Meditations

Read Revelation 16

“Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the
seven angels, ‘Go, pour out the seven bowls of God’s
wrath on the earth.’ The first angel went and
poured out his bowl on the land…”
(Revelation 16:1-2)

Thoughts… The earth is going to hell in a handbasket! Just you wait and see.

Now don’t get me wrong—I love our planet. My primary pathway of worship is through nature. I love the outdoors and I feel closest to God when I am in the wonder and beauty of his creation. I love the smell of a cedar forest, hiking through the awe-inspiring majesty of the redwoods, rafting Class 5 rapids on a pristine mountain stream, gazing at the unmatched wonder of a Pacific sunset, gazing at the Milkyway Galaxy on a clear night from the Arizona desert…

You’ll get no argument from me that God was at his finest when he created the earth.

But have you noticed in the last few years how man’s appreciation for the beauty of nature has turned to earth-worship. Stewardship of the environment has turned to radical environmentalism. Eco-terror is on the rise. The new political muscle of the green movement now thwarts common sense use of the earth’s resources at every turn.

We are living in a time when man worships the creation more than its Creator.

So we shouldn’t be surprised that when God brings final judgment on the wickedness of mankind, he will hit where it really hurts—in the very area where we have become most idolatrous: The earth.

The very planet that is now worshiped is going to take a beating. God will give the seven angels who administer his judgment power to harm the earth. Plagues will break forth, the oceans will become polluted like never before, rivers and streams will turn putrid, global warming will become global baking, the cosmos will be darkened without remedy, massive earthquakes will destroy great portions of the developed world and everyday weather patterns will become man’s worst enemy.

In short, God will turn the physical world upside down as punishment for those who have chosen to worship it over him.

Keep that in mind in the coming years as the environmental movement grows stronger and stronger, when it turns from a movement into a religion, when you will face increasing pressure to bow at the alter of environmental consciousness, and when coercion and isolation are imposed on those who do not take such a view of the earth. That day is coming friend, so don’t be caught off guard.

But keep in mind also that God will take down this altar of idolatry like he has with every other god and godless system in the past that has set itself against him. God will tolerate no other god before him.

“You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make
for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above
or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall
not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the
LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the
children for the sin of the fathers to the third
and fourth generation of those who hate
me, but showing love to a thousand
generations of those who love me
and keep my commandments.”
(Exodus 20:3-6)

Prayer… Lord, you are the Creator of all. You alone are worthy to be praised and adored. I give you glory and honor, and I worship you in the splendor of your creation. You rule and reign over all that exist. You are Lord of all!

One More Thing… “Now if I believe in God’s Son and remember that He became man, all creatures will appear a hundred times more beautiful to me than before. Then I will properly appreciate the sun, the moon, the stars, trees, apples, as I reflect that he is Lord over all things. …God writes the Gospel, not in the Bible alone, but also on trees, and in the flowers and clouds and stars.” — Martin Luther

Read Acts 25

The Jews had some questions against Paul about their own
religion and about a certain Jesus, who had died,
whom Paul affirmed to be alive.
(Acts 25:19)

Food For Thought… That is really the crux of the argument for, or against, Christianity, isn’t it? Is Jesus dead and buried—end of story! Or did he die but rise from the grave, alive forevermore?

Of course, we who follow Christ stake our claim on the latter. That is the crux of Christianity. We will go to the death for that belief, because it is all that matters. As the great historian Jaroslav Pelikan so simply yet profoundly put it,

“If Christ is risen—nothing else matters. And if Christ is not risen—nothing else matters.”

An African Muslim converted to Christianity. Some of his friends asked him, “Why have you become a Christian?” He answered, “Well, its like this. Suppose you were going down the road and suddenly the road forked in two directions, and you didn’t know which way to go, and there at the fork in the road were two men, one dead and one alive. Which one would you ask which way to go?”

Jesus is either dead or alive. If he is dead, then our Christian faith is worse than worthless because it is history’s worst fraud. But if Jesus is alive, it is history’s greatest miracle by miles. If Jesus is alive, we ought to ask him which way to go, and then drop everything to follow him. If Jesus is alive, we ought to make him the core of our lives, the purpose of our existence, and the passion of our every breath. If Jesus is alive, he must become the foundation of our faith, the reason for our hope, and the source of our love. The Apostle Peter, who witnessed his bodily resurrection from the tomb, said,

“Through Jesus, you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God. Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. (I Peter 1:21-22)

Is he dead or alive? I am banking my eternal existence that he is alive!

