Daily Devotional by John Piper- October 29, 2020

Sickness, Sin, or Sabotage Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. (http://2 Corinthians 12:8) All of life, if it is lived earnestly by faith in the pursuit of God's glory and the salvation of others, is like the Christian who goes to the disease-ridden village. The suffering that comes is part of the price of living where you are in obedience to the call of God. In choosing to follow Christ in the way he directs, we choose all that this path includes under his sovereign providence. Thus, all suffering that comes in the path of obedience is suffering with Christ and for Christ — whether it is cancer or conflict. And it is "chosen" — that is, we willingly take the path of obedience where the suffering befalls us, and we do not murmur against God. We may pray — as Paul did — that the suffering be removed (2 Corinthians 12:8); but if God wills, we embrace it in the end as part of the cost of discipleship in the path of obedience on the way to heaven. All experiences of suffering in the path of Christian obedience, whether from persecution or sickness or accident, have this in common: They all threaten our faith in the goodness of God and tempt us to leave the path of obedience. Therefore, every triumph of faith and all perseverance in obedience are testimonies to the goodness of God and the preciousness of Christ — whether the enemy is sickness, Satan, sin, or sabotage. Therefore, all suffering, of every kind, that we endure in the path of our Christian calling is a suffering "with Christ" and "for Christ." With him in the sense that the suffering comes to us as we are walking with him by faith and in the sense that it is endured in the strength he supplies through his sympathizing high-priestly ministry (Hebrews 4:15). For him in the sense that the suffering tests and proves our allegiance to his goodness and power and in the sense that it reveals his worth as an all-sufficient compensation and prize.

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NIV Devotions for Men- October 29, 2020

TV Dinner or Pot Pie? Psalm 96:1–13 Recommended Reading: 2 Chronicles 16:9; Psalm 37:5; Jeremiah 2:12–13; Matthew 22:37–40 When was the last time you ate a frozen TV dinner? If you're old enough, you may remember those early meals that were sold in an aluminum tray and marketed by the Swanson® company in the mid-1950s. If you've had one lately, you're probably well aware that this idea has been adapted for the microwave. Separate compartments house different components of the entrée, and after a few minutes these "nuked" delicacies are ready to savor—from corn to chicken to a brownie for dessert. Delicious! Or so some folks say. The frozen dinner is an appropriate image for guys—and not just because it keeps us from having to cook. Men often try to compartmentalize their lives—much like a frozen dinner. As most men are wired to think in a linear fashion, this kind of separation usually works nicely: The job goes in one compartment of the tray. Put the family in another. Friends and extended family in another. And sometimes God is relegated to the dessert compartment—the smallest one in the tray that gets attention only for an hour or so on Sunday. But another idea surfaced around the same time as the TV dinner, one that we could look at as a new representation for our lives as men. The "pot pie" is a more realistic image for life. Inside the flaky crust is a (typically scalding) combination of food groups—it's nearly impossible to separate the different parts of the pie from each other. Consider the point to this culinary conversation: Life doesn't fit into neat compartments. The psalmist illustrates this in his writing when he charges the sum of God's creation to praise God. The earth, sea, land, stars, trees, forests, fields—everything! All of creation rejoices because of God's deeds, his splendor and majesty, his strength and glory. Now, let's flip that around. Consider your life—every aspect of it. Does it all belong to God? Does it all praise God? Chances are you're going to say no. That's okay, because today is a new day! Maybe you struggle to believe that God cares about your finances, the challenges you face at work or your struggles with sin. But he does! Life works best when you stop making God an add-on to your days—something to consider once a week before moving on. He longs to be brought into the discussion, to permeate every aspect of your life. Like sauce in a pot pie, once you allow him to cover every aspect of your life you'll discover a richer and more satisfying daily experience. To Take Away In what areas of life are you experiencing specific problems right now? Are you struggling with any areas that you're hiding from God right now? Why? What would it look like for God to help you with these issues? Take the time to talk to God and ask him for his help.

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NIV Devotions for Men- November 05, 2020

 

