Inspiration from John the Baptist

Today's devotion is written by me from my mom's house. Jim and I had a meeting last night, and stayed overnight at their place. They took care of Justin while we were at the meeting.

Anyways, the scripture passage I've chosen is Matthew 3:1-12. I was inspired by the Goshen College reading for December 7.

I have to admit, I didn't pay alot of attention to what they wrote as it didn't seem relevant to me. I just thought I'd go to scripture.

John the Baptist: fore-runner to Christ. He came to "prepare the way of the Lord". This was his task. He went about it single-mindedly. He was even willing to take on the established religious leadership of the day...the Pharisees and Sadducees. Nothing stopped his message of repentance.

<>His boldness I admit, inspires me. He was a man who was not dressed in the day's fashion. He was not a social animal .... he lived in the desert, ate locusts and wild honey and dressed in camel's hair and leather. Not a man of the modern world....but people came. People listened to him. People's lives were changed by his message of repentance. He pointed folks to God even though he knew his message and the baptism that he offered wasn't enough. He still did the job that he was called to.

7But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. 9And do not presume to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father,' for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 10Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

11 "I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."

I need that boldness. I need to have that type of fire lit in my life. As I look forward to Christ's return, I need to preach the message of repentance and salvation to those around me, and not be scared of the consequences....Oh Lord..... light in me that fire to do your will, to do the task that you have set before me.

Children of Light

Today's Advent devotional is brought to us from Goshen College. I used the one dated November 29 as the one from today I has used the scripture yesterday :) . Scripture comes from Romans 13:11-14.

8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet," and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 10Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

11Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. 12 The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

Amy writes

At first it might seem odd to consider this passage in the light of Advent. The general call to "live honorably" (and it’s more explicit explanations) seem out of place as we anticipate Christ’s arrival. It reads almost as a rebuke, a form of communication usually absent from the jolly red and white of this commercial holiday.

But when I look to the passages which precede it, I begin to discover a message worthy of this season of expectation. This passage falls on the heels of a reiteration of the Golden Rule. Paul writes, "Love your neighbor as yourself." Romans 13:9-10: "Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law." This often overlooked "love" passage follows the more famous one which speaks of respecting one's government.

I begin to understand today's passage only when I see it in reference to the passages it follows. Paul tells us we fulfill the law through love. We respect the government’s authority, but ultimately recognize loving our neighbor fulfills the law. To love our neighbor is to make all other law unnecessary. To love our neighbor is to follow God even when our world tells us otherwise. This is God's dream, this is the message for which Paul calls us awake: Love your neighbor. This is the message and fulfillment we anticipate and commemorate each Advent as we await the one who has taught us to love (as well as lovingly rebuke). This is the message which will turn the world.

Love, part of the hope that we have in Christ. Through Christ, we are taught what true love is. We are taught how to love our neighbours, how to react to the government (by being subject to it), and generally just how we are to live. We are remember that we live differently now. We no longer need to walk in darkness. We are children of the light! Let us walk properly then! Let us live like Christ wants us too ... people of light, people of daytime, people who have hope in our salvation.

Advent Devotions - Dec 20

Today's reading comes from Luke 1:46b-55 by way of Goshen College.

46And Mary said,

"My soul magnifies the Lord,
47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
50And his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
51He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
52he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of humble estate;
53he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent empty away.
54He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
55as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever."

Mary sang a song of praise to God for what he was doing through her.

This song follows a time in her life where she visited Elizabeth who told her that

"Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord."

Sometimes I can just imagine how scary and amazing and how hard this all must have been for Mary. She's pregnant, engaged to be married, a virgin, who just so happens to be pregnant by God, young, and a believer in the Lord God. God called her blessed. Elizabeth calls her blessed. A child, yet unborn, leaps for joy at her arrival. And she is blessed because she believes.

It's no wonder that Mary had to "ponder all these things in heart" (Luke 2:19) It would be too much to think of all at once I should think.

So just what does Mary say in her song of praise?
1. Her soul glorifies the Lord
2. Her spirit rejoices in Him. He is her Saviour.
3. She rejoices because he saw her in her humble estate, and choose to use her.
4. She knows that people will call her blessed because of what God is doing through her.
5. God is holy.
6. God is merciful to those who fear him, throughout the generations.
7. God shows his strength, he scatters the proud in heart.
8. God brings down the mighty, and exalts the humble.
9. God cares for the hungry, filling them with what they need. While the rich he gives nothing, and sends them away.
10. He helps Israel, and remembers his mercy, just as he did with their forefathers.

Mary has much to thank God for, and so she does.