Prayer… Jesus, you are the Risen One, and I will follow you with all my being—heart, mind, soul and strength.

One More Thing… “Without the hope of eternal life, this life is not worth the effort of getting dressed in the morning.” —Count Bismarck

Read Luke 24

And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within
us while He talked with us on the road, and while
He opened the Scriptures to us?”
(Luke 24:32)

Thoughts… Heartburn isn’t usually a good thing, but when God shows up and gives you heartburn, it’s a good thing.

These two disciples were walking the seven-mile journey from Jerusalem to Emmaus, discussing the devastating news of the past few hours. It was the very first Easter Sunday, but they didn’t know yet that Jesus had risen from the tomb. As far as they were concerned, he was dead and gone—and along with him, so were there hopes.

Then Jesus showed up, although his identity was hidden from them, and gave them an incurable case of holy heartburn. It was the heartburn of hope, and it was just the cure their broken hearts needed in those post-crucifixion moments.

That’s the beauty of the resurrection. No matter what you’re going through, the empty tomb stands as a constant and certain reminder that there is always reason for hopefulness. That’s why the psalmist, David, said, “Why are you hopeless? Why are you in turmoil? Put your hope in God!” (Psalm 42:5) Resurrection hope is not just wishful thinking or a pie-in-the-sky kind of attitude that says, “Oh well, things will turn out okay someday.” It’s not the breezy kind of optimism that Mary Martin sang about in South Pacific when she said “I’m stuck like a dope with a thing called hope.”

The kind of hope Jesus will burn into your heart is first of all, a reliable hope. Marx said that hope is the opiate of the people, but Christian hope is built on the foundation of the Bible and supported by the reality of the empty tomb. Verse 27 says, “Beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.”

Second, resurrection hope is a relational hope. The resurrection is not just a story from the pages of history. “Christ is risen” isn’t some theological incantation clerics pull out of the box every Easter. It is hope that arises from an experience with Jesus himself, not just a dream or a fantasy or a phantom. Verse 29 says, “So Jesus went to stay with them.” Jesus walked with these two disciples. He ate with them. He listened to them, inviting them to pour out their hearts. And he revealed himself to them. Resurrection hope is a real person—an intimate relationship with the living Lord.

And third, the kind of hope Jesus wants give you is a radical hope. When you encounter the risen Lord and put your complete trust in him, it will be nothing short of life-changing. Verse 31 says that after they had spent time with Jesus, “their eyes were opened and they recognized him…” These two disciples were headed back to Emmaus to pick up the pieces of their shattered dreams, if they could. Instead, they encountered Jesus, and their plans were radically altered. Actually, their lives were radically altered from that moment on.

Maybe you are in the kind of funk these two disciples were on that first Easter Sunday. Perhaps your dreams have been dashed, your circumstances are not what you had hoped for, and your life has not turned out as you expected. Get ready! If you start to get a little heartburn, it could be that the risen Lord is resurrecting your hopes.

And this hope—Biblical hope, resurrection hope—does not disappoint us! (Romans 5:5)

Prayer… O Lord, in you, and you alone, I put my hope.

One More Thing… “He that lives in hope dances without music.” —George Herbert

Read Luke 23

Then the thief said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come
into Your kingdom.” And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say
to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
(Luke 23:42-43)

Thoughts… Two thieves hung on the cross, with Jesus in between them. One of them joined the mocking crowd in hurling insults at the Lord, but the other hurled himself upon the mercy of God. And, according to Jesus’ own words, he was thoroughly saved that day, even if it was just barely.

The penitent thief had done no good works, had no track record of righteousness, had no opportunity to make right all the wrongs he had done. Yet Jesus assured him that within hours, he would be at the Lord’s side in eternity.

So what was it that made him worthy of salvation—even if it was at the very last minute of his life? The same thing that makes you and me worthy of our salvation: Absolutely nothing. He would have to get there on the credit of another.

All the man could do was recognize his own guilt (“Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds…”), believe in the righteousness of Jesus Christ to save (“but this Man has done nothing wrong…”), and entrust his eternity to the mercy and grace of God (“Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”)

That is all anyone can do to be saved. The thief was thoroughly saved that day; as saved as you, me, or anyone who has faithfully served the Lord their entire life. And that is the whole basis for the Gospel. That is and what sets Christianity apart from every other religion: Salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone.

