“I appeal to you, therefore, brothers, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice to the Lord, which is your spiritual worship.” Romans 12:1
Last Sunday, I was privileged to witness over 40 men make a resolution before God, their wives, and their children, to live lives of integrity, purity, humility, sacrifice, and worship. These men committed to learn what it means to be the head of their homes, as Christ is the head of the church, and to sacrifice their lives for their wife and family, as Christ gave His life for the church. I sat with tears in my eyes watching each man make his commitment before God.
A few months ago, the movie, Courageous, came out in theatres, and several leader-types gathered together to see if we could use this movie as a tool to turn men’s lives over to Jesus Christ and to obey His word. Out of this effort, many small groups formed. At our church, several groups started and over 60 men completed the eight-week curriculum. As a result, most of the men in each group made the decision to continue meeting. They realized that their group was an important and vital part of their faith journey. Most of these men had never done a small group with other men before, and if they had, it had been a long time ago.
As a result of these groups meeting, I began hearing about the positive impact they were having on marriages and with relationships with their children. A few of these men were staring divorce clearly in the face, yet God brought them back, through their small groups, into a marriage that was now headed in a more healthy direction.
It was so satisfying to see so many men at one time make this crucial commitment. I had the sense that each man was worshipping the Lord by presenting his body as a humble sacrifice to his Lord.
Questions to consider: According to this verse, what does it mean to worship the Lord? Does obedience have anything to do with it? How are you doing with presenting your body as a living sacrifice to the Lord? Are there any steps that you need to make today in your journey with the Lord?
Prayer: Father, it is my desire to present my body, soul, and spirit to You as a living sacrifice for Your purposes. Please forgive me for coming up so short and fill me and guide me along Your path of obedience and grace. Amen.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
March 22, 2012 - Acts 23:3
“Then Paul said to him, ‘God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck!’” Acts 23:3.
It finally comes out! Paul has an angry reaction! As Paul began to address the Jewish Chief Priest and his ruling body, the Sanhedrin, Ananias, the Chief Priest, ordered that Paul should be struck. A group of men close by to Paul rushed him and struck him. Paul looked straight at Ananias, calling him a “whitewashed wall” and accusing him of breaking the Jewish law. A whitewashed wall may look good on the outside, but it is only covering over the rottenness beneath it. Jesus called these same men whitewashed tombs – they look good on the outside but dead on the inside. Paul, if effect, was saying the same thing.
Paul’s reaction to this blatant abuse is quite understandable. Even in his angry response, Paul showed restraint. It would have been easy for him to lose track of where he was in his message, but he held himself in check, and, after this brief interruption, he continued on course. I thought of times when I have let interruptions distract me from the direction I felt God wanted me to go, and in the process, I lost that direction. I felt ashamed and irritated for my over-reaction, even though I may have felt justified. I am hopeful that I can learn from Paul’s example, remaining focused and on point, after his angry response to abuse administered to him.
Questions to consider: Have you had disruptions in your life that caused you to lose your place in a presentation? Have you had disruptions that have effected your life direction? If so, has this caused any regret or any other emotional responses? How do you hold it all together and not let yourself overreact in situations?
Prayer: Father, I confess my overreaction, irritation, and anger over situations that distract me from what I am focused on, at any particular moment. Help me to hold it all together even if I am abused for my faith in You. Amen.
It finally comes out! Paul has an angry reaction! As Paul began to address the Jewish Chief Priest and his ruling body, the Sanhedrin, Ananias, the Chief Priest, ordered that Paul should be struck. A group of men close by to Paul rushed him and struck him. Paul looked straight at Ananias, calling him a “whitewashed wall” and accusing him of breaking the Jewish law. A whitewashed wall may look good on the outside, but it is only covering over the rottenness beneath it. Jesus called these same men whitewashed tombs – they look good on the outside but dead on the inside. Paul, if effect, was saying the same thing.
Paul’s reaction to this blatant abuse is quite understandable. Even in his angry response, Paul showed restraint. It would have been easy for him to lose track of where he was in his message, but he held himself in check, and, after this brief interruption, he continued on course. I thought of times when I have let interruptions distract me from the direction I felt God wanted me to go, and in the process, I lost that direction. I felt ashamed and irritated for my over-reaction, even though I may have felt justified. I am hopeful that I can learn from Paul’s example, remaining focused and on point, after his angry response to abuse administered to him.
Questions to consider: Have you had disruptions in your life that caused you to lose your place in a presentation? Have you had disruptions that have effected your life direction? If so, has this caused any regret or any other emotional responses? How do you hold it all together and not let yourself overreact in situations?
Prayer: Father, I confess my overreaction, irritation, and anger over situations that distract me from what I am focused on, at any particular moment. Help me to hold it all together even if I am abused for my faith in You. Amen.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
March 15, 2012 - Acts 23:1
“Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, ‘My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day.’” Acts 23:1.
All of the religious leaders of the Sanhedrin were summoned by the commander of the Roman barracks in Jerusalem so that he could hear what Paul was accused of. The chief priest and all the other leaders became silent when Paul was to begin to speak. With boldness, Paul began his defense by stating with clarity that his conscience was completely clear of any wrongdoing and that he had fulfilled all that was required of him by God. He did this while not taking his eyes off of these leaders. Paul, standing alone before the most powerful religious leaders in their world, demonstrated great courage and conviction in his defense.
