WORDDEVO: "The Weekly Word with Mike MacIntosh" [12-2 thru 12-8] DEVOTIONALS

 

Seven Days of Devotion

The Weekly Word is a Collection of Devotionals to be read on the Day Listed and presented freely as a service to and for the Body of Christ and Believers throughout the World that We may Hear God Speak to us as the Spirit of God gives us ears to hear and eyes to see what God would have for us daily in relationship to Him.

 

When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it."
Mark 8:34-35

What makes a diamond so valuable? Essentially, a diamond is just a rock -- a pretty, sparkling rock. Intrinsically, it is basically composed of the same earthly elements as other rocks, and is even usually pretty small in comparison. But diamonds are valuable because people love them. Boy, we spend entire savings accounts on diamonds because we love them. Unless diamonds were in demand -- unless they were loved -- they would have no value. In the same way, absent God's love for us, our lives would be without value. You see, your life is valuable not because you own assets, or give money to charity, or even because you are a good person and love others. Your life is valuable because you are loved by God.

You are loved by the Lord of heaven and earth, who formed your inwards parts (Psalm 139:14) and who "knew you before you were born" (Jeremiah 1:5). You are loved by the Creator of everything you've ever known, whose thoughts toward you are "more than can be numbered" (Psalm 40:5) -- "thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope" (Jeremiah 29:11). God so loved you that He gave His only begotten Son to die for you. Why? So that by believing in Him, you would "not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). Whether you choose to believe it or not, God loves you. And whether you realize it or not, your life is invaluable because of His infinite love for you.

But imagine a diamond sitting lifelessly under glass in a store. If someone came and offered the full asking price for the diamond -- in cash -- wouldn't you think it absurd for the shopkeeper to refuse the sale? Why would he essentially render the diamond worthless, both to himself and to the potential buyer, by refusing the cash for it? Until the diamond is purchased, its value is not realized.

In the same way, Jesus Christ offers to pay -- in full -- the debt for sin of anyone who will believe in Him. And make no mistake, it's a steep price; only He could pay it. He sacrificed His very life as a ransom for ours, that we might no longer be "slaves of sin" (Romans 6:17). So why would we refuse? Why would we reject His love when our entire value rests in it? Why would we choose not only to render His love worthless, but to render ourselves worthless?

You see, we fool ourselves if we think we are anything apart from the love and grace of God. Jesus says in Mark 8:35 that "whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it." If you reject Jesus, you reject the value of our own life, but if you surrender to Him, He will save your life!

Let me encourage you today to surrender to Him anew. If there is anything you are holding back from Him -- anything you cling to because it is "too valuable" to give up -- surrender it to Him. Maybe you've never surrendered your heart to Him at all. Today is the day of salvation. Or maybe you're struggling through a difficult time in your life. Today is the day of restoration. Let God's love for you be your strength, your hope, and your reason for living. Let it be the foundation under your feet and the protection over your head. Let His Spirit wash over you like a liquid waterfall of love. He loves you! You are valuable because you are loved by God.

 MONDAY

Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them.
Mark 9:2-3

Jesus suffered many terrible things -- even dying on a cross. He warned His disciples of the unthinkable pain He would suffer, but they just didn't understand. How could they? Two thousand years later, we still have trouble wrapping our minds around the pain He endured, all for our sake. But He suffered for a reason. And even if the disciples didn't understand what would happen, Jesus wanted them to understand why.

Six days after telling them about His forthcoming crucifixion, Jesus led some of His disciples up to a mountaintop, where His clothes began to shine like snow. If you've ever seen the sun's light reflected off snow, you know it's bright; it hurts your eyes.

 

Jesus was transfigured on that mountaintop, shining with a brilliance that must have startled and amazed the disciples. What a sight it must have been! And though it was only a glimpse of what was to come -- He would be resurrected, completely transfigured, and sit at the right hand of the Father in heaven -- it was a profound foreshadowing. Jesus was making a point. After suffering comes ultimate change.

As believers, we have the ultimate hope that although we suffer and endure now, a time is coming when Jesus Christ will put a stop to all the hatred, all the evil, and all the suffering. And we who have put our faith in Him will be changed. Sure, we will suffer now, just as He suffered.

 

Yes, we will be rejected and feel the pain of rejection.

 

But thankfully it won’t last forever (though sometimes it feels that way). Jesus is showing us that in Him, no matter how good or bad our circumstances, we have a perfect hope in Him. We will soon be changed!

"Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed--in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed" (1 Corinthians 15:51-52).

   

TUESDAY

And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, "If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness! Why has the LORD brought us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?" So they said to one another, "Let us select a leader and return to Egypt."
Numbers 14:2-3

I love to travel -- to see new places and step outside of my comfort zone.  But imagine traveling for 40 years -- without a plane, train, or automobile -- through barren wilderness.  Talk about a long trip!  Without even a clue of your destination, much less how you would feed yourself everyday, you could only trust God.  And imagine that after 40 years, indeed, He had fed you, protected you, and led you every step of the way.  Wouldn't you be absolutely thrilled to reach your destination after such a tedious journey?  After seeing God bring you all these miles, over a span of more than fourteen thousand days, wouldn't you believe wholeheartedly that He could get you through one final day?  The Israelites didn't.

After traveling 40 years through the wilderness, only the Jordan River separated the Israelites from the Promised Land.  Literally only a day's journey away, they were so close... but something was wrong.  They'd received reports that giants dwelled in the land -- "men of great stature" (Numbers 13:32) who were "stronger than we" (Numbers 13:31).  And so instead of seeking the Lord, they began complaining.  "If only we had died in the land of Egypt!  Or if only we had died in the wilderness!" (Numbers 14:2).  Nevermind God's faithfulness to deliver them out of Egypt, or to deliver them across the Red Sea, or to provide manna for them as food everyday in the wilderness (Exodus 16:31).

 

To them, the situation seemed so hopeless that they would have rather spent potentially another 40 years traveling back to Egypt -- where they would again be slaves!  But had they forgotten what a cruel, harsh place Egypt was? Couldn't they remember what a horrible life they'd left behind there, working around the clock, with no pay, no food, and forced to make bricks with no straw?  Why would they second-guess four decades of God's faithfulness in light of a single obstacle ahead?  Why would they complain? No doubt, complaining is easier than maturing.

You see, it's easy to complain.  It's easy to grumble about a situation, or to point the finger at someone when things don't go right.  But it's impossible to trust God and complain at the same time.  The first sign that you're in the flesh is that you're complaining.  A complainer will never mature, never grow, never progress in his walk with the Lord.  If we are complaining, we are not listening.  If we are accusing, we are not edifying.  If we are attacking, we are not forgiving. 

 

A complainer can't think clearly because he doesn't care about what is true -- only about what is self-preserving.  A complainer can't take a step of faith because he can't hear God's voice over his own bemoaning.

