Dying ready is not about trying hard to do more and be better so God will accept you into heaven when this life is over. Instead, it’s about trusting in Jesus and the work He has finished on your behalf and, in response, finishing the work that Jesus has entrusted to you. We don’t work for our salvation; we work out our salvation. We don’t pay Him back. We love Him back. With our hope in Him, we journey homeward in loving obedience (though imperfectly executed) knowing that the death we once feared is actually the doorway to full and lasting joy with Him. Death is not the end; it is just the beginning.
Short # 8: Live Fully
Living fully is not about having the most fun, experiencing the greatest pleasure, and doing the biggest good in this world as if this place is all there is. Instead, it’s about the eternal ripple that your life can make when you use it for Jesus. That doesn’t mean you leave happiness and helpfulness behind; it means you find it in a more meaningful way. We are to be faithful witnesses for God in the everyday things of life that we’re already doing on earth (from cookouts to workouts to hangouts) in such a way that we’ll be glad we did when we get to heaven. Enjoy life. Do good. Glorify God.
Short #7: It Is Coming
We don’t like to think about it. We don’t like to talk about it. But death is coming for us all. We may not be certain of the time of its arrival, but the certainty of its arrival is never in doubt. Instead of ignoring, downplaying or fearing it, we should let its reality accomplish two essential and monumental things in our lives: be purposeful to experience life before death, and be prepared to experience life after death. Jesus makes both of these possible when we entrust ourselves to Him. Live fully. Die ready.
Short #6: For Recovering Sight-Walkers
I’m a recovering sight-walker. Give me the plan. Give me the map. Tell me where we’re going, how we’re going to get there, what’s going to happen along the way, and what awaits us at our destination. While the Bible does give us the “big picture” view of these things, the everyday details of our individual lives aren’t specifically given to us in advance. It takes faith for us to follow Jesus into the unknown, uncertain and, often, unfamiliar spaces where He leads us. But our faith rests firmly in this: when Jesus calls us to leave our comfort zones, we can be sure He will always go with us and provide for us.
Short #5: When We Fail To Glorify God
We glorify God by thanking Him, trusting Him and treasuring Him as we live in loving obedience to Him. But, let’s be honest … oftentimes we’re not going to get that right. We’re going to disobey Him and dishonor Him. We’re going to fall. What then? Then … We fall into His mercy. In those moments when we don’t do the things that honor Him – because we are sinners – we repent and rest in the forgiveness and righteousness that is ours because of the work of Jesus and our faith in Him. And that glorifies Him too.
Short #4: Glorifying God
There is a way in which we can do everything in life so that God is honored through it. Namely, by handling everything in life in the manner that He intends. We enjoy the good things by expressing gratitude to Him and guarding against prioritizing them over Him. We endure the bad things by trusting Him as our all-powerful provider and looking to Him as our all-satisfying treasure. We experience all things with loving obedience to His commands as we follow His design for how and why and what we do with the lives we have been given.
Short #3: Time With Jesus
Admit it, some days are a blur. We wake up, and over the coming hours, it’s a nonstop rush to not fall behind. You know what the cure is for being overwhelmed, worried and frustrated about the many things on our schedules? Making the right choice to spend unhurried, undistracted time with Jesus today. That’s the most important part of our day, and it should have the most intentional part of our schedule because it’s the most influential part of our lives. #talktoJesus #listentoJesus
Short #3: Be Courageous
Because of Jesus, we can be courageous in the face of tribulation. His power is greater than our enemies, His sovereignty rules over our battles, His promises reside in our hearts, His forgiveness ensures our futures, His presence empowers our lives, and His grace provides for our needs. Therefore… Be bold to speak the truth in His love. Be courageous to face enemies with His love. Be encouraged in tribulation by His love. Take heart today, Christian… your tribulation will not last forever; but your joy in Jesus will.
Short #2: What Others See
If people look at our lives, what do they most see us representing with what we say and do? It should not be: a political party or personality, a charity or company, our family or favorite team, or ourselves and our standards. While those things may be a part of what we stand for and show forth, what people most need to see in and through our lives is Jesus. Let us live out and speak out the gospel in a way which makes it clear that we worship Him and not any other thing, and in a way which makes it clear that He is the ultimate source of hope and happiness and not any other thing.
Short #1: Conviction And Celebration
When reading the Bible, if you don’t experience both conviction and celebration, you’re not reading it correctly. On one hand, we should not ignore the places where God’s words challenge and correct the way we are living if we are disobedient to His commands. On the other hand, we should not isolate the places where God issues His commands so all we have is a list of “dos and don’ts”. A proper reading and understanding of the Bible should equip us to joyfully do as God intends and encourage us with all that Jesus has done, is doing and will do for us which makes it possible and makes it worth it.
