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Who tempts me?

June 20, 2011
Filed In Daily Devotionals

“13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.” – James 1:13

A few months ago we began a curriculum with the middle schools I work with that revolved around temptation. The series was kicked off by an individual we were hoping to train up in our ministry. There was a question about halfway through the lesson that asked the students “Where do temptations come from?” It shocked me when one of the students raised his hand and said “From God.” But, what was even more painful was that many around him agreed. I waited to see how the individual leading the discussion would handle the situation and he skirted around the uncomfortableness. There are sometimes in our lives where we are to correct incorrect theology and this was one of them.

We cannot blame God for the temptations in our lives. It is not God that tempts you to visit an inappropriate website. It is not God that tempts you to give in to an addiction. It is not God that gives you the idea to cheat on a test or paper. It is our selfish desires. It is our selfish desires to be in control. It is our selfish desires to experience physical pleasures. It is our selfish desires to be accepted that tempt us, not God.

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Confidence in Your Leaders

April 26, 2011
Filed In Daily Devotionals

“17 Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.” -Hebrews 13:17

Have you ever had a job or been in the position where you didn’t respect your boss or the person you were serving under? If you haven’t, consider yourself lucky because in my 25 years I have been there a couple of times. I had a sour attitude toward the leadership that I was under and it reflected in the effort that I put into my job. I did the absolute minimum to get by and once I knew I wasn’t returning to my position I switched the gear shift into neutral and coasted until my contract was up. I no longer was creative or offering up suggestions as to how the organization could do a certain task better or more effectively. When we refuse to submit to authority or lack confidence in those above us we begin to question every decision they make. No matter what he/she/they do it won’t be good enough or is the opposite of the decision we would have made.

Reading that that we’re called to have confidence in our leaders and to submit to their authority changes our perspective on our boss, coach or employer. When we honor and respect someone that we might not wholeheartedly agree with we are honoring God as well. Submitting to someone we don’t agree with is one of the toughest things we’ll ever have to work through, but know that God honors and blesses us.

I had a horrible attitude toward the organization I worked for and counted down the days until I was no longer under contract. It was a miserable and depressing months leading up to the end of my contract because I became self-centered and self-absorbed. I read into every circumstance as being a shot against me because I was leaving the organization.

Our temptation in these circumstances is more of a temptation of being selfish than anything else. So the next time you are questioning your boss or someone above you in the company…remember that God honors us when we submit to their authority and respect them.

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An Empathizing God

April 17, 2011
Filed In Daily Devotionals

14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” -Hebrews 4:14-16

I work full-time in student ministry and one  the most commonly heard phrases in the lives of our students is “You just don’t understand!” Students feel like adults, specifically their parents, just don’t understand them, their friends or their culture.  Often times they’re not too far off because it has been a few years since I was in school and it has been a few decades for most of their parents.

Sometimes we feel the same way with  God. We face a temptation or we face the inability to have faith over a certain situation or circumstance and if we are brave enough we put words to our thoughts and cry out “You don’t understand.” But the reality is….He does.

Jesus faced temptation just like us. Jesus was put in situations where He had to have faith in His Father. So although we sometimes try to claim that He doesn’t understand…He does.

Because we serve a God that can empathize with us, we can accept the grace He offers. We can cry out to Him when we struggle and fall in His arms for comfort, because He understands. He understands how hard it is to have faith that things are going to work out when you find yourself in the middle of a difficult situation. He understands what you feel like when you face temptation.

So cry out to Him..the Great Empathizer.

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I lied about my leftovers

March 27, 2011
Filed In Daily Devotionals

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” Luke 10:36

Temptation is all around us. The curriculum that I’m working through with my group of middle school students compared the temptation of being selfish to a ninja. I’m pretty sure that is one of the best ways to describe it.

Ninjas are sneaky. You don’t see them coming. They wait for just the right moment to attack, when you least expect it.

The same goes with being selfish. We don’t wake up in the morning and step out of bed and think, “I feel like being selfish today.” We have moments where we, in a split second, make the decision to be selfish.