It takes faith to grow in the Lord.  Hebrews 11:6 tells us, "Without faith, it is impossible to please God."  You don't want to be someone who misses out on the Promised Land because you didn't have the faith to take the final step.  The Israelites didn't have the faith and, except for Caleb and Joshua, they all died before reaching the Promised Land. 

In life, we all face obstacles -- sometimes extremely difficult circumstances -- but is God not able to overcome them?  Why, then, should we fear? Why should we complain? Let us not be like the Israelites, who ignored the extreme faithfulness of God at the mere idea of defeat, only to defeat themselves by complaining.

WEDNESDAY

Jesus said to [two of His disciples], "Go into the village opposite you; and as soon as you have entered it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has sat. Loose it and bring it. And if anyone says to you, 'Why are you doing this?' say, 'The Lord has need of it,' and immediately he will send it here."

So they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door outside on the street, and they loosed it. But some of those who stood there said to them, "What are you doing, loosing the colt?" And they spoke to them just as Jesus had commanded. So they let them go.

Mark 11:2-6

Clouds of dust were probably a familiar sight along the busy dirt road that ran through Bethphage. Foot traffic was surprisingly heavy through this small, mountain village, because it was located between two bigger areas, Jerusalem and Bethany. But amongst all the people, animals, and goods that were constantly in motion along the road, it would be easy to miss the young donkey that sat tied up in front of one of the homes that lined the street. Owned by a wealthy local resident, this donkey had never been ridden by anyone. And on this particular Sunday, the owner had no plans for anyone to ride it. But plans change.

As two unidentified men approached the donkey and began to untie it -- in broad daylight, without asking permission -- the owner, or someone working for him, spoke up. "What are you doing?" he asked, probably accusingly. He wasn't alone, either; he had friends with him to back him up. But with five little words, everything changed. "The Lord has need of it," said the two men. And with that, the owner asked no questions, made no hesitation, and immediately let them go with the donkey.

Notice that the owner never asked the men, "Who are you?" Nor did he ask them, "Who is the Lord?" Nor did he ask them, "Why does the Lord need this donkey?" He didn't even ask them, "Will I get it back?" No, after hearing that the Lord needed it, he "immediately" gave them the donkey (Mark 11:3). And that day, Jesus Christ rode that donkey through the streets of Jerusalem, exactly as Zechariah had prophesied He would (Zechariah 9:9), and on the exact date that Daniel had prophesied it would take place -- 483 years, to the day, after Artaxerxes gave the command to rebuild the temple (Daniel 9:24-27).

Who would have guessed that a lowly donkey, tied up on a busy dirt road, could play such an important role ushering in the Savior of mankind? The donkey's owner? Maybe... maybe not. If he knew the scriptures, he might have had an inkling of what was happening when the two men, who were disciples of Jesus, told him that the Lord needed his donkey. Or he may have had no idea. Either way, he was obedient.

You know, if we have anything in this life, we should be ready to immediately turn it over to Jesus if He needs it. We all have things that God can use to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ: our resources, our time -- our very lives. But the more valuable the sacrifice, the more questions we tend to ask. "Why do I need to give this to the Lord?" "Will I get anything in return?" "Is the Lord really asking me to give this to Him?" We should model the donkey's owner, who may not have known the details of God's plan, but who clearly understood His purpose.

We have no idea how God can use our simple sacrifices for His glory -- but we must be willing to let go and give Him control. We must be willing to change our plans. We must be willing to give Him everything, even when we're not guaranteed anything in return. It's a thrill to see God use our simple everyday sacrifices for His grand purpose. But we must trust His purpose, even when we don't know His plan.

THURSDAY

And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.
Mark 11:25-26

We all have a built-in sense of justice.  When we see commercials of starving children, we feel bad because we know they don't deserve to go hungry.  When we see criminals convicted and imprisoned, we feel good because we know a criminal deserves to be punished.  We desire fairness, because without fairness, chaos reigns.  Thank goodness God is a fair God, a "God of justice" (Isaiah 30:18).  Thank goodness the devil is doomed to failure because God is "a just judge" (Psalm 7:11) who "sends forth justice to victory" (Matthew 12:20).  But where do we fit into this picture?  Who are we, but sinners?  Why would God not destroy us, too, since He "is angry with the wicked everyday" (Psalm 7:11)?  Thank goodness God is a God of forgiveness.

You see, if we deserve anything, it's death.  God doesn't owe us anything.  Romans 3:23 says, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."  We are utterly and completely at God's mercy... but thankfully, "mercy triumphs over judgment" (James 2:13).  For some reason, God forgives all those who seek His mercy -- and that reason is love.  He loves you so much that He was willing to be killed in your place, that justice might be served, and that you might be forgiven.  God is a God of justice because He is perfect, but He is a God of forgiveness because He is love (1 John 4:8).

Consider this: "If God so loved us, we also ought to love one another" (1 John 4:11).  In fact, "if someone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?  (1 John 4:20).

No doubt, forgiveness is not easy.  It requires sacrificing your own sense of justice.  It demands showing mercy to someone who you don't believe deserves it.  But Jesus showed you mercy when you didn't deserve it, and it cost Him His life.  It surely wasn't easy, it wasn't without pain, and no one even forced Him to do it -- but He did it because He loves you more than you can understand.  After all, no one could ever sin against you as much as you have sinned against God -- and still, He forgave you.  How, then, can you say you love God if you don't forgive those who sin against you?

Don't be fooled. If there's someone today whom you have not forgiven, your relationship with that person is not all that suffers -- your relationship with God suffers, too.  This is between more than just you and the person you have not forgiven -- this is between you and God.  James 2:13 says, "Judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy."  Our entire hope rests in the mercy of God, and if we forfeit His mercy because we are unwilling to show mercy ourselves, we spit in the face of Jesus.  We make His sacrifice of no consequence to us, and we render His love powerless in our lives.

Today, make things right.  Forgive and ask forgiveness.  Maybe it's picking up the phone and calling a family member.  Maybe it's driving 200 miles to sit down with someone.  Don't worry about how they might react, or if they will reject you.  Jesus knew that many would reject His forgiveness, yet He still sacrificed His life.  He knew it would be painful, but He did it anyway.  Today, show the mercy that God showed you, and unleash the power of His love in your life.

 

 

FRIDAY

"Have you not even read this Scripture: 'The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord's doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes'?" And they sought to lay hands on Jesus, but feared the multitude, for they knew He had spoken the parable against them. So they left Him and went away.
Mark 12:10-12

There is true, supernatural power when the people of God gather together. Look at what happened when Jesus told this parable, referring to Himself as "the stone which the builders rejected," but which has become the "chief cornerstone." He was claiming to be the Messiah, but the Pharisees were upset that someone would make such a claim. In fact, they were so angered, they attempted to take hold of Jesus. But fearing the multitude, they ran away.

