Category Archives: Christian Living

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Everything I NeedTo Know About God

I Learned in Genesis 1

Give It Some Thought: Good morning, and Happy January 2. If you began the New Year yesterday with a “Through the Bible” reading plan, you likely started at the beginning, Genesis 1. And in this opening chapter, we find all that we really need to know about anything and everything, which is simply yet profoundly this: God did it! In fact, in the Bible’s opening line, the first thing we discover about God is that he is the creator of all, and the second thing we learn is that he hovers over the chaos, bringing order, beauty, and glory from it. And that should be of great comfort as we begin the journey into an uncertain year ahead, for that is God’s ongoing, unstoppable, flawless work in me—and you, too!

Moments With God // Genesis 1:1-2

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.

The first thing we learn about God in reading the Bible is that he is the Creator. The second thing we learn is that he hovers over the chaos and brings order, beauty, and glory from it.

Now the writer of Hebrews tells us that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Heb 13:8). Jesus, who is God, whom John tells us was the agent of creation (John 1:1-4), is still actively creating and ordering in the lives of his followers.

I am grateful that through Jesus, creating and ordering is still God’s activity in my life. He still forms beauty and glory from my unruly, empty, dark, chaotic life. And while it seems that I am a long way from being finished, I am at the present moment his workmanship (Eph 2:10).

Thank God for a Creator who finishes his work, for “he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Phil 1:6).

Enough said. God did it! God is at work! God will finish it. Cheers to the year ahead!

My Offering of Worship: What do we learn from Genesis 1? Simply this: God did it. He started it all from nothing; he is shepherding what he started; he will bring it to the completion he desires—he will finish it in fine fashion. That includes his work in your life, too. Take a moment to offer your gratitude for the Author and Finisher of your faith.

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Replace Seasonal Worry With Sustained Worship

Merry Christmas - And Fear Not

SYNOPSIS: Repeatedly in the Christmas story when the angel announced Christ’s birth, he told those to whom he spoke, “fear not.” Could it be that what Gabriel said to them on that day was an invitation for us today into “no fear” living? If so, then how do we let go of our fears? It’s quite simple really; nothing complicated about it at all. The angel said what is repeated another 364 times throughout Scripture: “Don’t be afraid.” In other words, quit worrying! And to do that, we must do what the hosts of angels then went on to say to the shepherds: “Find the Christ-child and worship him.” I’m pretty sure what those heavenly heralds were, and are, calling for is for us to simply replace daily worry with sustained worship. And Christmas is a great day to start doing that. Merry Christmas!  ~Ray and Linda

Merry Christmas // Luke 2:9-12

An angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Repeatedly in the Christmas story when the angel announced Christ’s birth, he told those to whom he spoke, “fear not.” Could it be that what Gabriel said to them on that day was an invitation for us today into “no fear” living? If so, then how do we let go of our fears? It’s quite simple really; nothing complicated about it at all. The angel said what is repeated another 364 times throughout Scripture: “Don’t be afraid.” In other words, quit worrying! And to do that, we must do what the hosts of angels then went on to say to the shepherds: “Find the Christ-child and worship him.” I’m pretty sure what those heavenly heralds were, and are, calling for is for us to simply replace daily worry with sustained worship. And Christmas is a great day to start doing that!

“Fear not, this is the best news ever!” That’s what the angel of the Lord said to a few terrified shepherds outside Bethlehem almost 2,000 years ago when he suddenly appeared with the announcement of Christ’s birth. Listen again to the angel’s encouragement in Luke 2:10-12 from Today’s English Version:

The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid! I am here with good news for you, which will bring great joy to all the people. This very day in David’s town your Savior was born—Christ the Lord! And this is what will prove it to you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

It is interesting that the very first words in the announcement of Jesus’ birth in Luke 2 were, “don’t be afraid!”