Every other religious effort to attain eternal life is based on what we do. But what we do, no matter how much we do and how well we do it, can never be enough to satisfy a perfect and holy God and meet his requirements for entrance into heaven: sinlessness and perfection.

Christianity is based on what Jesus did for us on the cross. Only by acknowledging our sinfulness, believing in his atoning work, and receiving him by faith can we appropriate the grace of God that thoroughly saves us for all eternity.

And that’s the Good News—and it really is good news, isn’t it!

Prayer… Lord, if my salvation were based on what I could do, I would never make it. Thank you for your grace and mercy. I am thoroughly saved for all eternity—hallelujah!

One More Thing… “This is the mystery of the riches of divine grace for sinners, for by a wonderful exchange our sins are now not ours but Christ’s, and Christ’s righteousness is not Christ’s, but ours.” —Martin Luther

Read Luke 22

Jesus said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this
Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I will no
longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”
(Luke 22:15-16)

Thoughts… From the moment Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper, Christians have regularly celebrated communion in memory of his death. Some church traditions celebrate it every Sunday, others celebrate it monthly—as does my church on the first Sunday of every month—and still others have their own tradition as to the frequency and practice communion.

When we receive communion, we mostly focus on the Lord’s death, and our redemption that was purchased at the moment of his sacrifice. And what a sweet time of remembrance it is. Nothing is more moving than coming to the Lord’s Table.

Yet it is not only about remembering, communion also calls us to look forward. Twice, as Jesus instituted this holy sacrament, he spoke to his disciples of a time in the future where he, himself, would again participate in this celebration. He was referring to his second coming. He was issuing a promise that he would come again, and each time they, and by extension, we, receive Holy Communion, we are to be reminded of that promise and rejoice in its future fulfillment.

Perhaps you will receive Holy Communion this coming Lord’s Day like I will. I want to challenge you to not only look back in gratitude for the Lord’s death, but look forward in hope to the Lord’s coming. When you eat the bread and drink the wine, your are declaring his death, as the Apostle Paul said, “til he comes.”

Holy Communion means a promise. It is one of God’s best promises to you. And he has never broken a promise—not one. Jesus sealed the promise of his return by his death, and he guaranteed it by his resurrection. He will make good on it—perhaps sooner than you expect.

“For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.” (I Corinthians 11:26)

Prayer… Lord Jesus, thank you for the cross. And thank you for the promise of your return. I eagerly desire to eat the Lord’s Supper on the day of your second coming.

One More Thing… “Death stung himself to death when he stung Christ.” —William Romaine

Read Luke 21

As some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful
stones and donations, Jesus said, “These things which you see
—the days will come in which not one stone shall be left
upon another that shall not be thrown down.”
(Luke 21:5-6)

Thoughts… Just a quick reminder to help you keep a good perspective on life: What you see is temporary.

I didn’t say it is unimportant. That may or may not be the case. But, for sure, it is temporary. It will all, even the really expensive stuff, sooner or later, return to the dust from which it came.

The disciples were pretty infatuated with the beauty and magnificence of Herod’s Temple, and rightly so, from a human perspective. It was a wonder to behold. But Jesus gave a dose of reality by reminding them that every square inch of it would soon return to the dust from which it had been created.

Jesus didn’t say that the temple was unimportant. In fact, he had just recently driven out the moneychangers who were corrupting that very place. (Luke 19:45-47) He was upset that they had turned what should have been a house of prayer into a den of thieves. Jesus wasn’t down on this marvelous place of worship. He just knew that in the larger scheme of things, it was only temporary.

So also are all the things that give you comfort and security: Your home, car, clothes, jewelry, and all the other stuff that you spend your hard earned money on just to one day put in a garage sale. Not necessarily unimportant, mind you—just temporary.

Spiritually wise people will fight to keep that perspective regarding the stuff of life. They will remember, as Jesus said, that not only earth, but even the heavens as we know them will one day pass away. The only things that will remain are the things that he has proclaimed. (verse 33)

That’s why Jesus warned us not to get too caught up in the things of life: “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing” …the pursuit of happiness … “drunkenness” …the pursuit of pleasure …and cares of this life” … the pursuit of comfort. (verse 34)

The temporary stuff of this life will prove to be “a snare” (verse 35) if we don’t ruthlessly maintain an eternal perspective: “Watch therefore, and pray…” (verse 36).

Just remember that as you go about your day. Your stuff is temporary; only that which is of faith is eternal.