For example…my wife and I were walking down the streets of downtown Chicago after enjoying pizza at our favorite pizza place. We had only ate half of our pizza and so I was carrying the other half of our pizza in a box. Out of no where a homeless man approached me and asked if he could have our leftovers. It was a mixture of being shocked that someone asked for my leftovers and not wanting to give them up that I responded, “Sorry man we’re taking it home to our kids.”

Yep, I lied. Bold face lied to the guy. I did whatever I could to get out of the uncomfortable situation that I was in.

A little bit later when we arrived at the train station there were a few guys begging and I approached them and gave them the box of our pizza. This time my offering to them was out of guilt rather than obedience.

How many times have you done something similar?

God calls us to help each other out. Luke 10:25-37 is one of my favorite parables that Jesus tells. It is a model for how we are to be selfless and loving.

It is so much easier for us to ignore the people that our asking for our help. To look the other way or pretend that we are messing with our cell phone as we walk by them. Sometimes we make up excuses “Oh, I’m too busy to help” when we haven’t checked our schedule.

My wife and I have been insanely blessed lately by people that live out this parable. We have been given so much baby stuff that we have barely had to buy anything at all for our daughter who is due early June. Now that I’m on the other end and receiving the benefits of people living this out; it makes me want to do the same. Several times the past few months I’ve given away more clothes that just sit folded up in my dresser that I can’t remember the last time I wore them. I’ve given away clothes that no longer fit.

We talk a lot in churches about giving our money to church, but I am convinced that God not only wants us to tithe our paycheck, but also our schedule. To set aside time to help at church, help at a local food pantry or to pass out meals to needy people.

So find ways to help those around you! Use your talents! If you are a handyman…seek people out who need your help. If you are strong…seek people out who are moving. Make yourself available for God to use you!

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How To Overcome Temptation

December 24, 2009
Filed In Daily Devotionals

I’ve been thinking recently about the many stories of infidelity in the news over the past few months.  Whether it’s a prominent politician, a famous athlete, or some other celebrity, one often looks at the situation and wonders, “What were they thinking?”   In many instances, those who have fallen seem to have the perfect life: financial stability, worldly success, and every comfort anyone could ask for.  I have to stop and question what would make someone with “everything” risk it all for an affair which, given today’s media-centric, up-to-the-minute, celebrity-gossip fascination cannot possibly remain a secret for long.

It doesn’t take much thought, however, before the Holy Spirit begins to convict me.  How often have I wandered away from God’s perfection, His promises, His way, in pursuit of my own happiness?  Why do I often struggle with the same sins, knowing they do not bring the satisfaction they promise?  Why do I sometimes envy those who are engaging in sin as if I’m missing out on their experiences?

David (through the Holy Spirit) warns us in Psalm 37:1 not to envy the wicked:

Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong. (NIV)

But why?  Why do we find it so easy to envy those who participate in it?  Why do we desire sin?

But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. (Hebrews 3:13)

Sin seems easy.  Sin seems fun.  Sin can even seem safe, free of consequences (despite Paul’s warning in Galatians 6:7).  And maybe, sin says, just maybe, this time will be worth the consequences.  The writer of Hebrews was aware of sin’s deceitfulness.  Sin makes many promises.  But sin lies.

The continued pursuit of sin can harden our hearts.  We must not allow ourselves to be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness, but must come quickly to God and confess:

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

How do we combat the deceitfulness of sin and the hardening of our hearts?

By reminding ourselves of the result of evil.  By remaining in fellowship with other Christians who will encourage us to turn from sin and turn to Christ.  And ultimately by reminding our souls of who God is.  He is faithful.  He assures us with the promise that we are no longer bound to sin.  And He promises us that as we seek Him, He will preserve our lives and give us the power to stand against the struggle with sin.

As members of His Body, and as brothers and sisters in Christ, we should encourage each other daily to grow in sanctification.  We should also encourage each other to “lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus” (Hebrews 12:1-2).  By fixing our eyes on Christ Himself, we find the strength we need to flee from sin.

[copyright, 2009, Emily Schankweiler; A Sacrifice of Praise]

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