Wow, what a statement about the people of God! What the Pharisees experienced was sort of like a loving Christian "mob." You see, the Pharisees were pretty ticked off that Jesus Christ claimed to be who He was. They weren't looking for a Savior to come riding lowly on a donkey; they were looking for the proverbial knight in shining armor, riding a white horse. They weren't looking for the Redeemer to be a humble servant; they wanted a dictator and a ruler to lead them against their enemies. But here, surrounding Jesus, was a multitude of people full of love, kindness, and devotion -- and the Pharisees were scared of them. They didn't fear the people because of their physical superiority, though. They were scared because they saw the number of like-minded people who loved Jesus and would do anything for Him.

Let me ask you this: When you walk into your church or home fellowship, do you sense a oneness and a common love for Jesus Christ and for each other? Can you feel it when you just walk in? Is there an overwhelming sense of Christ's love completely permeating your meeting places? As believers, Jesus has called us to love one another (John 13:34) and to "go and make disciples" (Matthew 28:19) -- and He has given us the Holy Spirit to empower us to do these amazing tasks. The Holy Spirit empowers us to be the people full of love, kindness, and devotion that the Pharisees feared. No doubt, when we, as a unified body of believers, are tapped into the awesome power of God, there's nothing that we cannot do or handle.

The Bible says that nothing can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:39), and I think that others can feel that when we gather together. So, as Hebrews says, don't forsake the gathering together (Hebrews 10:25). There is real power in our numbers; we are truly world-changers through the power of Jesus Christ

 

SATURDAY

Then He said to them in His teaching, "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation."
Mark 12:38-40

When Jesus hung on the cross, do you think He was worried about looking spiritual? Do you think He died a torturous, humiliating death because He wanted respect? Of course not! If it was respect He wanted, He would have avoided the cross. If He wanted to look spiritual, He would have hung out with the scribes and Pharisees, reciting long-winded prayers, sitting in the best places at feasts, and wearing long robes to look impressive. But Jesus didn't come to impress; He came to serve. Love motivated Jesus.

You see, everything Jesus did, He did out of love. He wasn't playing games, and He wasn't "playing church." When He hung on the cross, the only thing on His mind was the sinner who would be saved from an eternity of darkness. He was thinking not about His reputation, but about the prodigal He loved even more than His own life. He was thinking about you.

As believers, it's easy to fall into the trap of wanting to "look spiritual." For the religious people in Jesus' time, this became their primary concern. When the crowds started talking about John the Baptist, the scribes and Pharisees were impressed by the buzz they were hearing, and went to the wilderness to see him. But Jesus asked them in Matthew 11:7-8, rhetorically, "What did you go out in the wilderness to see, a reed that was shaken in the wind or somebody dressed in king's apparel?" See, these religious people didn't really want to hear the Gospel that John was preaching; they wanted to look good in front of their constituents. They weren't looking for a humble messenger of truth; they were looking for a popular preacher with a dapper sense of style.

Why do you go to church? Is it because the pastor or preacher is decked out and all the rage? Or because you want to look godly? Or because of the rich people that also attend? I hope not. Those were the very motivations of the people who plotted to kill Jesus -- not worship Him. Our attendance at a church service, our ministry to each other, our outreach to the world -- these things should not be motivated by what people will think of us, but by love. We should worship and serve the Lord because we love Him even more than we love our own lives. We shouldn't be thinking about our reputation or stature; we should be thinking about Him.

Let me encourage you today to stop worrying about what people think of you, and fall in love with Jesus. Don't be concerned about sitting in the "best places" in order to be seen by others. Don't worry about looking spiritual. Simply "love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength" (Mark 12:30). Truly, let love be your motivation.

 

 

THE WEEKLY WORD WITH MIKE MACINTOSH 

Can be found here:

http://theweeklywordmikemacintosh.blogspot.com/

 

WORDDEVO: "The Weekly Word with Mike MacIntosh" [11-25 thru 12-2] DEVOTIONALS

 

Seven Days of Devotion

The Weekly Word is a Collection of Devotionals to be read on the Day Listed and presented freely as a service to and for the Body of Christ and Believers throughout the World that We may Hear God Speak to us as the Spirit of God gives us ears to hear and eyes to see what God would have for us daily in relationship to Him.

For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.
Leviticus 17:11

Scientists will never understand the human soul. Sure, they've come a long way in understanding the human body -- how it works, why it breaks down, what helps it heal -- but our bodies are merely temporary, earthly encasements for our souls. We are more than flesh and blood. Because we have a soul, we have the ability to love. Because we have a soul, we can make moral decisions. And so, because we have a soul, we can be made guilty of sin, knowing its consequences. After all, if we know the difference between right and wrong, and still do wrong, we are guilty. Indeed, Romans 3:23 tells us that we are all guilty of sin. Fortunately, God is a merciful God! In fact, long before He ever sent His Son to die on a cross for our sins, God was a merciful God. But where there was sin, there would be blood.

Leviticus 17:11 shows us that God so loved the Israelites that He provided a way for them to make atonement for their souls. By all means, He didn't have to. God had every right to demand the death of anyone who sinned. But, of course, no one would have lived. So, since "the life of the flesh is in the blood," He accepted the sacrificial blood of animals, rather than requiring the blood of the guilty, that the guilty might live. Do you realize how merciful God was to do this? Can you see how much God must have loved His people to give them a second chance, a third chance, a fourth, and on and on?

How much greater, then, that the Lord poured out His own blood, that we might live. Praise the Lord that Jesus sacrificed His life and allowed His flesh to be brutally killed, that by His blood, our souls might live -- not only here on earth, but with God for eternity! You see, just as the life of the flesh is the blood, so the life of the soul is His blood. Unless He poured out His blood, our souls could not live.

The world will never see a greater act of mercy than that of Jesus Christ sacrificing His life on a cross for our sins. It was a merciful act from an already-merciful God. Truly, since the day Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, God has demonstrated unfathomable mercy. Today, may the blood of Jesus be life to your soul. May you rest in His mercy, knowing that He loves you more than you will ever understand. And may His mercy inspire you to be more like Him in everything you do.

 MONDAY

And always, night and day, a man was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones. When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him.... Jesus said to the man, "Come out of the man, unclean spirit!"

Now a large herd of swine was feeding there near the mountains. So all the demons begged Him, saying, "Send us to the swine, that we may enter them." And at once Jesus gave them permission. Then the unclean spirits went out and entered the swine (there were about two thousand); and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and drowned in the sea.

Mark 5:5-6,8,11-13

On a particular Saturday night in April 1999, a Christian goth band was giving a concert, hosted by a local Colorado youth group. As the band finished playing, the youth pastor got up and said, "You know, I've never done this before.