A “Short” Break For The Upcoming Seaso …
Beginning tomorrow morning I’ll be publishing a “short” each day until the end of our Runner Church ministry season in October (instead of the normal weekday devotions). These “shorts” will usually be a 4-6 sentence “thought for the day.” This will allow me to focus my time on message prep for our Runner Church gatherings. Normal weekday devotions will resume at the conclusion of the Runner Church season this Fall. Please pray for us as we “show and tell” runners what the good news of Jesus is all about.
NOTE: As time allows, I’ll post some lengthier content too. This just won’t be on a regular schedule.
He Has Risen As He Said
But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. – Matthew 28:5-6
Do you believe that Jesus is alive? Then don’t live as if He’s still dead. Don’t live as if you are left to your own wisdom, strength and resources to navigate through life. Don’t live as if this world and its stuff is all there is, and you can’t be happy unless you have more of it. Don’t live as if your life has no real meaning and purpose, and how you spend your time doesn’t really matter. Don’t live as if you are a victim of temptation and sin, powerless to stand up to it and resist it and defeat it. Don’t live as if life is out of control, and you have just cause to worry and fear and dread. Listen… The empty tomb changes everything! You couldn’t live up to God’s standards, so Jesus lived perfectly for you. You couldn’t break free from sin, so He set you free. You couldn’t atone for your transgressions, so Jesus died in your place. You couldn’t defeat death, so He conquered the grave so you too will rise. You couldn’t earn an eternal retirement, so He paid for your inheritance. You have become rich in salvation, forgiveness, joy, peace, glory, kindness, favor, righteousness, love and hope because of what Jesus accomplished on your behalf. Because He lives, you can live too … abundantly in this world and eternally in the world to come. Because the Lamb of God was slain, rose again and the tomb is now empty, if you are trusting Him, you are a new person with a new eternity in your future, and new potential, new purpose, new power, new pleasure in Him for everyday life even now. When you and I live in this newness that Jesus purchased on the cross for us, we do so to bring glory to the Lamb of God who was slain for us, conquered sin and death for us, offers forgiveness and life to us, and has become a treasure to us. If you are trusting in Jesus, your life is full because the tomb is empty. He has risen as He said, and He will return as He said. Until He does… If you believe that Jesus is alive, then don’t live as if He’s still dead.
They Laid Jesus There
So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there. – John 19:40-42
Confusion. Shock. Fear. Uncertainty. Heartbreak. Silence. When they laid the breathless, lifeless body of Jesus in the tomb, it must have seemed like their own breath and life had been drained from them. And when the stone was rolled into place, it must have looked like their hopes and fate were sealed inside with the One they had pinned their hopes on and trusted their fate to. They were discovering what we all discover… Things often won’t go as we planned them. Things often won’t work out like we hoped. Things often won’t happen as we thought they would. Things often won’t be as simple or easy or comfortable as we would like. Instead, things will break our hearts and leave us in stunned silence. But, in the hands and plans of God, our struggles are not setbacks, they are stepping stones. When we go through hard times, it’s not in the way of God’s plan; it is His plan. Our God is sovereign, and though the sinfulness of people, the brokenness of this world and the maliciousness of Satan all rise up to seemingly stop God’s work, He makes them bow down and serve His purposes! The story is never over … NEVER OVER … until God has claimed the final victory, for God is always working things out for good in the end. Struggles will be defeated. Suffering will be defeated. Sin will be defeated. Satan will be defeated. Death will be defeated. Every foe we will ever face will be overturned, overthrown and overcome because Jesus is putting and will put every enemy under His foot. Until then, we wait. But we wait in hope of better things. For we know the rest of the story that these disciples were about to experience first-hand… They laid Jesus there. But He would not lie there for long. They thought it was the end. But it was just the beginning. It was finished. But it was not over.
He Set His Face To Go To Jerusalem
When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. – Luke 9:51
Jesus knew what awaited in Jerusalem. Unimaginable torment. Unthinkable anguish. Unspeakable evil. Unwarranted brutality. Unprecedented suffering. No one would ever face anything like what Jesus set His face to go to. He would absorb the wrath of God for our sins to secure the grace of God for our salvation so we could become the people of God for all eternity. He knew what was coming, but He didn’t avoid it. He didn’t bypass it. He didn’t stop it. He set his face towards it, locked eyeballs with it, and did not back away, back off or back down from it. He knew what Jerusalem meant for Him. He knew what Jerusalem would cost Him. But He was determined to complete the mission for which He came … to save sinners like you and me. So… The spotless Lamb of God headed for the place of His slaughter. The gruesomeness of that statement should grip you. So, let it. This was going to be an ugly, horrific scene that should rightly furrow our brows, sicken our stomachs, and stab our hearts because it was our sin that caused this sacrifice to be needed. He set His face to go to Jerusalem to suffer in our place, take the wrath we deserved, and be crushed for the weight of our sin. Oh, let us never take our sin lightly! The graciousness of that statement should also grip you. So, let it as well. This was going to be a beautiful, wonderful act of love that should make our eyes dance, make our faces smile, and make our hearts leap with joy because He was willing to do this for us. He set His face to go to Jerusalem to bring us from death into life, bring us into His family, and someday bring us into the very presence of God in heaven where there is fullness of joy and pleasure forevermore. Oh, let us never take our worship lightly! Jesus is our way out of hell and our way into heaven. No one comes to the Father except through Him. And no one would come through Him unless He went to Jerusalem.