There were some shepherds in that part of the country who were spending the night in the fields, taking care of their flocks. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone over them. They were terribly afraid, but the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid! I am here with good news for you, which will bring great joy to all the people. This very day in David’s town your Savior was born—Christ the Lord!  And this is what will prove it to you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great army of heaven’s angels appeared with the angel, singing praises to God:

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and peace on earth to those with whom he is pleased!”

When the angels went away from them back into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us.”

With so much fear in our world right now, our worshipful celebration of the anniversary of Christ’s birth reminds us that Christmas really is the Good News. Not only did the arrival of Jesus mean we now have a Savior, it also meant that we no longer have to live in fear.

So how do we enter into that “no fear” living? It’s quite simple really; nothing complicated about it at all. The angels said what is repeated another 364 times throughout Scripture: Fear not. In other words, quit worrying. And to do that, we must do what the angels went on to instruct the shepherds to do: “Find the Christ-child and worship him.”

I’m pretty sure what those heavenly heralds were, and are, calling for is to simply replace season worry with sustained worship. That is the antidote to fear. That is what will defeat the fear and anxiety the evil in this world causes in our hearts. That is what reminds us that embracing the Christ-child as Savior and Lord truly is Good News.

With that in mind, replace your fear of the what if’s in life and place faith in the I am who was born as a babe on Christmas Day! And take courage, today is Christmas!

God is With Us: Today we celebrate the birth of a Savior who is the Lord nearly 2,000 years ago. What difference should that make in our lives today—and every other day going forward? Simply this: Live boldly, Immanuel, God with us, is still with us!

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God’s Capacity for Anger Reveals His Capacity for Love

Things That Really Tick God Off

SYNOPSIS: God is love, yet he experiences the emotions of hate, abhorrence, and anger without having his goodness or graciousness diminished in the least. In fact, God’s capacity to become incensed over certain things is an appropriate and vital part of his love. Love, for instance, demands the emotion of anger and even hate over injustice, neglect, or abuse. Goodness gets upset over evil. Grace presupposes the need for itself, recognizing the need to compensate for disgrace. So, the hatred and disgust of God should not be surprising to anyone who truly understands God’s loving character. Rather, it should be expected, desired, and even appreciated. In fact, to love what God loves requires us to hate what God hates.

To love what God loves means... - Ray Noah

Moments With God // Proverbs 6:16-19

There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies, and a man who stirs up conflict in the community.

Hate! Detest! Those are words we don’t normally associate with God. After all, God is love. Right?

The fact is, God is love, and yet he experiences the emotions of hate, abhorrence, and anger without having his goodness or graciousness diminished in the least. In fact, God’s capacity to become incensed over certain things is an appropriate and vital part of love.

Love, for instance, demands the emotion of anger and even hate over injustice, neglect, or abuse. Goodness gets upset over evil. Grace presupposes the need for itself, recognizing the need to compensate for disgrace. So, the hatred and disgust of God should not be surprising to anyone who truly understands God’s character. Rather, it should be expected, desired, and even appreciated.

What is it that causes God such deep displeasure? Seven things, according to this proverb: 1) a prideful look, 2) deceitful words, 3) bloody hands, 4) wicked plotting, 5) evil ambitions, 6) false witnessing, and 7) shalom-breaking divisiveness. Interestingly, these seven things listed in verses 16-19 are a recap of Solomon’s warnings given earlier in the chapter in verses 12-14:

  1. Arrogance (v. 13): Solomon refers to one who “winks with his eyes.” It pictures someone who has a proud heart, is haughty, or prideful.
  2. A lying tongue (v. 12): Solomon calls it a “perverse mouth.” Since lying is prohibited in the Top 10 List of Divine Prohibitions, it is no wonder that God detests lies and liars.
  3. Hands that shed innocent blood (v. 13): Solomon speaks of “fingers” that slyly signal deceit, showing that bloody hands can also refer to one who personally, deliberately, and strategically profits at the expense or misfortune of another.
  4. A heart that devises wicked schemes (v.14): This is a person who “plots evil with deceit in the heart”. It is a conniving person who is completely out of step with the loving heart of God.
  5. Feet that are quick to evil (v. 13): It is “one who shuffles his feet” or a person whose first inclination is toward evil. Their initial tendency is always and aggressively sinful.
  6. A false witness that pours out lies (v. 12): It refers to a “corrupt mouth.” It is one who violates the ninth commandment, “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.”
  7. One who stirs up dissension in the comunity (v. 14): Solomon calls out the one who “always stirs up trouble” (NLT). This one is an agitator who thrives on discord.