 

I've never even thought this before, but I've had it strongly on my heart all during the concert tonight that there is somebody here who has either murdered somebody, or is getting ready to murder someone, and I want to impress upon you that God is saying, 'Don't do it.' Or if you have, He will forgive you, if you'll repent tonight of your sins." Eric Harris, a high school senior, sat in the audience that Saturday night.

 

He heard every word the youth pastor said. But three days later, on Tuesday, April 20, 1999, Eric and a friend would kill twelve of their fellow Columbine High School students, as well as one teacher, and finally themselves.

A pastor friend of mine shared that story with me back in 1999, shortly after it happened, and it struck me: Right up to the last minute, God was reaching out to this teenager. He knew this kid's heart, and gave him one last chance. It's a testament to the magnitude of God's love, and the vastness of His reach, that no matter how lost, hurting, stubborn, prideful, angry, or depressed a person may be, God will reach out to them. No one is beyond God's reach.

In Mark 5, we see a man whom society had long-ago rejected and dismissed. Possessed by demons, he lived alone in the mountains and in tombs, dejected, "crying out and cutting himself with stones" (verse 5). He had gone mad; no one could bind him with chains, much less help him. Jesus, though, had the power not just to help him, but to heal him. Casting the demons into a nearby herd of about two thousand swine, Jesus clothed this man and restored him to a right mind. The change was so dramatic that when people familiar with the man saw him, "they were afraid" (verse 15).

Maybe you feel like you are out of God's reach -- like you are too depressed, too bitter, too sinful, too stubborn for God to change you. Or maybe you have family or friends who feel that way. If Jesus could restore this demon-possessed, dejected man, He can restore you, and He can restore the people you love.

There is one key difference, though, between Eric Harris and the man in Mark 5. When this unhinged, demon-possessed man saw Jesus, "he ran and worshiped Him" (verse 6). Sure, he was out of his mind, but he wanted to change, and in Jesus, he saw the opportunity. Eric Harris had the same opportunity to change, but rejected it. You see, God will not stop reaching out to you, but He will not intrude. He has so much love and forgiveness to offer you, but you must accept it.

Let me encourage you today to run into the loving arms of Jesus and worship Him. He can -- and will -- heal you, if you let Him! No matter how far from Him you've drifted, or how low you feel, He will "wipe away every tear" from your eyes (Revelation 21:4), and He will heal you.

 

If you've been praying for friends and family to know the love of Jesus, keep praying for them, and keep loving them. You can't change someone, but you can love them with the love of Jesus Christ.

 

God is faithful. No one is beyond His reach.

   

TUESDAY

Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!
Psalm 27:14

It's much easier to ask for help when you think you need it. After all, if you're driving a car, and you assume you're headed in the right direction, why would you pull over to ask a gas station employee for help? Often, it's only when things go wrong that we seek help.

 

When we realize we've driven 50 miles past our exit, suddenly it's time to ask for assistance.

 

But why do we assume we're driving the right direction in the first place? Why not use a map from the outset, or a GPS tracker? Why not ask someone knowledgeable before we leave? You see, just as it's not smart to travel without directions, it's not smart to live without guidance. And just as it's silly to only ask for directions when you're lost, it's foolish to only seek the Lord's guidance in an emergency. Yet so often, we ask God to lead us out of emergencies, rather than into His will.

You know, if the only time we ask for the Lord's help is in times of emergency, we will never learn to wait on Him -- and we will never grow stronger in Him. How could we? In an emergency, we need an answer right away! We need action immediately! And yes, God can take action immediately -- He is able to guide you through whatever emergency you face today. But what about tomorrow? Will God deliver you from a tight spot today, only so you can return to normal and find yourself in a catastrophe tomorrow? God does not simply want to deliver you, but to strengthen you.

 

He is not only able to heal your wounds after you stumble, but "to keep you from stumbling" (Jude 1:24). You must learn to wait on Him, though. You must learn to receive His guidance first, and then act -- even when you think you already know best. You must learn to call on Him, not merely because you need Him, but because you love Him. Truly, when we seek the Lord out of a love for Him, and not merely a "need" for Him, we grow stronger in Him. "Wait on the Lord... and He shall strengthen your heart" (Psalm 27:14).

Waiting on the Lord requires patience. It requires a willingness to sit tight, even when everyone around you is passing you by. It's like going shopping at Christmas, and standing still as crowds of people rush past you into the most popular store, frantically searching for discounts on the perfect gift.

 

Oh, you want the perfect gift just as much as anyone else, but you don't rush, you don't push, you don't shove -- you just wait at the store's entrance, because your father is the store manager, and he told you to wait for him there. Sure enough, when all the crowds have subsided, he steps out of the store to meet you, wraps his arms around you, and showers you with gifts -- gifts that weren't even for sale; they were reserved especially for you. So many gifts, in fact, that you can't possibly keep them all for yourself.

If we will learn to wait on our Heavenly Father, He will bless us with a strength of heart that we could never have garnered on our own. If we will stop rushing, stop stressing, stop pushing, stop striving -- and seek His will -- He will empower us with a love so overwhelming that we couldn't possibly keep it to ourselves.

Today, whether you find yourself in an emergency or a place of rest, may I encourage you to wait on the Lord Jesus.

 

Fall in love with Him today, maybe for the first time, maybe for the millionth time. Seek His face in love. Let Him not only heal you, but strengthen you. He is "able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think" (Ephesians 3:20), but we must be willing to wait.

WEDNESDAY

Jesus said to the Pharisees, "All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition."
Mark 7:9

Have you ever loved a TV show so much that you told all your friends and family to watch it?  Or maybe you loved a joke so much that you forwarded it to everyone in your address book?  Or called a toll-free number to vote for your favorite reality talent show contestant?  For better or worse, we champion the things we love.  We talk about what we hold in high regard.  And whether you realize it or not, you are a living, breathing billboard for something. 

The question is, for what?

The Pharisees championed their traditions -- and there was no mistaking it.  Not only did they talk about their traditions; they enforced them.  When they saw Jesus' disciples eating bread with unwashed hands, they "found fault" (Matthew 7:2), and asked Jesus, "Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders?" (Matthew 7:5).  In fact, the Pharisees were trying to undermine Jesus by implying that His disciples were "out of sync" with their own traditions, and therefore "out of sync" with God.  But they didn't care whether or not the disciples were actually being obedient to God -- they felt disrespected, and frankly, threatened.  The Pharisees clung to their traditions, because their traditions defined them.  They enforced their traditions, because their traditions validated their authority.  But in passing off their traditions as doctrine, Jesus called them hypocrites, honoring God only with their lips, with hearts that were far from Him (Matthew 7:6-7).