Makes me wonder...
So I truly thank God for all he does in my life?
Do I see when he fills my hungry soul?
Do I see when he blesses me for humility?

These are the things I need to ask myself as I go through this season of advent.

Advent Devotions - Dec 15

Today's reading comes from Goshen College. And the scripture is Luke 3:7-18.

7He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 9Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."

10And the crowds asked him, "What then shall we do?" 11And he answered them, "Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise." 12Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, "Teacher, what shall we do?" 13And he said to them, "Collect no more than you are authorized to do." 14Soldiers also asked him, "And we, what shall we do?" And he said to them, "Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages."

15As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, 16John answered them all, saying, "I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 17His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."

18So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people.

John the Baptizer! He's out there, doing the work of God. A man who was a recluse, living off the land with a diet of milk and honey, never had his hair cut and called by God to be a fore-teller of Christ.

He told things like they were. He was blunt. When people said, what should be do? He told them plain and simple. No mincing of words. He was also clear with people when they thought perhaps he could be Christ. He wasn't. He made it clear that all he could do was baptize people with water, BUT the one who would come after him... well, his baptism would be through the Holy Spirit and with fire. That the one who would follow him was mightier than he was. And that he (John) was insignificant compared to him (the Christ). The one who would follow John (whom we know is Christ), would be a winnower and gatherer. He will burn off the chaff, and gather in what is good of the crop.

John exhorted the people with many things as he preached the good news to them.

As I await the return of Christ, and to celebrate all the promises of his birth this Christmas season, I am called by this passage to be like John. Ready to lead people to Christ. Ready to tell them what they must do to be saved. Ready to be used of God regardless of where I have been in my past. Ready to answer questions put to me by people wanting to know more of the God I serve. Let me be ready oh Lord, just let me be ready.

Advent Devotions - Dec 12

Ha, today is my Oldest brother's birthday. I just realized I forgot to send him a card. ARGH!!!! Why do I always do these things? I'll send him one today and put an apology with it I think. Or better yet, I'll give him a call.

Sorry, I was away for a moment...discovered my boyo was a BAD boyo. He wrecked his crib mobile AS he was tearing up wallpaper and taking down all his crib blankets off the nice rack that we have on the wall...I'm rather unimpressed......he was supposed to be settling down for a nice nap!

Ah well, he's quietly getting into other trouble in the same room that I am in, so hopefully nothing bad will happen now. :)

Okay, re-focus.... :)

Today's devotional comes from Goshen College again, and the scripture is Zephaniah 3:14-20.

14Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion;
shout, O Israel!
Rejoice and exult with all your heart,
O daughter of Jerusalem!
15The LORD has taken away the judgments against you;
he has cleared away your enemies.
The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst;
you shall never again fear evil.
16On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
"Fear not, O Zion;
let not your hands grow weak.
17The LORD your God is in your midst,
a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing.
18I will gather those of you who mourn for the festival,
so that you will no longer suffer reproach.
19Behold, at that time I will deal
with all your oppressors.
And I will save the lame
and gather the outcast,
and I will change their shame into praise
and renown in all the earth.
20At that time I will bring you in,
at the time when I gather you together;
for I will make you renowned and praised
among all the peoples of the earth,
when I restore your fortunes
before your eyes," says the LORD.

Do you see these verses?
Do you see the rejoicing that God wants us to do when he does things for us?

God removes judgements from us. God removes fear. God is among us. God is the mighty one who saves. God restores our fortunes. God makes us known. God gathers us in.

Do you sense a theme here? God does all these things and so much more.

This is who we focus on during Christmas.

Not ourselves.
Not our families.
Not the gifts to purchase.
Not the parties to attend.

GOD. Just God himself.

The same God who rejoices over us when we call him Daddy.
The same God who teaches us not to be afraid.
The same God who exults over us.

God. Let us focus on him this Christmas season.

Advent Devotions - Dec 8

Today's devotional comes courtesy of Goshen College. Today's scripture reading is Luke 3:1-6.

1In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,

"The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
'Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.
5Every valley shall be filled,
and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
and the crooked shall become straight,
and the rough places shall become level ways,
6and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'"

As we learned yesterday, John was a solitary man, who was used of God to bring people to Christ. He was the forerunner to Christ Jesus.

He was a man who lived in the wilderness, and when God's word came to him, he left that wilderness to proclaim "a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins".

I can imagine, as can the authour of this devotional, that people didn't want to change.

I imagine they were reluctant to remodel the topography of their homeland, of their heart, of their mind. There's pain in change, especially when you're quite content with the way things are. But Luke 3 makes it quite clear that the way things were was not fit for the Lord. Roads had to be straightened and mountains of pride, bitterness and envy had to come down to prepare for his coming.