Make no mistake, the God of love and grace we know expresses hatred toward those whose hearts are habitually inclined toward these kinds of wicked and destructive behaviors.

But this list of seven things God hates is also interesting in that it tells us a lot about the character of God. If you know what someone passionately dislikes then you know the inner passions of that person. What does God’s hatred tell us about his character?

  • He is a God who values true humility (clearly demonstrated in Jesus, who being in very nature, God, humbled himself—Philippians 2).
  • He is a God of truth (God is not prone to human weakness that he would lie—Numbers 23:19).
  • He is a protector and advocate of the downtrodden and disadvantaged (He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing—Deuteronomy 10:18).
  • He is a God whose motives are pure (with him there is no shadow of turning—James 1:17).
  • He is a God who is quick to do good (How much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts—Matthew 7:11).
  • He is a God of justice (The Lord is known by his justice—Psalm 9:16).
  • He is a God of unity (Jesus’ most urgent prayer was that his followers would be one, just as he and the Father were one—John 17:12).

Living within God’s pleasure means avoiding his anger and his wrath, particularly by avoiding these seven no-nos. But it is more than that. It is also understanding his character and cultivating his qualities in our lives until we are conformed to the very image of his Son. When we truly understand what God hates, we will hate it too, and will passionately avoid those kinds of behaviors. And when we truly understand what God loves, we will passionately pursue those qualities.

Hmmm, a love-hate relationship; Maybe there’s something to it!

Take A Moment: Honestly ask yourself if any of those seven sins are habitually present in your life. Ask someone who knows you if they are characteristic of you in any way. Be ready to listen to their honest answer. If you are weak in any one of the seven areas, take a moment to prayerfully write down an action plan to eliminate that weakness from your life.

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God, Where Are You?

He Will Never Leave You High and Dry

SYNOPSIS: Sometimes the journey takes us to “the wall.” The proverbial wall is a place that our faith rarely anticipates, but it can become the place where our faith is strengthened the most. You see, the best part of our walk with God is not what he does for us, as glorious as that may be; it is what he does in us! And the faith, humility, trust, and dependence that God desires to develop within us—all the qualities of Christ-likeness—we discover at the wall of adversity. God produced those characteristics of greatness in all of the greats at the wall—Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, Elijah, Job, Daniel, Paul, and others. Why should you be any different? So, I’ll see you at the wall!

The best part of our walk with God is... - Ray Noah

Moments With God // Focus: Psalm 74:9

We are given no miraculous signs; no prophets are left, and none of us knows how long this will be.

“God, it seems like you’ve left me high and dry!” That is the essence of this psalm. Have you ever talked to God like the writer of Psalm 74 did? I have! I am not talking about being disrespectful, but I am talking about being desperate.

There have been times of desperation in my life—when a loved one far too young to die was on her death-bed, when a conflict arose that seemed to have no resolution, when a financial need was staring me in the eyes and I had absolutely no answer for it; when an attack came from out of nowhere that just sucked the life out of me—and to be frank, I felt all alone. Overrun with fear, anxiety, and hopelessness, life from my clouded human perspective made it seem as if God was nowhere to be found.

You have had those moments, too. And if we dared to be brutally honest with God, we said something to the effect, “God, where are you? You are really letting me down on this one!” Or worse!