You see, "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks" (Matthew 12:34).  You may try to convince people that you have it all together -- that you're a religious man, or a spiritual woman -- but your mouth will reveal your heart.  And you may have known the Lord for decades, but maybe your friends and family have little idea, because you talk more about the latest sporting event or TV show than about Him.  The things you dwell on are the things you speak about.  The things you love determine the way you live.

We must not be hypocrites, like the Pharisees, whose pious words deceived hearts that were distant from God.  We must not be people who are concerned only with the cleanliness of peoples' hands, and ignore the condition of their hearts.  Let us not become deaf to the commands of God because they inconvenience -- or worse -- threaten us.  If we truly love the Lord with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, and all our strength, there will not be a disconnect between the words we say and the life we live.

Today, what is most important to you?  Answer honestly, because otherwise you're only fooling yourself.  If Jesus Christ is your first love, it will be evident.  If He's not, people already know.  Let me encourage you today to fall in love with Jesus.  Run into His loving arms! Don't worry about how it will affect the way people see you; don't concern yourself with how it threatens to change your life.  The change is always -- always -- for the better.  When He changes your heart, you speak differently, you act differently, and you livedifferently.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17).

 

THURSDAY

There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!
Mark 7:15-16

In the late '60s and early '70s, the U.S. was one of the most powerful nations in the world, but couldn't win a war. Though we had hundreds of thousands of troops on the ground in Vietnam, employed much larger and superior armed forces, and enlisted attack helicopters, fighter jets, missiles, and everything you can imagine, we still couldn't win. Why?

 

Our enemy, the Viet Cong, realized that the key to victory was not in killing American soldiers, but in wounding them.

Every American soldier wounded required five more American soldiers to carry him off the battlefield. By wounding a single soldier, they effectively removed six soldiers from the combat zone. It was a strategy not to dominate U.S. forces, but to neutralize them. And it's the same strategy that the devil uses with you.

You see, if you are a follower of Jesus Christ, the devil has no real power over you. The breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:14-17) -- you are too protected by God! So, the enemy's only strategy is to cause you to defeat yourself. How? He tries to convince you that no war is being fought at all -- that you don't even need to wear the armor of God as protection for your soul. In fact, he even poses as a friend, making himself look attractive and trustworthy, but then slyly placing stumbling blocks in your path to trip you up. His goal is not to fight you, but to neutralize you -- to get you off the battlefield. Because make no mistake: The enemy is always at war. If you are not fighting, you are losing.

Why do we stop fighting, then? Why do we retreat from the spiritual battle that rages around us, as if we're defeated, when we know that we are victorious through Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:57)? It's not because the battle is over, or because the devil has defiled us -- he doesn't have that much power! No, it's because we defile, and neutralize, ourselves. Mark 7:15 tells us that nothing can defile us but ourselves. "There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man." It's not that extra cheeseburger that is defiling you; it's the way you beat yourself up after you eat the cheeseburger. It's not the lustful thought that enters your mind; it's the way you entertain it. Sin leaves us injured; it will destroy us from within.

Are there things in your heart that you would like gone once and for all? Is there something that is hindering your prayer life, your worship, your love and concern for other people, your desire to be a servant, and your passion to tell other people about Jesus Christ? Today, if you will go to the throne of God and plead the blood of Jesus Christ, He will make you victorious. He will erase those things from your life; He will kill them. They will be put to death right now. Simply say, "God, I ask you to take this right now from my life. Not tomorrow, not a week from tomorrow, but right now."

Though you may have been neutralized before, unable to fight because of the crippling effect of sin, Jesus will make you and me "more than conquerors" (Romans 8:37). It is not a religious exercise God is concerned with -- this is a war.

"But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:57).

 

FRIDAY

 

Then the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, testing Him.  But He sighed deeply in His spirit, and said, "Why does this generation seek a sign? Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation."
Mark 8:11-12

I remember one night receiving a call from the Orange County Sheriff's Department, asking if I'd be willing to meet with a mommy and daddy whose little baby girl had just died in her crib a few minutes prior.  Of course I agreed to help, and rushed to the scene, where I encountered the two weeping parents.  "If there is a God, how could this happen?" they were sobbing.  "Our beautiful little girl...."  I took a deep breath and said, "Lord, give me words of wisdom.  This is overwhelming."

Before I spoke with them, though, the sergeant pulled me aside.  "In a few minutes the coroner will arrive, and we really need your help.  The mother is still kneeling beside the crib, caressing her baby's arm...."  I knew immediately what the sergeant was implying.  It's one thing to see an adult placed in a body bag; it's something much worse, though, to see a baby placed in one -- especially when you are the baby's parent.  I needed to shield these poor parents from that agonizing sight.

"Can I talk with the two of you for a moment?" I asked the parents.  "Yes," they whispered, their sheer exhaustion written all over their faces.  They understandably wanted to stay beside their baby, but I led them into the living room.  And sure enough, as we sat in the living room, I saw the coroner pull up out front.  "I want to go see my little girl," the mother said.  "Ok, but could you wait just a minute?" I asked.  I ran in and asked the coroner to hide the body bag as the mother came in one more time to hold her baby, and thankfully, the coroner agreed.  The mother got to hold her baby that one last time, and then we all went back to the living room while the coroner carried the baby's body away.  About 20 minutes later, the parents asked, "Where is our daughter?"  I told them, "Well, they had to take her to the coroner's office to do some exams."  And with that, both parents let out a deep, pained, exasperated sigh.

I think that is the kind of sigh Jesus lets out over us.  I think that when He looks at you and me, and sees how far we are from His Father, He sighs.  It hurts Him.  It pains Jesus that we are hard-hearted and insensitive.  He probably sighs several times a day for me.

In Mark 8, the Pharisees ask Jesus for a "sign from heaven" (verse 11).  How did He respond?  He "sighed deeply in His spirit" (verse 12).  After all, what other sign did they need?  Did they not realize that He, Himself, was their sign from heaven?  Did they not see God working through Him?

So often, we get our priorities mixed up.  We search for answers to our questions, and solutions to our problems, but we get frustrated, impatient, and even angry when we don't understand.  Maybe you've prayed the same prayer for years, and still have no sign of an answer.  Or maybe you have a difficult decision to make, and you have no sign of a solution from God.  The Lord doesn't desire that we seek signs -- He desires that we seek Him. It grieves the Lord when we seek His power, His help, His signs -- but not Him.

You see, if we seek the Lord only because we have a problem, we will stop seeking Him once our problem is solved.  But if we seek the Lord because we love Him, our relationship with Him will run deep -- we will seek Him in good times and bad, whether we know His will or not.

Today, may I encourage you to stop seeking signs from God, and start seeking God, Himself.  Let's not be like the Pharisees, who pained the Lord by seeking His power, but never seeking Him.   "Trust in the Lord with all your heart... and He shall direct your paths" (Proverbs 3:5-6).