Two Week Sabbatical
Hey there, finishers! Jimmy here. I’m away for a two week sabbatical with Paula and will not post weekday devotions here again until we return.
Until then, check out my shorter daily posts on our Facebook page at https://www.Facebook.com/FinishLineFaith/
And keep an eye out on your inbox for my next 3 devotions on April 2-4 (Easter Weekend).
Your prayers are appreciated as we step away for a couple of weeks to get refreshed for our upcoming Runner Church season.
It’s Okay To Not Be Okay – Part 2
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. – Galatians 6:2
God means for us to share our burdens with others and bear the burdens of others. Yet, one of life’s biggest struggles for many people is to let others inside. We’ve been programmed to think we shouldn’t let people see our weaknesses. Or to believe that we are tough enough to take care of ourselves. Or to expect people to walk away if they get to know the real person inside of us. We drift from God’s design to the enemy’s desire for how our lives ought to be fashioned. We find it easier to ask for help carrying groceries into the house than we do in carrying the burdens of our hearts. We tend to talk about our fantasy football struggles, but not our marital struggles. We let people know our thoughts about the weather, politics, and workplace matters, but we tuck away our battles with depression, worry, fear, addiction, and overwhelm. Yet God sent Jesus as the ultimate burden-bearer to take on to Himself our sin and struggles. He lived the life we could not live, died in our place on the cross, and rose from the dead to secure both forgiveness and freedom for every place we are not okay. To those He called to be in the family of God, He also called to live as the family of God in administering His care to one another until the day comes when He will welcome us into our heavenly home, and there will be no more burdens to bear. Until then, it’s time to repent of thinking, believing, and acting as if you’re alone in the struggle. It’s also time to repent of leaving others alone in their struggles when God has called you to step in and offer His care. It’s okay to not be okay. It’s not okay to stay that way. Especially when God has equipped the church to take care of one another as we depend upon Him to graciously provide what we need in our time of need. The smartest thing you can do when you find yourself feeling overpowered, overwhelmed or overloaded is to ask for help. If it’s more than you can handle alone, that’s God’s way of saying He doesn’t want you to handle it alone.
It’s Okay To Not Be Okay – Part 1
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. – Galatians 6:2
It’s okay to not be okay. It’s not okay to stay that way. It’s not okay to hide your hurt. It’s not okay to handle it alone. It’s not okay to refuse help. It’s not okay to keep silent. It’s not okay to withdraw. It’s not okay to settle. It’s not okay to lose hope. It’s not okay to push others away. Self-sufficiency was never a part of God’s design for us. From mankind’s beginning, He purposed that we would be a people who needed help. Help from Him. Help from each other. God did not give us the means to accomplish every task, satisfy every need, solve every dilemma, and fulfill every longing in isolation from other people. In reality, there is actually very little we can do completely on our own. There is no shame in admitting you need help. We are broken people living in a broken world, so of course, there is going to be an open-ended need for assistance in every category of our lives. To need help is simply to be human. You and I are not wise enough, strong enough, or resourceful enough to go at it alone. God never meant for us to. Instead, He made us to be a people who would look to Him for help. Of course, He sometimes delivers this essential aid through divine intervention. But many times, He works through divine community. He calls, gifts, empowers, mobilizes, and sends the church of Jesus to be His hands, feet, and mouth to people inside and outside the family of God. To care for His people and to care for others so they become His people. He made us to be interdependent upon each other as a means of being dependent on Him. Therefore, it is your responsibility to let me know when you’re not okay so I can do what God called me to do in providing you help. It is my responsibility to do the same in reverse. It is our mutual obligation to “bear one another’s burdens” by asking for care when we are in a place of need, and giving care when we are in a position to meet needs. This is God’s design for us. This is how God works through us. This is how God provides for us. #shareyourburdenswithothers #beartheburdensofothers
Battles, Fighting And Armor – Part 2
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. – Ephesians 6:10-13
God does not leave us defenseless or powerless against the enemy of our soul. Instead, He gives us His Spirit to go with us. God does not send us ill-equipped into battle against this powerful adversary who is seeking to devour and destroy us. Instead, He dresses us in His own armor. We cannot fight with our limited human resources, but we are more than conquerors through Jesus who loves us. (Romans 8:37) In order for us to fight the good fight of faith, we must put on the armor of God … ahead of time, in advance of the skirmish. We put ourselves and others at extreme risk if we wait until the battle begins to ready ourselves for war against sin and evil. The enemy does not allow us to call timeout or grant us a recess to gather our ammunition and put up our shield. This is why we should arm ourselves with a daily dose of God’s instructions and God’s truths and God’s promises found in God’s Word. It is for this reason that we should spend time praying for God’s power and God’s wisdom and God’s protection every day and throughout the day. We need to remember, rejoice in, and rely on the good news of Jesus in order to safeguard our heads, hearts, and homes. Knowing how the enemy works, let us be vigilant in our advance preparation for the battle and reliant on the armor and presence of God when the battle rages. Jesus is with us in the battle, giving us the courage, guidance, and strength that we need to conquer every foe. Make war! And if you go down, go down swinging, knowing that there is grace for every lost fight because you are trusting in Jesus, and Jesus has dealt a knockout punch to sin, Satan and death for you. You will rise again to fight again and win in the end. Because of grace we don’t give up in our fight against our spiritual enemies; by grace we get up and fight on!