Prayer… Father, keep me focused on the things of your eternal kingdom today, and not on the pursuit of the temporary stuff that vies for my attention.

One More Thing… “Let your prayer for temporal blessings be strictly limited to things absolutely necessary.” —Bernard, Archbishop of Vienne

Read Luke 20

“Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in
flowing robes and love to be greeted in the marketplaces and
have the most important seats in the synagogues and the
places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’
houses and for a show make lengthy prayers.
Such men will be punished most severely.”
(Luke 20:46-47)

Thoughts… On a fairly regular basis, concerned believers will approach me with questions about certain nationally known religious figures—televangelists, TV preachers, well-known Christian authors. Usually the concerns center around their opulent lifestyles, their over-the-top theatrics, or the “lightweight” message they preach. And the hope behind the question is that I will side with their sense of outrage and condemn the Christian celebrity in question.

Jesus had a string of run-ins with spiritual celebrities in his day. Although their theology was not of the health and wealth variety that you see so much today—theirs was harsh, condemning, legalistic and intolerant—the outcome was much the same: Over-the-top showiness and money-grubbing.

In Jesus’ case, he didn’t go out of his way to condemn them; they were going out of their way to condemn him. But when confronted, Jesus spoke openly and honestly of the spiritual damage they were doing and of the harsh judgment that awaited them. As a result, they hated Jesus and looked for every opportunity to have him killed.

The simple authenticity of Jesus’ spirituality—his power, authority and humility—was a threat to their carefully crafted religious celebrity. That’s why there was such hatred and hostility toward Jesus. Jesus was the real deal—and they suffered by comparison in the eyes of a spiritually discerning public.

Which brings me to a point about today’s “Christian” celebrities. There is nothing wrong with having respectful debate regarding their ways, or sharing an informed opinion when asked. But the most powerful weapon against inauthentic religiosity is the simple authenticity of your own spirituality. When you walk in Christlike power, authority and humility, you won’t have to go out of your way to condemn anyone. Simply being the real deal will be enough.

I’ve been told that when U.S. treasury agents are trained to spot counterfeit money, they don’t spend their time looking at phony bills. They study the real deal. They become so familiar with the truth that the fake becomes readily apparent.

Just be the real deal—nothing more is required.

Prayer… God, strip me of pretentious, self-absorbed showiness. Make me the real deal. Enable me to walk in authentic power, Christ’s authority, and true humility. And when I stray, do whatever it takes to bring me back.

One More Thing… “Suspect everything that is prosperous unless it promotes piety and charity and humility.” —Isaac Taylor

Read Luke 19

“For the Son of Man has come to seek and
to save that which was lost.”
(Luke 19:10)

Thoughts… This is the first and most foundational conviction that led Jesus, the Son of God, Second Person of the Eternal Trinity, to leave his throne in glory, come to earth as a man, and die the horrific death of the cross: To seek and save the lost.

John 3:16, the most compelling of all the verses of the Bible, reminds us of this driving conviction of God’s being: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

The truth of that verse is so vitally important, obviously, because you and I are the eternal beneficiaries of God’s passionate, unstoppable love for lost people. But as indescribably wonderful as that is, there is more to it. You see, since lost people matter so dearly to God, they ought to matter deeply to us as well. This is fundamentally critical because, as Jacquelyn Heasley has said, “how you believe God perceives people determines how you respond to them.”

In other words, as you go about your day today, you cannot look into the eyes of another human being without seeing a soul so loved by God that he gave his only Son to die for their redemption. When the godless heathen sitting in the cubicle next to you or in the locker beside yours or in the unkempt house across the street from you is rubbing you the wrong way, just remember that they matter to God as much as you do! When you watch the evening news and see godless communists in China, or burka-clad woman in Baghdad, or murdering Hutu tribesmen in Rwanda, or suicide bombers in Gaza, or gang-bangers in your inner city, you are seeing the very kinds of people Jesus came to seek and save.

They matter to God. Jesus came to seek and save them just as much as he came to seek and save you. And that ought to make a big difference in how you think about them today.

Just remember, the people who drive you crazy drove Jesus to the cross.

Prayer… Lord, give me your eyes, that I may see all people as you see them.

One More Thing… “God loves each and every one of us as if there were only one of us. ” –St. Augustine

Read Luke 18

“When the Son of Man comes, will He really
find faith on the earth?”
(Luke 18:8)

Thoughts… When Jesus asked this question, he wasn’t talking about saving faith. He was speaking of the exercise of faith by those who have been saved.