SATURDAY

 

For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.
Leviticus 17:11

Scientists will never understand the human soul. Sure, they've come a long way in understanding the human body -- how it works, why it breaks down, what helps it heal -- but our bodies are merely temporary, earthly encasements for our souls. We are more than flesh and blood. Because we have a soul, we have the ability to love. Because we have a soul, we can make moral decisions. And so, because we have a soul, we can be made guilty of sin, knowing its consequences. After all, if we know the difference between right and wrong, and still do wrong, we are guilty. Indeed, Romans 3:23 tells us that we are all guilty of sin. Fortunately, God is a merciful God! In fact, long before He ever sent His Son to die on a cross for our sins, God was a merciful God. But where there was sin, there would be blood.

Leviticus 17:11 shows us that God so loved the Israelites that He provided a way for them to make atonement for their souls. By all means, He didn't have to. God had every right to demand the death of anyone who sinned. But, of course, no one would have lived. So, since "the life of the flesh is in the blood," He accepted the sacrificial blood of animals, rather than requiring the blood of the guilty, that the guilty might live. Do you realize how merciful God was to do this? Can you see how much God must have loved His people to give them a second chance, a third chance, a fourth, and on and on?

How much greater, then, that the Lord poured out His own blood, that we might live. Praise the Lord that Jesus sacrificed His life and allowed His flesh to be brutally killed, that by His blood, our souls might live -- not only here on earth, but with God for eternity! You see, just as the life of the flesh is the blood, so the life of the soul is His blood. Unless He poured out His blood, our souls could not live.

The world will never see a greater act of mercy than that of Jesus Christ sacrificing His life on a cross for our sins. It was a merciful act from an already-merciful God. Truly, since the day Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, God has demonstrated unfathomable mercy. Today, may the blood of Jesus be life to your soul. May you rest in His mercy, knowing that He loves you more than you will ever understand. And may His mercy inspire you to be more like Him in everything you do. 

 

 

 

THE WEEKLY WORD WITH MIKE MACINTOSH 

Can be found here:

http://theweeklywordmikemacintosh.blogspot.com/

 

WORDDEVO: "The Weekly Word with Mike MacIntosh" [11-18 thru 11-24] DEVOTIONALS

 

 

Seven Days of Devotion

The Weekly Word is a Collection of Devotionals to be read on the Day Listed and presented freely as a service to and for the Body of Christ and Believers throughout the World that We may Hear God Speak to us as the Spirit of God gives us ears to hear and eyes to see what God would have for us daily in relationship to Him.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
Psalm 23:4

As a boy, I lived on a long, winding street in Portland, and walking home from basketball games in the winter -- when it was cold, dark, and drizzly -- used to scare the dickens out of me.  I was sure that behind every hedge and between every house was a bad guy, waiting to jump out.  After all, there was an insane asylum at the end of the street, and every once in a while, one of the patients would break out and wander through the neighborhood.  But I developed a sure-fire strategy. 

 

First, I walked in the middle of the street.  Then I would start to talk, using different voices, as if I were accompanied by a whole group of friends.  "Hey Bill, how you doing?"  "Well Fred, I'm doing well," I would answer myself.  Lastly, and most importantly, I would run.  Oh, it would start out as a hearty jog, but by the time I approached my house, I was going 100 miles an hour.  I was scared to death.

You know, as a kid, those winter-night journeys down that street were "the valley of the shadow of death" to me.  Sure, I had my "strategy," but I hated being alone, and I hated running in fear.  So I've always found it interesting that David, in Psalm 23, says, "I walkthrough the valley of the shadow of death." 

 

He didn't run; hewalked.  I couldn't imagine walking that dark street as a kid!  But David never broke into a panicked run.  He didn't try to protect himself; he wasn't afraid.  In fact, he didn't even have a strategy!  Why?  Because David wasn't alone.  God was not only with him, but was leading his way.  David simply walked with God.

When we panic, it's our human nature to want to run.  We want to protect ourselves, to rush to a place of safety.  And when we are in dark places, we want desperately to see.  But 2 Corinthians 5:7 says, "We walk by faith, not by sight." 

 

You see, we must learn not to run out ahead of God simply because He's not visible.  We must learn to patiently walk with Him, step by step, moment by moment, even when we're scared and every fiber in our body says, "Run! Run away!" 

God wants to lead us "through the valley of the shadow of death," and to comfort us.  He wants us to learn to trust Him, even when all we see is darkness.  But we must learn, as David did, to walk with Him.

Maybe you're experiencing your own "valley of the shadow of death," and you're fearful -- you don't know what will happen next.  Maybe it's a financial problem, or a family issue, or a situation at work.  And maybe you just want an escape.  You are not alone, and you don't need to run in fear.  Let God take you by the hand and walk with you.  Let Him guide your every step, knowing that He can see everything, even when you see nothing.  Let Him wrap His arms around you today and comfort you with the perfect love that casts out all fear (1 John 4:18).  Rather than running yourself into the ground, surrender yourself, and let God mend that which is broken.

"For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.  Walk as children of light" (Ephesians 5:8).

 

 MONDAY

"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.
Matthew 28:19-20

Billy Graham once said that if you lose your money, you've really lost nothing. If you lose your health, you've lost something. But if you lose your character, you've lost everything. Why? Because your character validates or invalidates every word you say. It is the filter through which you are heard, either serving to amplify and clarify your words, or silence them. Without character, you don't have a voice. Sure, people might hear what you say, but they will not listen. You may make noise, but you will never make an impact.

In Matthew 28, Jesus tells us to "go therefore and make disciples of all nations." He commands us to make an impact on our world. It is our great privilege -- our Great Commission -- to actively represent our Lord and Savior, and to teach others what He has taught us. But how can anyone make a single disciple of Jesus Christ if they aren't a disciple first? How can we possibly impact our friends and families, much less "all nations," if our actions invalidate our words?

You see, if we're not living it, they're not seeing it. Many people around the world are doubters of the Gospel today because they've never seen it. Maybe they've heard about Jesus, but they've never seen His power in someone's life. We, as believers, need to have character that is rooted in the renewing and transforming power of Jesus Christ. We are His mouthpiece to a dying and hopeless world, and our lives are the filter through which His Word is heard. If we don't live by God's Word, we muzzle it. If our character stands in contrast to the truth of God that we proclaim, we invalidate it to those who hear. But if God is our integrity, He will be our megaphone. If He is actively working in our lives, people will notice -- and they will listen.

As the old saying goes, actions speak louder than words. But words are still necessary. If the righteousness of Jesus Christ is your megaphone, speak up! As the Lord works in your life and people take notice, tell them about it! Just as we can silence God's voice by invalidating it, so we can mute it by refusing to be His mouthpiece at all. Neither is God's will. The message of salvation through Jesus Christ is too powerful to leave you unchanged, and too important not to share.