Battles, Fighting And Armor – Part 1
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. – Ephesians 6:10-13
You may not realize the extent it reaches into your life. You may not grasp the effect is has upon your life. Perhaps you’ve dismissed it as a bad rap, bad influence, bad habit, bad luck, bad timing or bad news. Labels aside, there is something very palpable and perilous that is happening in our lives. The threat is real. The danger is imminent. The stakes are high. There is a battle that is raging in us, around us, and against us. The spiritual enemies of God are making war against the family of God. Just as God is advancing His kingdom, Satan and his allied army are intent on achieving their own objective. Namely, to stop God from advancing His kingdom. It is, of course, ultimately in vain, but in the time and space we now reside, there is conflict. The enemy forces will come at us in an all-out assault upon our faith and an all-out attempt to control, cripple, or crush us. Therefore, we must fight for… our marriage and family, thought life and beliefs, purity and righteousness, calling and purpose, loyalty to God, satisfaction in Jesus, God-given hopes and dreams, wise use of time, stewardship of money, delight for God’s word, devotion to prayer, dependence upon the Holy Spirit, next step of faith, stand against injustice, voice for the truth, platform to share the gospel, Christ-purchased abundant life and love for our heavenly Father. We cannot afford to yield ground in these areas. We cannot afford to be passive in the fight. We cannot be ignorant of or indifferent to the seriousness of the calculated aggression of our enemy. We cannot let the enticement, frustration, deception, opposition, confusion, distraction, or coercion of any enlisted person or power to convince us to settle for a cheap and comfortable substitution for God and His ways. The warfare comes in many different forms, but the endgame is always the same: to convince us to live as if we do not need God. Therefore, let us fight like our lives depend upon us depending on Him. Because. They. Do.
Lifeopoly, Part 2
And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen. – Philippians 4:19-20
The way to win the game of Lifeopoly is to go to Jesus. Go immediately, personally, expectantly, honestly, submissively, willingly, hungrily, persistently, confidently, obediently, adoringly, fearlessly, gratefully, humbly, corporately, sincerely, hopefully, lovingly, trustingly and frequently. For those moments we are in over our heads and about to lose our minds, let us go directly to Jesus to collect peace and rest. Whenever we land on a space that has us wondering what to do, let us go directly to Jesus to collect wisdom and guidance. If the next roll leaves us so weak we think we cannot continue on, let us go directly to Jesus to collect strength and endurance. Should some turn scare us, let us go directly to Jesus to collect courage and assurance. As we cause some of the bad things that happen, let us go directly to Jesus for forgiveness and transformation. Of course, even in this world of brokenness and even in our own sinfulness, not every turn turns out badly. Some moves bring us to pleasant places. What should we do then? Go to Jesus. Go directly to Jesus. To thank our God for His gracious gifts, and to ask Him to help us rightly enjoy them so they do not become idols that take us to a bad place. We do not have to handle the demands of this life by ourselves. In fact, we cannot. God never intended for us to. Instead, His Son, Jesus is with us and for us as we round the board. Go directly to Him and be refreshed and reoriented. God’s supply of peace, hope, joy, wisdom, strength, courage, security, companionship, and every other good thing He has for us in Jesus is endless. There is grace for our every roll, every turn, every landing space until this game is over, and it all goes back into the box. Then, Eternal-Lifeopoly begins. In which there are no bad spaces to land. And every player gets fullness of joy and pleasure forevermore with God.