Luke prefaced Jesus’ parable about the woman who wouldn’t give up by giving the reason for it: To teach us that we should pray and not give up.

The story is about a woman who is so persistent in hounding a very tough, uncaring judge about her case that she finally wears him down. He gives her justice simply to get her off his back and bring sanity back to his life.

Of course, Jesus isn’t comparing God to that judge. Rather, he is contrasting the two. He is saying that if an unrighteous, unfeeling judge would do that for a persistent woman, how much more would your righteous, caring Father hear your case and answer you? The answer to that question is obvious: God stands at the ready to hear your prayers and meet your needs.

If that be the case, believers, therefore ought to pray and not give up. Then comes this penetrating question: When the Lord returns, will he find any of his people exercising that kind of persistent trust and expectant faith? Or will he find that they have wimped out, too easily given up, accepted the status quo in their lives and settled for less than God’s best?

Let’s make this verse really practical: Was Jesus referring to you when he asked that question? What have you given up on in prayer? A healing? The salvation of a loved one? Deliverance from a destructive addiction? Financial abundance? Greater spiritual depth, power, authority, effectiveness?

I think one of the disappointments we will have when we get to heaven—and if disappointments are possible there, I am sure they will be only momentary—will be all the unclaimed blessings and answers to prayer specifically reserved for us that were left in God’s treasury because we gave up too soon.

Perhaps today is a good day to dust off some of those prayer requests you have given up on and being to bring them to the Righteous Judge once again. It could be that today will be the day of breakthrough for you and God will release the answer you are seeking.

You never know. So why not pray—and whatever you do, don’t give up!

Prayer… Lord, teach me to pray with the same persistent, expectant, fervent, never-say-die attitude you were describing in the parable. I don’t want one single answer reserved for me left in heaven. I want to lay claim to all that you have for me.

One More Thing… “It is not enough for the believer to begin to pray, nor to pray correctly; nor is it enough to continue for a time to pray. We must patiently, believingly continue in prayer until we obtain an answer.” —George Mueller

Read Luke 17

And one of [the ten], when he saw that he was healed, returned,
and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face
at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan.”
(Luke 17:15-17)

Thoughts… Every generation of parents ask a question of their children. It’s more of a prompting than a question. After receiving a gift or a favor, parents ask, “What do you say?” Of course, the expected response is, “thank you.”

My parents would ask me, “What do you say to your grandmother for her Velveeta, Spam and lima bean casserole?” Now they didn’t really want my honest opinion here—they would have gone postal if I would have said, “Grammie, what in the name of heaven were you thinking? You shouldn’t ever be allowed to prepare meals again!” They didn’t really care what I thought, they simply wanted a response of gratitude to show my acknowledgement of Grammie’s kindness and effort.

Even if children don’t feel gratitude, parents want them to learn to offer thanks simply because it’s the right thing to do. Why? Because every human being lives with a debt of gratitude to someone for something. Of course, parents hope their kids won’t just parrot words of gratitude; they hope that the exercise of gratitude now will one day produce authentically grateful people.

And that is exactly what our Heavenly Father hopes for each of us! That is why you can’t go very far into the Bible without a reference or an admonition to be thankful, as in this story Jesus tells.

The ability to express gratitude is one of the fundamental signs of a redeemed life and a growing spirituality. To give thanks is one of the highest callings we have and one of the most self-benefiting things we can do. It keeps us from being self-absorbed. It produces an eternal perspective. It reminds us of how truly blessed we really are. It creates a perspective that sees that all of life is a gift.

At the end of each day G. K. Chesterton would say, “Here ends another day, during which I have had eyes, ears, hands [to experience this] great world around me. Tomorrow begins another day. Why am I allowed two?” That’s why Ambrose, Bishop of Milan said, “No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks.” It keeps you focused on God’s goodness and not on yourself.

And perhaps best of all, gratitude opens the door for more. The great preacher Andrew Murray said, “To be thankful for what we have received…is the surest way to receive more.”

Why not practice a little gratitude today! You’ll be grateful you did!

Prayer… Lord, you have blessed me with good things far more than I can count and far more than I deserve. Thank you. I owe an eternal debt of gratitude that I will happily but never fully repay.

One More Thing… “Gratitude is not only the greatest of the virtues, but the parent of all others.” —Cicero