Well, if you are having second thoughts about your unfiltered prayer to God, don’t fret. Jesus had a moment like that, too: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46)

Perhaps your desperate cry to God has been more general—like the one in this particular verse. Your holy discontent has led you to prayerfully complain to God that he never seems to show up in his power and glory, with signs, wonders, and miracles, as he did in days of old—and there seems to be no indication that he will anytime soon. You are desperate for God, but he doesn’t seem desperate for you.

The writer of this psalm most likely penned this prayerful lament after the destruction of Jerusalem in 587 BC. The Jews were deported to Babylon, the Holy Land had been overrun and defiled by pagans, and God’s people were in a bad way—with no end in sight. Worst of all, God was silent—he wasn’t acting (“no miracles”), he wasn’t talking (“no prophets”) and there was no game plan except for more of the same (“we don’t know how long this will be”).

So the psalmist poured out his complaint—which is always a good thing. And even though it wasn’t in this psalm, God did give his people some profound advice (I guess his advice is always profound since, after all, he is God) through a prophet that served around the same time as the palmist. His words are recorded in Jeremiah 29:1-23. I hope you will take the time to read them.

Of course, this passage contains the verse that everyone loves: “I know the plans I have for you…plans to prosper you and give you a hope and a future.” (Jer 29:11) But read the context. God is, in essence, saying to them, “this difficult time is going to take a while—and yes, I will see you through it—but in the meantime, bloom where I’ve planted you. Even though you don’t hear me or see me, I am still at work. I’m doing my part, so you do your part by staying faithful and useful to me.”

Here’s the deal: You see, the best part of our walk with God is not what he does for us, as glorious as that may be; it is what he does in us! And the faith, humility, trust, and dependence that God desires to develop within us—all the qualities of Christ-likeness—we discover at the wall of adversity. God produced those characteristics of greatness in all of the greats at the wall—Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, Elijah, Job, Daniel, Paul, and others. Why should you be any different?

So, I’ll see you at the wall!

Take A Moment: Frustrating times may last for a long time, but faithful people will endure forever. Restate your unequivocal trust in God. Tell the Lord, that no matter what, you will be faithful to him.

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Don’t Let Yourself Get Down To Sin And Bones

Life With No Regrets

SYNOPSIS: One of the most profitable things you can do is to look ahead to the fateful day of your death and envision what will be engraved on your tombstone. That will become the final summation of your life—those half dozen words carved into granite by your loved ones. What do you want yours to say? Here is an idea: Start living that way now so that what you want your epitaph to say then will be a no-brainer for your family. If you want to be known then as a loving husband or wife, then start loving your spouse now! If you want to be known then as a good friend, then start now being the kind of friend that you would want to have! If you want to be known as one who served God wholeheartedly, then get with it right now. Whatever it is you want to be said of you then, start living that way now!

One of the most profitable things you can do... - Ray Noah

Moments With God // Proverbs 5:11 (The Message)

You don’t want to end your life full of regrets, nothing but sin and bones.

RIP! Unless Jesus returns sometime in the next 50 or so years—which I hope he does—you and I are likely to have a headstone that marks our final resting place. Rest In Peace! I know, that is kind of a morbid thought to start off a devotional, but it is true. It is a sobering and inescapable reality for all people, since the last time I checked, the human mortality rate was hovering around, oh, about 100%.

I think one of the healthiest things a person can do is to take a look ahead to that fateful day and envision what will be engraved on our tombstone. That really is the summation of our lives, isn’t it—those half dozen or so words carved into granite by our surviving loved ones.

What do you want yours to say? Here is a great idea: Start living that way now so that what you want your epitaph to say then will be a no-brainer for your family. If you want to be known then as a loving husband, then start loving your wife now! If you want to be known then as a good friend, then start being the kind of friend that you would want to have! If you want to be known as one who served God wholeheartedly, then get with it right now. Whatever it is you want to be said of you then, start living that way now! As Solomon said in Proverbs 5:7,

So, my friend, listen closely; don’t treat my words casually.