What are you living for today? What are your priorities? Our God is a powerful God, so why do we often walk in fear and defeat? His love and forgiveness are perfect and everlasting, so why do we harbor bitterness, anger, and jealousy? If we believe God's Word, let's live it. We don't want to be people who are out of touch with God, "having a form of godliness but denying its power" (2 Timothy 3:5). And we don't want to be people who sit on the greatest news ever given mankind, missing the urgency of the Gospel. May we be people who love the Lord with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, and all our strength (Mark 12:30). May we be people who actively live by the Word of God, and who are unashamed to speak it!

   

TUESDAY

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
Proverbs 9:10

As a pilot, I've come to appreciate how much knowledge is required to fly a plane.  Before I ever took to the cockpit controls, I had to study countless training materials and digest as many raw facts as possible.  And the knowledge I acquired has served me well.  But any pilot will tell you that it takes much more than a healthy knowledge of "raw facts" to effectively fly a plane -- it takes experience. 

 

Hundreds, even thousands, of hours of experience.  All the books in the world can tell you how to take off, how to land, how to handle an emergency, what to expect in a crisis -- but until you sit in the pilot's seat yourself, none of those facts mean anything.  You must learn the facts, but more importantly, you must learn to apply them.

To be wise is not just to know facts, but to know how to apply them.  Wisdom is not just knowing how to take a step, but knowing which step to take.  Here's the problem: Proverbs 20:24 says, "A man's steps are of the Lord; how then can a man understand his own way?"  We have ambitions, we have goals, and we have intentions, but though "a man's heart plans his way, the Lord directs his steps" (Proverbs 16:9).

You see, our lives are like a flight where we occupy the pilot's seat, completely blindfolded.  When there's not a lot of turbulence, and we're at a comfortable cruising altitude, we can probably do just fine for a while. 

 

After all, not a lot of action is required.  In fact, we can even start to get comfortable, believing that we're in control.  But as soon as we encounter turbulence -- much less a full-on emergency -- we fool ourselves if we think we know what decision to make.  We're blindfolded!  We might know from experience how to find certain cockpit controls, but how could we possibly know which controls to use if we can't even see what's happening to the plane?

Meanwhile, God is sitting there with us the whole time, armed with a full flight plan, able to see the skies, and willing to guide our hands at the controls.  Our blindfold prevents us from seeing Him, and our panic sometimes prevents us from hearing Him, but if we listen closely, He speaks His words of love and guidance to us.  All we must do is give Him control.  He will guide our hands.  He, and He alone, can effectively fly the plane.

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom."  When we surrender control of our lives to God, acknowledging that He, and He alone, has the understanding, perspective, and ultimate love for us to guide us in everything we do, we show that we honor and fear Him -- and we take the first step towards true wisdom.  We don't just know the will of God, we apply it. You see, when we fear the Lord, He is not just a piece of knowledge to us.  In fact, He is not just someone in whom we believe.  "For even the demons believe [in God] -- and tremble!" (James 2:19). 

 

To fear the Lord is to surrender to Him. 

 

It is listening to His voice, even when we're not experiencing "turbulence."  It is acknowledging our own blindness, and relying on His vision.  And it is submitting ourselves to His plan, even when we don't understand it.  That is the beginning of true wisdom.

Today, whether you're in the midst of blue skies or storms, let God guide you. Listen to His voice, and surrender everything to Him. "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him" (James 1:5).

 

WEDNESDAY

 

Now as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. But Simon's wife's mother lay sick with a fever, and they told Jesus about her at once. So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her. And she served them.
Mark 1:29-31

Your home is your most personal space. No other place could be more private. So it's interesting that Jesus didn't confine His ministry to public squares -- He came to peoples' homes.

Here in Mark 1:29, we see Him coming into Simon Peter's home, where Peter's mother-in-law was sick with a fever. The woman had probably never met Jesus, and maybe wasn't even aware that He could heal her. But Peter was. He and the disciples didn't hesitate to tell Jesus about her need, and Jesus acted swiftly. Tenderly taking her hand, He lifted her up, and "immediately" healed her (verse 31). Jesus touched her life that day, and she never even stepped outside the house. He had worked powerfully and quickly on her behalf, simply because Peter had asked Him to.

You know, we can sometimes forget the urgency of Jesus' love. Jesus didn't wait for people to come to Him -- He went to them. He visited sinners in their most personal spaces, far from the "spotlight" and safety of the public arena. He went not only where He was loved, but where He was needed. While He visited Peter's house, Peter presented a need, and Jesus responded "immediately." Even at this early point in the book of Mark, it is already the sixth time that word, "immediately," has been used. And I don't think it's an accident. Jesus acted immediately, with urgency, because He loved people.

We all have friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers who need the healing touch of Jesus Christ. Let me encourage you today to lift up the people around you to Jesus. Like Peter lifted the needs of his mother-in-law to Jesus, lift up your family and friends to Him, that He might heal them, and that they might encounter His love for them. Jesus answers prayer. He tells us in John 14:14, "If you ask anything in My name, I will do it."

Maybe today, though, you are like Peter's mother-in-law -- you are the one in need of healing, whether physically, emotionally, or spiritually. You may have known Jesus for years, or perhaps you've never known Him. Whatever the case, let me encourage you that you don't even have to leave your house -- He will come to you. Wherever you are, simply ask Him to touch your life, and He will respond immediately, according to His perfect will. He loves you more than you will ever understand, and is thrilled to hear your voice. He urgently wants to give you "a future and a hope" (Jeremiah 29:11), because He loves you.

Jesus wants to touch your life, and the lives of those you love, this very moment. Not tomorrow, but today. Let us never forget or dismiss the urgency of Jesus' love!

 

THURSDAY

If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.
Mark 3:24-25

A number of years ago, I remember watching an episode of David Letterman's show, and stand-up comedian Bill Maher was the guest. "I hear you are a Libertarian?" Letterman asked his notoriously controversial guest. "Yes," said Maher. And when Letterman asked what, exactly, that meant, Maher was quick to answer. "Well, basically it's the belief that anybody can do anything they want, as long as they aren't hurting others. For instance, a Libertarian would say that Dr. Kevorkian is not hurting others, that he can do what he wants to do, and that we shouldn't bother him." Letterman thought a second, and then responded, "But he isn't killing himself." And the audience applauded.

But Bill Maher didn't want to lose this crowd.