People don't like change. They like things to stay the same. Can't say I blame them. I'm the same way. Making changes is hard. But when God says change...we have to change. It's just the way it is. And we can keep ourselves prepared for change. We can focus on what we need to do, so that when change comes, or is called for, we are ready to meet the challenge.

We can, right now, prepare our hearts. We can remember when "the Savior first met us on our own turf, in our personal wilderness".

Christ has come, and in fact, he is coming.
Use these days of Advent to prepare your heart and mind for his arrival.

Devotions - advent dec 5

Today's devotions come to us from Goshen College.

Today's scripture comes from: Malachi 3:1-4

1"Behold, I send my messenger and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. 2But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap. 3He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD. 4Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years.

Since I had no idea was fuller's soap was, I googled it. This is what I learned

A fuller was someone who cleaned and thickened (to make it "full") freshly-woven (usually woolen) cloth. The process involved cleaning, bleaching, wetting and beating the fibers to a consistent and desirable condition. Fuller's earth was a variety of clay that was used to scour and cleanse the cloth. Fuller's soap was an alkali made from plant ashes which was also used to clean and full new cloth. Since fullers required plenty of running water, along with the natural substances described, a fuller's field was a place where all were available for the fullers to conduct their profession. Source is the Church of God Daily Bible Study.

So God is sending a messenger who will prepare the way before him.
Christ will suddenly reappear!
But the query is....who can endure his coming? Who can stand when he appears?

Why these questions? Shouldn't we be joyful and unafraid of Christ's return?

As we read further we learn that Christ will come as "a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap". These aren't easy things to handle. They clean and they clean well. Refiner's fire is hot enough to burn off impurities. Fuller's soap is strong enough to cleanse dirty wool cloth. These are not things to mess with.

Christ comes to purify us and clean us. He will refine us like gold and silver, he will remove all the impurities from us.

That can be a scary thing. I look at my life and I consider all that God has to change in me, remove in me to make me even half way presentable....only the blood of Christ can do that for me. And that is already at work in me purifying me, making me into the holy person that God has called and declared me to be.

Ah....so though I can look upon Christ's return with some trepidaton, I know that the work he has already begun in me, will only be completed upon his return.

Christmas is coming....

Did you know that Christmas is coming? In just 24 days, we will celebrate the birth (and subsequent death and resurrection) of Our living Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Isn't it cool?

I come from a tradition where Advent is considered part of getting ready to celebrate Christmas. that is all I see it as, is a way to focus my heart in thankfulness to God for all that he has done for me. I know that there are individuals who don't think that advent is worth celebrating. That the roots of it are something they don't want to associate with. And though I can kinda understand it, I think that many people are like me... they just see it as something to do to help focus attentions and nothing more. The roots to things get lost over time..... making them in many ways unimportant.

Anyways, for the month of December I will do doing advent devotions. I will be taking them from a variety of sources (I think) and focusing on God and his extended grace to us. :) I will also be doing a small advent sticker thing with our boyo. I really want him to start seeing the wonder of God's grace in our lives.

Without further delay, today's reading comes from Goshen College.

The reading is taken from 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13. It reads as follows:

9For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God, 10as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith?
11Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, 12and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, 13so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

Do you see Paul's concern for the lives of other believers? How he wants to help them to grow in their faith? He is joyful in their faith in God and prays for them all the time that they may grow in their faith. he is concerned for what he sees lacking in them. His prayer is that their love for each other will increase. He wants their hearts to be blameless in holiness for when Christ returns.

We need as Christians to be concerned about the lives of other believers. We need to pray for them and encourage them. We need to point out areas in their lives where their faith could be strengthened.

I like that Goshen college includes questions with their devotionals. Here is what they asked
1. What are the ways in which we can share our love for the greater good?
2. How do we become faithful witnesses, beacons of light?
3. How do we encourage one another to move beyond our privileges (earned and unearned) to co-create a more just and equitable society?

My thoughts on this
1. I can share my love for other believers by: talking with them, encouraging them, teaching them, praying for them regularly, and living a life of faith as an example, and even sometimes challenging them to do better.
2. I can be a faithful witness best by knowing Jesus as well as I can. This impacts how I live my life. Shows me more and better ways to pray for others. Shows me more ways that I can show HIM to others.
3. This question I admit seems politically laden to me... the "just and equitable society" bit. I guess I"m not worried about making a just and equitable society as the world might see it. What I want is for God's word to be taken seriously by the world, and the way I can do that, is by living and speaking a life of mercy and of grace to all those I encounter in it.

What are your thoughts?