Seriously, this is no casual concern. So, give that some thought, and then just get after it!

By the way, the final line you will read at the end of this devotional comes from the incredible life of a young man who died on his way to the mission field—William Borden. You can read the full story at http://home.snu.edu/~HCULBERT/regret.htm.

Borden was heir to the Borden family’s wealth, gained through real estate investments and their dairy business. Upon graduation from high school, he informed family and friends that he wanted to become a missionary—a waste of a bright future, according to some. To that, Borden wrote in his journal, “No reserves.”

Borden went on to study at Yale but turned down high-paying job offers after graduation. Reportedly, in his Bible, he wrote two more words: “No retreats.”

He went on to do graduate work at Princeton Seminary in New Jersey. When he finished his studies at Princeton, he sailed for China. Because he was hoping to work with Chinese Muslims, he stopped first in Egypt to study Arabic. While there, he contracted spinal meningitis. Within a month, 25-year-old William Borden was dead.

When the news of the well-known young man’s death was cabled back to the U.S., the story was carried by multiple American newspapers. Author Geraldine Guinness Taylor wrote, “A wave of sorrow went round the world . . . Borden not only gave (away) his wealth, but himself, in a way so joyous and natural that it (seemed) a privilege rather than a sacrifice.”

As the story has it, prior to his death, he had written two more words in the back of his Bible. Underneath the words “No reserves” and “No retreats,” William Borden wrote, “No regrets.”

That was the summation of his brief life, and it is how I would like to be remembered, too: No reserves. No retreats. No regrets.

Take A Moment: First, give this blog some serious contemplation; then write out your epitaph. Make it three or four lines at the most, and put it in a place where you can regularly review it. Most of all, make sure you are living in such a way that it will be true of you.

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If You Knew You Couldn’t Fail

Attempt Great Things For God

SYNOPSIS: What would you attempt for God if you knew that he was already where your steps of faith would lead you. How energetically would you press forward if you knew he was waiting there for you to arrive? What level of confidence would you have knowing that God had gone ahead of you and secured your victory even before the battle began? The truth is, when God calls you to step out, he has not only promised to be with you, he has promised to actually go before you, and while you may not see around the bend of faith, God is already there with your victory in hand.

If You Knew You Couldn't Fail - Ray Noah

Moments With God // Focus: Judges 4:14-15

Then Deborah said to Barak, “Get ready! This is the day the Lord will give you victory over Sisera, for the Lord is marching ahead of you.” So Barak led his 10,000 warriors down the slopes of Mount Tabor into battle. When Barak attacked, the Lord threw Sisera and all his chariots and warriors into a panic.

What would you attempt for God if you knew the Lord was marching ahead of you? What grand thing would you pursue if you knew that he was already where your steps of faith would lead you, waiting for you to arrive? What level of confidence would you have knowing that God had gone ahead of you and secured your victory even before the battle began?

When God calls you to a step of faith, you are guaranteed his presence and his power, which means that you are invincible in the journey. Moreover, he has not only promised to be with you, but he has also promised to actually go before you, and while you may not see around the bend of faith, God is already there, waiting for you to take the victory lap for a victory that he won for you. How cool is that!

That is exactly what the prophetess Deborah is telling the reluctant general of the Israelite army, Barak. He is shivering in his boots knowing that his army is outmanned and outgunned by the Canaanite army of General Sisera. We are told in Judges 4:3, “Sisera, who had 900 iron chariots, ruthlessly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years.” 900 iron chariots to Israel’s none…no wonder, on a human level, Barak was not too excited about leading Israel into battle.

But this battle was not going to be fought only on a human level. No battle is. In the spiritual realm, God had already heard the cries of the Israelites and had determined to deliver them from their oppressors under the guidance of Deborah the Judge and Barak the General. In light of that, the fight was over before it even started. Barak couldn’t see that, but Deborah could. That is why she told him, “now get out there and fight, for God is already ahead of you and how guaranteed the victory. C’mon, go take your victory lap.” And that is exactly what Barak did, and a great deliverance for Israel was accomplished.