Determined to challenge the audience's convictions -- many of them presumably rooted in religion -- he pushed forward. "You know what I really don't like? I don't like all these athletes saying after a basketball or football victory, ‘Praise Jesus for the win.' I'm sick of that. I never hear them say after a loss, ‘Well, Jesus wasn't feeling good today and He didn't help me jump as high.'" Maher continued on a tirade. And do you know what? When he said, "I'm sick of the Jesus thing," the entire audience applauded. But Letterman leaned back in his chair, a little stunned, and said, "Hold it, hold it. Is this your Libertarian thinking?" And Maher replied with a smile, "Yes, I guess it would be."

Then Letterman said, "Aren't you the guy who just told us that everybody should be able to do what they want to do, as long as they don't hurt anybody?" Suddenly one person clapped, then two, then ten, until the entire audience was roaring with applause.

Think what you will about Bill Maher, David Letterman, and their politics. What I found stunning was the audience reaction. How could so many people, by show of their applause, in the span of only a few moments, so swiftly contradict themselves?

In Mark 3, the scribes accused Jesus of contradicting Himself. They were sick of "the Jesus thing" -- the way He loved people, healed people, forgave people, and even cast out demons -- so they spread rumors that He was actually in league with the devil. "By the ruler of the demons," they said, "He casts out demons" (verse 22). No doubt, it was an all-out assault on Jesus' character. They were making the case that Jesus was not only untrustworthy, but evil.

Jesus simply replied, "If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand." You see, Satan's mission is to "steal, kill, and destroy" (John 10:10), so why would he tolerate -- much less commission -- the One who came to give life, and life more abundantly (John 10:10)? Why would he want Jesus casting out demons, that people might be healed and restored? It's ridiculous. In doing so, Satan would defeat himself.

But you know, often we defeat ourselves because we contradict ourselves. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are saved by His grace, and called to walk in His Spirit, but "the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things you wish" (Galatians 5:17).

We are, in fact, like that late-night studio audience, pulled one way, and then another. But if we try to walk two different directions at once, we not only go nowhere -- we fall down. If we are at war with ourselves, we not only injure ourselves -- we defeat ourselves.

You see, the Bible says, "Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve" (Joshua 24:15). Make a decision and don't look back. Unless we are "all-in," we will fall away. Unless we walk in the Spirit, we will walk in the flesh. There's no standing still. But Galatians 5:6 says, "Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh."

Today, are you living a self-defeating life? Do you have one foot in the Spirit, and one in the flesh? Let me encourage you to become rooted in the Word of God, and you will not be swayed back and forth, at war with yourself, and ineffective in the spiritual war for the souls of people around you. Walk with conviction. Seek the Lord with your whole heart, never looking back, and you "shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither" (Psalm 1:3).

 

 

FRIDAY

The wise in heart will receive commands, but a prating fool will fall.
Proverbs 10:8

Life is not predictable. If we knew with certainty what would happen tomorrow, we would never doubt, never second-guess, and never question our plans and decisions today, because we would already know their end results. But things change, for better or worse -- and often in ways we can't predict. We don't know what to expect in the future, so we often do second-guess ourselves, those around us, and even God. It's human nature to worry about the unknown -- and to avoid it. It's natural to resist what we can't see. But there's one problem: If we resist what we can't see, we resist God.

David writes in Psalm 55:19 about his enemies of old, "Because they do not change, therefore they do not fear God." He knew that it was impossible to honor the Lord without being willing to change. Without a willingness to venture into the unknown, we can never follow God, because His ways are not ours. God says in Isaiah 55:9, "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts." You see, to follow God is to put confidence in the superiority of His ways, even when we can't understand them and we don't know where they'll lead us. To follow God is to embrace continuous change.

It's easier said than done, isn't it? Change can be very difficult because it inevitably makes us vulnerable. It exposes us. Whenever something changes in our lives, we experience a learning curve -- and our success or failure to adapt hinges on our ability to learn. That's why Proverbs 10:8 says, "The wise in heart will receive commands, but a prating fool will fail."

You see, God does not call us to be experts, but to be students. An expert babbles on about what he knows, while a student adapts to what he learns. Sure, the student will make mistakes and even fail sometimes. But in failing, he is learning. The real failure belongs to the expert, who does not change, even as the world around him does. We must not be afraid to be like students -- constantly learning, constantly failing, constantly growing, and constantly changing.

Today, maybe you are facing changes in your life, whether good or bad. Let me encourage you to play the role of the student. Be willing to listen to God's instructions, and be willing to adapt. Don't be afraid to be vulnerable, and don't be afraid to fail, because there is no greater failure than growing stagnant. Yes, changes sometimes hurt. My pastor, Chuck Smith, has a saying: "Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be broken." Be willing to change, and change will not break you.

Life is not predictable, but "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever" (Hebrews 18:8). Don't miss God's will simply because you're afraid of the unknown. Put your trust in the One "who was and is and is to come" (Revelation 4:8), and He will be your rock through every circumstance!

 

SATURDAY

For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.
Leviticus 17:11

Scientists will never understand the human soul. Sure, they've come a long way in understanding the human body -- how it works, why it breaks down, what helps it heal -- but our bodies are merely temporary, earthly encasements for our souls. We are more than flesh and blood. Because we have a soul, we have the ability to love. Because we have a soul, we can make moral decisions. And so, because we have a soul, we can be made guilty of sin, knowing its consequences. After all, if we know the difference between right and wrong, and still do wrong, we are guilty. Indeed, Romans 3:23 tells us that we are all guilty of sin. Fortunately, God is a merciful God! In fact, long before He ever sent His Son to die on a cross for our sins, God was a merciful God. But where there was sin, there would be blood.

Leviticus 17:11 shows us that God so loved the Israelites that He provided a way for them to make atonement for their souls. By all means, He didn't have to. God had every right to demand the death of anyone who sinned. But, of course, no one would have lived. So, since "the life of the flesh is in the blood," He accepted the sacrificial blood of animals, rather than requiring the blood of the guilty, that the guilty might live. Do you realize how merciful God was to do this? Can you see how much God must have loved His people to give them a second chance, a third chance, a fourth, and on and on?

How much greater, then, that the Lord poured out His own blood, that we might live. Praise the Lord that Jesus sacrificed His life and allowed His flesh to be brutally killed, that by His blood, our souls might live -- not only here on earth, but with God for eternity! You see, just as the life of the flesh is the blood, so the life of the soul is His blood. Unless He poured out His blood, our souls could not live.

The world will never see a greater act of mercy than that of Jesus Christ sacrificing His life on a cross for our sins. It was a merciful act from an already-merciful God. Truly, since the day Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, God has demonstrated unfathomable mercy. Today, may the blood of Jesus be life to your soul. May you rest in His mercy, knowing that He loves you more than you will ever understand. And may His mercy inspire you to be more like Him in everything you do.

 

 

THE WEEKLY WORD WITH MIKE MACINTOSH 

Can be found here:

http://theweeklywordmikemacintosh.blogspot.com/