How important is it to look straight into the eyes of someone who is listening to you or someone you are listening to? When I speak with conviction, I try to look into the eyes of those listening. I try to have that connection. Unfortunately, I do not do this as much during my normal, daily routine. I tend to look down or around the room, and I notice that I avoid the eyes of the person I am speaking to. And it comes across as if I do not have conviction or belief in that which I am talking about. Paul demonstrates in this verse such a conviction, and can state with certainty what he believes. How about us?
Questions to consider: Are you aware of someone who looks you straight in the eyes when they speak to you or you speak to them? How about when someone doesn’t look you in the eyes? Do you have a difficult time looking people in the eyes when you speak? If so, what do you think it communicates, if anything?
Prayer: Father, Paul’s example of looking these people in the eyes and speaking with conviction challenges me to be more conscious of those times when I do not do so. Please help me to remember to show respect for those I speak to and listen to by looking them in the eyes. Amen.
All of the religious leaders of the Sanhedrin were summoned by the commander of the Roman barracks in Jerusalem so that he could hear what Paul was accused of. The chief priest and all the other leaders became silent when Paul was to begin to speak. With boldness, Paul began his defense by stating with clarity that his conscience was completely clear of any wrongdoing and that he had fulfilled all that was required of him by God. He did this while not taking his eyes off of these leaders. Paul, standing alone before the most powerful religious leaders in their world, demonstrated great courage and conviction in his defense.
How important is it to look straight into the eyes of someone who is listening to you or someone you are listening to? When I speak with conviction, I try to look into the eyes of those listening. I try to have that connection. Unfortunately, I do not do this as much during my normal, daily routine. I tend to look down or around the room, and I notice that I avoid the eyes of the person I am speaking to. And it comes across as if I do not have conviction or belief in that which I am talking about. Paul demonstrates in this verse such a conviction, and can state with certainty what he believes. How about us?
Questions to consider: Are you aware of someone who looks you straight in the eyes when they speak to you or you speak to them? How about when someone doesn’t look you in the eyes? Do you have a difficult time looking people in the eyes when you speak? If so, what do you think it communicates, if anything?
Prayer: Father, Paul’s example of looking these people in the eyes and speaking with conviction challenges me to be more conscious of those times when I do not do so. Please help me to remember to show respect for those I speak to and listen to by looking them in the eyes. Amen.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
March 8, 2012 - Acts 22:25
“As they stretched him out to flog him, Paul said to the centurion standing there, ‘Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasn’t even been found guilty?’” Acts 22:25.
Instead of demanding justice and yelling about the mistreatment served him, Paul asks the centurion, who was about to flog him, a simple question. It was against Roman law to flog a Roman citizen unless he was found guilty at trial. Paul’s demeanor was such that it took the centurion by surprise. It stopped this man in his tracks, and he immediately halted the flogging. There was no anger apparent in Paul’s request. It was a simple and to-the-point question, in which he was stating his Roman citizenship. And the comment served its purpose.
There have been many times when I felt justified in raising my voice and getting upset over what I perceived to be an injustice done to me. For example, if you watched me driving, you would see me react to other drivers who “infringe on my space”. (When my wife has been with me and I’ve gotten angry at another driver, she would remind me that Jesus died for that other driver.) This kind of thing may not be a trigger for you, but I would imagine that you can relate to anger rising up from within us when we’ve been mistreated. A lesson that I am learning from Paul is his focus on Jesus as his authority and Lord. Paul submitted all of his actions to the Lord, including his anger, and only attempted to do that which he believed Jesus would have him do. He was flogged elsewhere, and he made no comment about his citizenship. It is no longer about infringing on my rights or my space. It is about how Jesus would like for me to conduct myself in this situation or for that circumstance. Can I respond like Paul?
Questions to consider: Do you have situations that happen that trigger your anger to rise up? Are these things that God is angry about? If not, do you need to change? What step(s) can you take to respond with patience, instead of anger?
Prayer: Father, help me to be angry at the things that anger You, and help me to give up my rights to what I claim to belong to me and give them all over to You. Amen.
Instead of demanding justice and yelling about the mistreatment served him, Paul asks the centurion, who was about to flog him, a simple question. It was against Roman law to flog a Roman citizen unless he was found guilty at trial. Paul’s demeanor was such that it took the centurion by surprise. It stopped this man in his tracks, and he immediately halted the flogging. There was no anger apparent in Paul’s request. It was a simple and to-the-point question, in which he was stating his Roman citizenship. And the comment served its purpose.
There have been many times when I felt justified in raising my voice and getting upset over what I perceived to be an injustice done to me. For example, if you watched me driving, you would see me react to other drivers who “infringe on my space”. (When my wife has been with me and I’ve gotten angry at another driver, she would remind me that Jesus died for that other driver.) This kind of thing may not be a trigger for you, but I would imagine that you can relate to anger rising up from within us when we’ve been mistreated. A lesson that I am learning from Paul is his focus on Jesus as his authority and Lord. Paul submitted all of his actions to the Lord, including his anger, and only attempted to do that which he believed Jesus would have him do. He was flogged elsewhere, and he made no comment about his citizenship. It is no longer about infringing on my rights or my space. It is about how Jesus would like for me to conduct myself in this situation or for that circumstance. Can I respond like Paul?
Questions to consider: Do you have situations that happen that trigger your anger to rise up? Are these things that God is angry about? If not, do you need to change? What step(s) can you take to respond with patience, instead of anger?
Prayer: Father, help me to be angry at the things that anger You, and help me to give up my rights to what I claim to belong to me and give them all over to You. Amen.
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