for every follower of Christ, but you cannot hold on to your self-pity and joy at the same time. The anger that seethes up into your life is not from God but the enemy; it is a bitterness that can be overcome by the pleasant grace of God. As the bride of Christ you have experienced this grace, and it is now imperative that it flows out of you into the lives of others.
Paul said that he was going to always rejoice in the Lord. Always is a big word, because it means not only an amount of time but through all things. Then, to get his point across further, after he has told us to rejoice always, he gives the call once again to rejoice. There should be rejoicing on top of my rejoicing! Hallelujah, praise the Lamb for who He is and all that He has done! I am today without any doubt free from the guilt of the past and the judgment of my sin in the future. If you are with me, then we have much to rejoice about!
May you rejoice in God your Savior today!

Daily Light - November 16, 2010

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"Without faith it is impossible to please Him."

Hebrews 11:6

I woke up during the night with an acrostic that I have heard many times going through my mind. FAITH = Forsaking All I Take Him. This play on words for faith is an accurate picture of what it means to be a disciple of Christ. There is a call to each believer to be a follower of Christ. It may sound odd to say it that way, but I believe that there are many "believers" who are not necessarily "followers" of Christ. They believe on Him as the Savior of their soul, but they have never come to that place of decision that they have made Him the Lord of their life. Why?
It is quite simply because they do not like the first two words in the acrostic that I gave you above: Forsaking All. This is absolutely the most difficult thing to do, but it is also the most necessary requirement to be a follower of Jesus. When Jesus called His disciples, He simply said to each of them, "Follow me." They understood very clearly that this command and invitation was predicated on the fact that they would leave everything else behind in order to carry it out. Therefore, some of them left their nets with fish flopping around inside of them. Matthew left his seat with his former god, money, still on the table. The one we call "Doubting" Thomas was sure enough to walk away from his former life in order to be a disciple. On the other hand, the rich young ruler went away disappointed, because he could not forsake all and carry His cross.
Discipleship is not a course that you take at church; it is instead a course that you must walk each and every day of your life. It is a life of devotion to the Almighty which has nothing to do with your own merit, talents, or abilities. Discipleship is simply a life surrendered to God and the decision to follow wherever and however the Spirit leads. It will lead you through pain, into the presence of your enemies, and even through the shadow of death. There is no promise of ease or comfort just as those would be followers of Jesus were told that there would be no place to lay their head. If you are looking for personal and physical satisfaction, this is not the life for you. However, if you are willing to endure the cross that is set before you and suffer with Christ, there is in the midst of His heart a joy unspeakable and full of glory.
May you forsake all and take Him today!

Daily Light - November 15, 2010

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"They forgot God their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt."

Psalm 106:21

Have you ever said something like, "I'll never forget that as long as I live"? This statement would obviously follow something that was exciting, shocking, or life-changing. That moment made such an impression in your mind and heart that you felt as if it would be indelibly pressed on your soul for the rest of your life. Wouldn't it be interesting to go back to all the times that we said that and see if we truly remembered what happened in that situation?
The children of Israel had experienced for many years the torment of slavery in Egypt. They had endured unbelievable suffering and an attempted holocaust of their people. In God's mercy He sent Moses to be the deliverer of His people. Moses challenged Pharaoh in the name of the Almighty, and God brought great plagues upon the whole nation of Egypt. The children of Israel saw the frogs, the flies, and all of the other things that came about according to God's Word. Finally, on the night of Passover, they placed the blood of a lamb on their doorposts and were delivered from death. It was after all of these things that Pharaoh let them go, and they marched out all the way to the Red Sea. However, they were now pressed between two impossible situations: the Red Sea and the Egyptian army. It is here that we first see the complaining of God's people. Once again, God in His mercy opened up the sea so that they might cross and then allowed it to collapse upon their enemies.
If you do even a brief study of the book of Exodus, you will find a pattern of deliverance by God followed by the complaints of God's people. Each time that they faced any type of hardship or difficulty they turned their hearts and minds back to Egypt. At one point they longed for the good food that they had in Egypt and the luxuries that they could not find in the wilderness. The reality of the situation was that Egypt was a place of bondage with suffering and pain, but they were walking toward a place of deliverance with hope and promise.
How often in a much similar fashion do we forget God's goodness on our own lives? It is because of His mercies that we are not consumed, but if things are not going our way who do we blame? Somewhere along the way we got the idea that God's purpose for existence is to make us happy. We think that He is obligated to make sure that we are comfortably blessed. The problem is that we have it all upside down. We are here to accomplish His purpose, to make Him happy, and to bless Him with our lives. Yes, we are beneficiaries to His love and kindness, but when we start focusing on ourselves we forget God. Let's go to the Father and beg forgiveness for this selfish attitude and be reminded of the great things that He has done in our lives. Let it not ever be said of us that we forgot God our Savior.
May you thank God for His loving kindness today!

Daily Light - November 12, 2010

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry."

2 Timothy 4:11

What is the heaviest thing that you can carry? I was never one of the strongest guys on the football team in high school. I used to watch with amazement as friends would bench press enormous amounts of weight while the bar was bending underneath the strain. Recently I had to help move a piano. Is there anything heavier or more awkward than moving a piano? I offered to just carry the bench all by myself, but I had to pull my weight on the piano too. There is only one thing that I know of that even the physically weakest among us carries that is heavier and more awkward: a grudge.
Most people that are carrying a grudge often do one of two things when you bring up the subject. They either deny that they are carrying this grudge, or they get defensive about why they are carrying it. Those in denial are often in more dangerous territory, because they haven't even dealt with the root of the bitterness that is destroying their lives. Those who get defensive about it try to justify their behavior based on the other individual's behavior. Neither argument stands up when it comes into the light of God's grace and forgiveness. When we are encouraged to be like Christ, all grudges must be eradicated and forgiveness, mercy, and grace must rule the day.
Paul had an occasion where a major disagreement came between him and his friend Barnabas. They had gone out on a successful missionary journey. They were used of God in mighty ways to point people to the saving power of Jesus Christ. The only hiccup along the way was that Barnabas' nephew Mark had quit on them during the journey. After they returned home for a while, Paul and Barnabas felt compelled to strike out again into other regions. Barnabas insisted on Mark coming along, but Paul refused to hear of it. They could not come to an agreement and chose to part ways. Surely Paul would never want to have any thing to do with Mark ever again, because he had been the primary reason for Paul's loss of a best friend. In our passage, however, we see him telling Timothy to bring Mark back, because he would be useful in the ministry.
What had transpired to cause this change of heart? The Bible is quite silent on the subject, but I can venture a guess. If anyone knew of the changing power of God, it was Paul. He recognized that holding someone accountable for their past for the rest of their lives is not profitable to any one, especially Christ. If there is someone that you have any sort of grudge toward today, realize that you are not only hurting yourself, but your resentment is also hurting the cause of Christ in your life. God cannot use a vessel filled with bitterness. It must be emptied and washed clean with the agent of God's forgiveness before it is useful. Let God do a cleansing in your heart and then offer the gentle hand of God's forgiveness.
May you be free from the bondage of others today!