Perhaps you are a little uncertain about what’s next for you. Maybe you’re not too confident about your future. Maybe the circumstance you face is overwhelming, from a human perspective. You are outnumbered and outgunned. But where God is asking you to step out in faith, those odds do not matter one iota. God is on your side; he is with you, he is actually before you. He is already where he has called you to go, waiting for you to walk into a victory that he has secured for you. You cannot lose. So take heart.

Therefore, because of God’s exemplary record of faithful goodness in leading his people to victory, do not be afraid to trust an unknown tomorrow to a known God. So get ready! This is the day God will give you victory, for he is marching ahead of you. That is God’s promise to you!

In a verse similar to this, King David said to his son Solomon as he gave him the daunting task of building a temple in Jerusalem to the God of Israel,

Be strong and courageous and get to work. Don’t be frightened by the size of the task, for the Lord God is with you; he will not forsake you. He will see to it that everything is finished correctly. (1 Chron 28:20, LB)

Whatever is before you, if God is calling you to step out, then do it with confidence. God is already out there where you have been called to go. And he has guaranteed victory if you will go with him!

Take A Moment: Picture your greatest challenge. Once you have that in view, picture God already there waiting for you. Now get out there; go take a victory lap in a victory that God has won for you.

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The Unquenchable Brightness of Being

Growing Older But Getting Brighter

SYNOPSIS: “A candle loses nothing of its light when lighting another,” according to the Lebanese-born poet, Kahlil Gibran. So it is with right-living people, says Solomon. As they walk in the ways of God, their wisdom rubs off on those around them. And the more they rub off, the shinier they get. Have you ever been around a person like that? They just seem to glow brighter as they get older. You just love to be around them, no matter how old they get. Even when their physical body creaks and groans under the weight of age, you just know that being near them means you are going to catch some of the brightness of their being. And the more light they give off, the more unquenchable that light grows. If you know someone like that, ask them to share with you their top life lessons, then make sure you thank them, and most of all, enfold their wisdom into your own character.

Growing Older But Getting Brighter

Moments With God // Proverbs 4:18 (The Message)

The ways of right-living people glow with light; the longer they live, the brighter they shine.

“A candle loses nothing of its light when lighting another,” according to the Lebanese-born poet, Kahlil Gibran. So it is with right-living people, says Solomon. As they walk in the ways of God, their wisdom rubs off on those around them. And the more they rub off, the shinier they get.

Have you ever been around a person like that? They just seem to glow brighter as they get older. You just love to be around them, no matter how old they get. Even when their physical body creaks and groans under the weight of age, you just know that being near them means you are going to catch some of the brightness of their being. And the more light they give off, the more unquenchable that light grows.

I’ve been around people whose wisdom seems to grow shinier with use, and those whose lives only grow duller with age. Of course, there are a lot of life factors involved in who we turn out to be and how we run the final lap of our lives but ending with an ever-increasing brightness of being will require walking hand-in-hand with Wisdom along the way.

Someone famously said, “Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.” King Solomon gave the recipe for adding those breath-taking moments to your life. It may not sound as poetic, but it is the surefire way to add both those moments as well as breaths to your life: “Dear friend, take my advice; it will add years to your life.” (Prov 4:10) My suspicion is that he was referring not so much to the length of one’s years, but the brightness of one’s life—a brightness that comes from walking in the light of God’s wisdom.

Now I will leave the timing of my demise up to God, but between now and that fateful day, I am going to inch a little closer to the Source of wisdom because I would rather die young and bright than old and dull.

Take A Moment: Chances are you know an older person who just seems to shine brighter with age. Take them out to lunch—or bring them their favorite meal if they can’t get out. Spend time with them and ask them to share with you their top five life lessons. Make sure you thank them, and most of all, enfold their wisdom into your own character.