NOVEMBER 4 – (JUST) TALK IS EXPENSIVE

 Surely you’re acting! You know how to interpret the signs you see on the earth and in the sky. How is it you can’t see the signs of God around you? Why don’t you do what you know is right? (Luke 12:56)

                   Often people complain of not knowing what the Lord would have them to do. However, after honest, prayerful reflection, many will see that there is much that God has shown them. In many cases, He has made the next step abundantly clear. His word is more often a foot lamp (Psalm 119:105) than a beacon that will show the entire way forward for you. It is God’s intention to be with you moment-by-moment (Isaiah 41:10), revealing His truth for your life as you go (John 14:6).

                   In this passage, Jesus observes that people give their attention to the things that are important to them. He also exposes their hypocrisy; saying it was hard to believe they had professed faith in God, while ignoring all that He wanted them to do. As they talked constantly about God’s law, they oppressed everyone who was excluded from their privilege. They silenced and killed God’s prophets, and they behaved in other ways that ignored the law’s intent.

                   As you see and hear God’s signs, remember that He wants you to act rather than just talk about what He says to do (Jeremiah 7:23).

NOVEMBER 3 – JESUS KNEW THE KEY - SIGNS

 Say to those who cower in fear, “Don’t be afraid! Your God is coming! He is just, and He is coming to save you. Then, you’ll see the signs – blind will see, deaf will hear, those who can’t walk will leap, and the mute will speak God’s praises. Living water is coming to your wilderness; life to the desert!” (Isaiah 35:4)

                  God’s presence in this world, and His work of restoration and healing are signs He uses to communicate. He has chosen to use prophets to explain how people can see God in His actions. Those who look for God will have these signs that serve to encourage them and to affirm their hope in His love and provision. Through Isaiah, the Lord, God, gave Israel the meaning that makes the signs related to Jesus communicate clearly. God’s desire is for them to see Him present and working as Jesus healed and brought new life.

                  Do you know God’s signs? Do you look for them, so they can be affirmation for the work you pursue each day? Do these signs provide the map that guides your work? and your evaluation of its progress? Are the people with whom you work really the most important part of that work? If you are genuinely pursuing a God-given vision, people must be your focus. God’s signs; your work, have one purpose – to be living water to people in a desert.

                   Work for transformation today. Find what God is doing to change peoples lives around you, and then take your part in that work.

NOVEMBER 2 – THE PARADOX

 For our God so much wanted His people to return to His love that He put His Son – the only, unique Son of God – in their place. So, if they will invest all their trust in Him, they won’t be dead, but will be restored to life – real life. (John 3:16)

                  One of the problems associated with Jesus’ new way of accounting for life is that it is different; especially in a place of work. You are familiar with how to establish rules and penalties; use carrots and sticks. But, how do you “do relationship” in that world? In the work world, it is all about what you and other people do – how they perform. In this new economy of faith in Christ, it is about what you allow Christ to do through you. As you live the story He has written for your life, the vision and the values Jesus has given you become a story of your sacrifice for others. The less you do on your own, the more success.

                   That’s how Jesus lived thousands of years ago. He went to the people to whom the Father sent Him. The Son of God used each moment of His life to live out His story as the Father showed Him (John 5:19). If you will follow that path, giving your life, this scripture explains you will be raised to spiritual life just as Jesus was resurrected after giving His physical life.

                   Let your life be a daily invitation for others to find that real life too.

NOVEMBER 1 – LIFE ACCOUNTING 102

 (Love) can patiently, quietly continue no matter what happens. It extends trust, believing each promise and every promise. It hopes fully in every respect (in God’s promises), so it may endure anything. Love never fails! (I Corinthians 13:7)

                  The thing about investments is that you generally want to build for the long-term. What is the asset that you want to “quietly continue” to grow during your lifetime? Jesus said the new command is to “love one another (John 13:14).” If that’s the work, the related asset certainly is human relationships. So, the equation for building that long-term value would be:

Rich Relationships = My Love + My Trust + My Hope

                  Paul begins with love, but he is telling his people at Corinth that the enduring work comes down to faith (trust), hope, and love (I Corinthians 13:13). With the love that is motivated by God’s love, made bold by a firm trust, and centered on a secure hope, you will have courage to risk investment in other people. Only then, will you be able to extend love and trust in a way that the world can’t understand, and fix your focus on your hope for the other person’s future. That kind of love is what makes for a rich relationship with another.

                   Trust the Lord today. Endure; persevere when life gets hard. Love, even when others don’t love you back. Let God’s love that never fails work through your life.