The Best Policy Psalm 130:1–8 Recommended Reading: Psalm 89:1–52; 123:1–4; Colossians 1:15–23 Have you ever noticed the boldness of David and of other composers of psalms? They courageously questioned God (see Psalm 89:46) and went so far as to boldly outline for him what in their view he needed to do (see Psalm 123:3). As people well versed in Israel's history, the songwriters, we might expect, would have kept silent when it came to questioning God's ways. However, the psalmists "got away" with what they said because they expressed their feelings with honesty. They knew their own weaknesses and limitations and understood God's strength and power and majesty. They knew who they were and where they were. But they also knew God. Here, the songwriter acknowledges his own state as being in "the depths" (Psalm 130:1). Whether this refers to a physical, emotional or spiritual place doesn't matter. He's honest enough to recognize his desperate situation and to cry out to God for help. Simply acknowledging our need is the first step down the pathway of redemption. But what does the songwriter need? He realizes that if God were to keep a record of sin, the psalmist would certainly be lost. With his rhetorical question "Who could stand?" (Psalm 130:3), he anticipates the words of the New Testament: "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). In almost the same breath as his admission of sinfulness, the songwriter honestly expresses who God is. With God "there is forgiveness … unfailing love … full redemption" (Psalm 130:4,7). Finally, the songwriter acknowledges God's promise that "he himself will redeem Israel from all their sins" (verse 8). Perhaps the apostle Paul had the words of Psalm 130 in mind hundreds of years later when he wrote to the church at Colosse, "For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in [Jesus], and through him to reconcile to himself all things" (Colossians 1:19–20). Because of Christ we can be honest with ourselves: God comes to where we are to redeem who we are because of who he is. To Take Away Do you think you're honest about where you are, who you are and who God is? How can you be sure? When was the last time you thanked God for his forgiveness? In what ways does your life show that you are forgiven and accepted by God?

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Dallas Willard Daily Devotional- November 07, 2020

Discipleship Clearly thought out and decisive apprenticeship to Jesus is the bridge between initial faith in him and the life of obedience and fulfillment in his kingdom. Those who have found their way in will inevitably want to share the new reality they have found with those around them. When we discover something great, we naturally wan tall those we really care for to be in on it. We would no more want to leave the sharing of the kingdom to "full-time workers" than we would anything else we were really enthusiastic about. The directions Jesus gave to his people when he last met with them in his familiar visible form was that they should "make disciples" (Matt. 28:19). Although the language may seem somewhat intimidating, and our contemporary practice is almost unrecognizably different from what his earliest people did, there is no reason to think that he has changed his expectations and hopes for us. Our only question is a practical one: How do we do it? The answer comes in three parts: we must, of course, be disciples, we must intend to make disciples, and we must know how to bring people to believe that Jesus is really the One. From The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life in God. Copyright © 1997 by Dallas Willard. All rights reserved. Used with permission of HarperCollins Publishers.

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NIV Devotions for Couples- November 07, 2020

Digging Out of a Little Sin Joshua 7:1–26 "Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions." Joshua 7:11 I'm tempted to cry, "Not fair!" upon reading the story of Achan. First, it doesn't seem like that big of a deal for him to have taken some treasure as reward for victory in battle. And second, all of the Israelites were held responsible for the sin of one man who had stolen and hidden plunder after the battle of Jericho against God's direct command. Because of the "small" sin of one man, God punished all of Israel by withdrawing his blessing and allowing the people to be humiliated and defeated at the battle of Ai. I remember when my young children would complain that a punishment was too harsh for their "teeny" disobedience. I'd bring up Adam and Eve's teeny bite of the forbidden fruit. I'd ask them how many bites of the fruit it would have taken to become a punishable act. They got it—that it's not the size of the disobedience but the meaning behind it that's the problem. Like Achan, Adam and Eve disrespected God by their disobedience. Likewise, in marriage, individual actions reflect one's commitment to the marriage covenant. When I'm tempted to do something selfish, I ask myself two questions: (1) "How would I feel if Grey did this?" and (2) "How would I feel if our children found out?" I'm stopped in my tracks every time. So, something like an "innocent" email exchange with an old flame is now revealed to my own heart for what it is: betrayal. Sin in marriage is not an individual issue. It affects the marriage relationship, the wider family and also the entire community. Who would deny that infidelity and divorce have wreaked havoc upon millions of children and ripped the fabric of our society? In the same way, Achan's selfish act ripped the fabric of Israel's relationship with God. Achan's other sin was the cover-up; he deceitfully hid the plunder he had stolen. But eventually the truth was revealed, just as it is in twenty-first-century families. A woman writes in her journal about her intimate relationship with another man. She thinks no one will ever know. But one day her husband does the unthinkable; he decides to clean all the books on the bookshelf and discovers the diary behind the dusty volumes. Or a husband thinks he can cover his gambling losses by taking greater risks that promise bigger payoffs. But when the bank statement arrives with a negative balance—and his wife gets the mail—the whole family suffers the painful consequences of financial loss. Achan's lesson still holds true: Everyone loses in the sin game. Mary Ann Jeffreys Let's Talk What steps will we take to stay honest with each other about money, friends, and recreational activities? In what areas have we been less than fully honest? What effect might "hidden" sins have on our marriage if we continue doing them for several months or even years? What "no big deal" sins are we willing to overlook in our relationship? If we continue doing them, what or who might then bring them to light?

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