365 Reflections

What kind of leader should you have? What kind should you be? In Exodus 32 we are confronted with two totally different kinds of leaders whose immense differences hinge on one simple practice. The first leader is Aaron. He quickly turns on his own brother and spiritual leader who has just performed incredible acts of God while delivering hundreds of thousands of Jews from 400 years of Egyptian bondage. He fashions an idol and quickly leads God's people into sinful revelry. When he is called out by Moses, this is his response: Exodus 32:22–26 (ESV)   Aaron said, “Let not the anger of my lord burn hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil. 23 For they said to me, ‘Make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ 24 So I said to them, ‘Let any who have gold take it off.’ So they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf.” 25 And when Moses saw tha...

Ella Wheeler Wilcox, an American poet, wrote,       "Laugh and the world laughs with you; Weep and you weep alone." David writes Psalm 142 totally alone in a Cave hiding from Saul and those who pursued him. Psalm 142:1–4 (NLT) I cry out to the Lord ; I plead for the Lord ’s mercy. 2 I pour out my complaints before him and tell him all my troubles. 3 When I am overwhelmed, you alone know the way I should turn. Wherever I go, my enemies have set traps for me. 4 I look for someone to come and help me, but no one gives me a passing thought! No one will help me; no one cares a bit what happens to me. This Psalm is first comforting because it's part of the human experience... even for someone as heroic as David. Think of it. They used to be singing about David. That's what the world does when you're on top and winning. He was the one who led the armies of Israel over convincing victories. He was the one who turned their fortunes 180 degrees by...

Sing a new song to the LORD! Let the whole earth sing to the LORD! Sing to the LORD; praise his name. Each day proclaim the good news that he saves. (Psalms 96:1-2 NLT) Psalm 96 call us to sing a new song to The Lord. But what does that mean? Does that mean we are to always buy the latest worship album, learn the chords and sing the new tunes? That would make this command about the latest Christian worship album and not about God. I'm sure the Christian music artist is happy with that interpretation. But there's much more here. The context of this Psalm is the moment the Ark of God finally entered it's resting place in Jerusalem from the house of Obed Edom. This is the famous incident in which David disrobes in front of a disapproving wife in wild celebration that Gods presence was coming to the city.  David penned these words in response to the NEW THING God was doing. David instructs us to sing a new song when God does something new! This makes our worship what it is supp...

John 15:2–3 (ESV)   Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. We are made to bear fruit. But it happens in relationship with Jesus. John 15:4 (ESV) Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. The word for "Abide" can mean to "stay" or "dwell". Christ commands us to come to Him and stay with Him, letting His Word do the pruning (verse 3) in our lives that makes us more fruitful.  The Words of Jesus prune us but from what? They prune us from the secondary affairs of life when only "one thing" is necessary - Christ and His constant companionship.  I'm amazed at this aspect of Christ. That He would come to dwell with us and call on us to be near Him always. The L...

Paul ends his correspondence with the Corinthians with a personal challenge of a very serious nature. Having spent almost the entire epistle defending his apostleship and gospel, he turns the tables on his hearers. 2 Corinthians 13:5–7 (ESV)  Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! 6 I hope you will find out that we have not failed the test. 7 But we pray to God that you may not do wrong—not that we may appear to have met the test, but that you may do what is right, though we may seem to have failed. Notice the twist in Verse 6. He says he hopes, after testing themselves, they will find out that Paul is genuine! That's a serious challenge. Paul has already told these people believers have a responsibility to judge believers (1 Cor. 4-5). But now, before they go any further testing his life and ministerial qualifications, t...

There's only one person in the difficult and dark section of Luke's later chapters that gets Jesus' acclaim... it's a poor widow with about 1/4 of a cent to her name. Luke 21:1–4 (ESV) Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, 2 and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. 3 And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. 4 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” Luke has shown the rapid fire attacks from the many devoted religious and political factions.  In a few moments the disciples are going to marvel at the temple Herod refurbished with Roman ties. But Jesus has His eye on a woman willing to give her all to God. When we give our all to God, several interesting things happen: 1. Jesus notices. She's the only one in the chapter who is commended. She's the one who gets His attention. For all the flowing ro...

When we aren't giving God our all, we abdicate our human responsibility and leave our lives open to the use and abuse of almost anyone else.  Plus, we become jerks. Look at what happens to some random guys in Luke 20 who failed to give God their all. (Oh, how do we know they weren't giving God their all? Jesus tells them in verse 25, we'll get there). First, they become tools of the religious leaders.  Notice how they were "sent" and nameless.  Faceless drones carrying out the whims of religious hypocrites. Luke 20:19–20 (ESV) 19 The scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on him at that very hour, for they perceived that he had told this parable against them, but they feared the people. 20 So they watched him and sent spies, who pretended to be sincere, that they might catch him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction of the governor. Second, we act differently than we really are!  Notice the words, the...

There's obeying the Lord.  We should seek to do that. But there's also how we obey the Lord.  Do we drag our feet?  Do we "find the right time?" Do we wait for convenience?  Do we take our time?  When the Lord speaks are we responsive? Zacchaeus was a busy man.  He ran ahead of the crowd, he climbed and then perched himself in a tree. Running and climbing... a lot like the little children Jesus just talked about earlier in Luke. Zacchaeus was eager to see Jesus, and more so, eager to host Jesus. Luke 19:5–6 (ESV) And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. He didn't just hear what Jesus said, he was eager to do what Jesus said. Jesus said hurry, he hurried. Jesus said come down, he came down. Jesus said let's do lunch, Zacchaeus joyfully received him. What a contrast to the Pharisees and leaders ...

I think of how many of us seek the approval of people.  It is a real and powerful temptation.  All of us in some way are affected by it.  We measure our worth by how many people want to be around us.  We can't help it.  We need it. And then the enemy twists it and uses it against us.  Making us slaves to the opinions of people.  He tempts us to fear what they think instead of what God thinks.  It can be so hard as a Pastor to fight this temptation.  You want to make an impact on a large number of people.  But then the number gets large and you are tempted to play a game of "keep the crowd." I'm so glad Jesus gave us a better example to follow.  And every leader, every preacher, ever person who follows Him should pay attention in Luke 5. After a miraculous catch of fish for Peter, a healing takes place in a leprous man.  Here's what happens next: Luke 5:15–16 (ESV) But now even more the report about him went abroad, and...

Galatians 6:14 (ESV) But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Paul finishes off Galatians with this stunning statement.  He is a man totally lost and forever found in the cross.  His achievements are nothing, his legacy surrendered to Jesus Christ.  He is completely engrossed in the life given him by the death, burial and resurrection of his Lord. He says, "far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ."  Far be it!  In other words, I don't want anything else attached to my name than the cross of Christ.   Oh to get there.  For there and only there is the true separation from this world completed.   We struggle with our idols of desire.  What we want, what we would like to achieve, leave behind and master or acquire.  But in the end, nothing outside of Jesus matters. I think this is why Paul...

Its the content you find Jesus saying in Matthew 10 that reminds you - you cannot leave Him at "good teacher", or "moral leader."  He is either God incarnate that has every right to the deed of our being or He is completely mad in the head. Matthew 10:34–37 (ESV) “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. 37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me." Most of us need to be rescued from the dumbed-down "acceptable to Hollywood" version of Jesus.  He is the passionate, relentless hound of heaven who seeks us out, finds us, saves us and rearranges our lives completely. To know Jesus is a privilege to ...