OCTOBER 31 – LIFE ACCOUNTING 101

 Each one decides how to invest their own life… Those who just exist for their own purposes worry all the time about material things. But, those who really live, live according to the Holy Spirit of the Lord. (Romans 8:5-6)

                   When you read Paul’s self-descriptions, you never see him mention that he was an accountant. But in this letter, he talks about how to affect the value of a person’s investment. Maybe it’s because, as a businessman, he understands the profit and loss statement. His equation for how to profit was this:

The Work of the Spirit – Himself = God’s Prosperity

For him, the way to prosper was to stop going after what he wanted and his own prosperity. Interesting formula.

                   Can you use this as a rule of thumb for life? When you find that you are pursuing some selfish purpose or gain, might that prompt you to stop and consider if that behavior is in your best interests? If Paul’s equation is right, the word of God is to be valued as the source for a life that gives you the chance to really live. This must have been the abundant life about which Jesus spoke (John 10:10).

                   Decide today that you will invest your life only in the work that God gives you. Let God’s love that never fails work in you, and find His prosperous, abundant life.

OCTOBER 30 – RULE PROBLEMS – A BIG IDEA

 And after the great trembling, there was a great fire – God still was not in this. But, after the fire there came a still, small voice. When Elijah heard the voice, he wrapped his face and went out to the entrance. Suddenly the voice challenged him, “What are you doing, Elijah?” (I Kings 19:12-13)

                  Leaders often are attracted to BIG ideas. Often, this is even motivated by desire to have a big impact for the Lord. The world generally says, “bigger is better, stronger, and more important!” There are at least two big problems with this idea. First, strategic planning often requires looking long-term, and trying to predict the end from the beginning. That’s dangerous territory if you have only been given the first, or next, step by God. Also, God has a habit of acting in unexpected, and often small, ways.

                   This verse also presents two things to consider. Elijah waited to hear from God. He was not distracted by the big things going on around him. The fire, earthquake, nor any other major world events really got his attention. But, when God spoke, he was there. Second, Elijah must have been familiar with that voice. People used by the Lord in the stories of the Bible consistently shared these characteristics.

                   Look for God in everything big or small. Listen until you hear His voice, instead of being pulled to the things that others pursue as big or important.

OCTOBER 28 & 29 - MORE RULE PROBLEMS

CONSENUS?

So, the Lord said, “This people, they speak honor with their mouths and call to Me with the words of their lips. But, their hearts are far from Me. That’s not worship. It’s just following human rules. (Isaiah 29:13)

                   Another challenge of presenting the vision and values God would have you and your people embody, is truly gaining consensus among your people. Your position of relative power will dictate that most of your people will say that they are with you. They may recite the vision and list the values, but if they haven’t applied these to their lives, you have been forcing lip service rather than leading them well. Using power to force fake agreement leads to hypocrisy. Leading others to real consensus around God-given vision and values leads to the formation of a community of people who can be unified.

                  Through Isaiah, God expressed His frustration with His people who didn’t understand this. Jesus also challenged the Pharisees (Matthew 15:1-14). He berated them for failing to understand and live by God’s true intent, and for leading others to follow confusing rules instead of God’s purposes. Leaders who fail to stay close to God’s intent will often try to reduce God to mere rules.

                  To pursue God’s purpose honestly, and to invest in helping others to relate to Him, is God’s model for your service to your people. That work will produce real consensus, and to a culture marked by God’s prosperity.

We experienced technical difficulties yesterday and did not send the email. Below is the message intended for that day:

CONTROLS

But I would not have even thought about wanting and desiring so much, had it not been for the law saying, “don’t covet!” But, sin saw an opportunity in that commandment, and brought to my mind lusting after everything I could think about. (Romans7:7-8)

   Some people really like rules and regulations because they can set limits on how much abuse is allowed. Is your response to a rule ever, “How can I get around this?” In some ways, as compared to simple rules being applied with judgment, having a lot of detailed regulation can legitimize bad acts and bad actors if those actions are not too much or too bad. A regulated environment can encourage selective enforcement and punishment by you or by others.

                  As a Pharisee himself, Paul was familiar with all the bad ways to use laws and rules. Certainly, he saw the waste of time and needless oppression of people under a heavy load of rules. But, Paul also saw another aspect of the law. He observed that the sin remaining in his flesh seems to be drawn toward evil simply by knowing what is evil. Presenting the rules against actions, seemed to draw him to those very same prohibited actions as he thought about them.

                  Be cautious as you define your values to give definitions that are positive, and full of promise. Don’t engage in trying to control each detail. Let the Lord lead you to communicate in a clear and hopeful, yet simple and trusting way.