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Independence Day: A Day To Declare Your Dependence!

Declaration of Dependence

There are two freedoms: the false where a man is free to do what he likes; and the true where a man is free to do as he ought.” ~Charles Kingsley

July 4th—the day the citizens of the United States celebrates their most treasured national holiday—the signing of the declaration of our independence from England. Our chests swell with pride as fireworks fill the sky to the music of John Phillip Sousa’s “Stars and Stripes Forever” and our eyes moisten with gratitude as we remember the sacrifice of countless numbers of patriots who gave their lives to give us what we now enjoy—our freedom. What a great holiday—Independence Day.

But as much as we enjoy the Fourth of July, there is something better than celebrating Independence Day once a year, and that is declaring our dependence every day of the year. You see, the best freedom, the strongest security and the highest happiness comes from the practice of acknowledging Father God as the Lord of all creation and the rightful ruler of our lives. National independence is an amazing thing, but it doesn’t even come close to comparing to spiritual dependence! And it is through declaring our dependence on God that we discover what it truly means to be free.

That’s why in the world’s most powerful prayer, the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus taught us to pray these simple words, “give us this day our daily bread.” Simply put, to pray this prayer is to declare our dependence daily.

You might find it interesting that this the only time in the entire Bible that this particular Greek word translated as “daily bread” is used. In fact, this word baffled scholars and translators for years because they couldn’t find any record of it in any of the ancient manuscripts of Greek literature—sacred or secular. Then in the 1940s the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered, and in those fragments—both biblical and secular documents—this word, “daily” was found. And scholars learned that the word was used for a daily shopping list of that which was perishable and would only be good for today. It literally meant “the bread that suffices for this day.”

That brings up an important point to what Jesus was saying: That even though God is our provider, his promise to provide is provisional. In other words, his promise of provision is not a blank check. Jesus deliberately chose this word “daily” not because God likes to hear us beg, but to teach us the importance of coming to God and expressing our dependence on him day-by-day.

Asking for daily bread is hard for us to relate to because most Americans have today’s food and tomorrow’s food and next week’s food sitting in the freezer. Our need for daily bread has been forever skewed by the age of Costco. We no longer go out to the garden to pick dinner, or to the market to buy that night’s meal. We go to Costco!

Costco is not a place; it is an experience. It is not the size of a grocery store; it’s the size of a small town. Employees there don’t use box cutters; they drive forklifts. Your grocery cart is the size of a Volkswagen. You don’t walk down an aisle, ground control crews guide you down a runway. You don’t pick up individual items, you pick up a pallet. When you check out, you make a payment similar to a car payment. Then you haul it home and think, “Where are we going to put this stuff?” Do we really need to buy toilet paper 48 rolls at a time? Then sometimes when we get down to, say, like 36 rolls, we go buy another 48 rolls. 84 rolls of TP…seriously, are we really ever going to need that much?

The point is, in 21st century America, daily bread is not much of a felt need. But even still, that daily bread comes from God and it can be taken away in a heartbeat. We should never forget that, nor get into the habit of taking God’s provision for granted! Go look in your refrigerator, or freezer, or cupboard, or closet…that came from God!

And even if daily bread is not your need, you have other needs that are pressing: A difficult marriage, a wayward child, a financial meltdown, an addiction, an emotional disorder, a life-and-death battle with cancer.  It may not be for food, but your need for God’s daily provision is still just as great.

Remember in the Old Testament when God provided manna for the Israelites to eat—but only a day at a time. They could only collect enough manna for that day—they couldn’t store it in Costco size cases. Why did God do it that way? So that every 24 hours they would have to trust God to meet their needs. That’s where the verse came from, “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” (Deut. 8:33)

What does that mean? That God has designed it so that we must come back to him daily, because he is the source of all that we need. That’s why Jesus taught us to ask God daily to keep us ever mindful that God himself is the source of our life.

What is your manna? What is it that every 24 hours drives you to say, “God, I’m going to trust you for this because you are my only source”?

Let me remind you that whatever your need is today, God has promised to meet it. So go ahead—boldly, gratefully and expectantly declare your dependence on God today! Then do it again the next day and the day after that. Declaring your dependence daily on God is not only a great way to honor  him, it is the best way to live!

Prayer: Lord, today I happily declare my dependence on you. You are my source and my provider. I look to you to give me every good and perfect gift. You have always supplied my every need, and for that I am grateful. And because you are covenantly faithful, I have no doubts that you will take care of tomorrow’s provisions as well—so I thank you in advance for them. Today, I pray that you will give me everything I need to live the abundant life that you sent your Son to provide. Supply all of my needs according to your riches in glory, and in your rich supply, may I be living proof of a loving, generous, faithful Father. And if the thing that I request today is in your plans for me to receive in heaven instead, your will be done!

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Imagine What Could Happen

5×5×5 Bible Plan

Read: Luke6
Meditation: Luke 6:31

“And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.”

Shift Your Focus… It has been called “The Golden Rule.”  It is the ethic of reciprocity, the basis of all human rights.  You can find its roots in the Old Testament (Leviticus 19:18 & 34) and it appears in various forms in practically every culture and religion known to man.

The Golden Rule is so universally embraced, at least in theory, because it originated with God.

So what if we actually began to live our lives by that ethic?  Can you imagine how life on Planet Earth might change if enough of us got together and bound ourselves to this rule for living?  Think of how your own private world would drastically improve if you treated everyone as you would want them to treat you!

Re-read verses 28-43 and you will get a glimpse of the kind of things that would happen:

  • You would encourage and edify even those who irritate you
  • You would pray for those who hurt you
  • You would offer reconciliation to those who have injured you
  • You would do good to those who have done bad
  • You would be generous with everyone—friend, foe, and those in need
  • You would criticize others less and work on you more
  • You would be kind even to those who are ungrateful and evil
  • You would prove yourself to be a true child of the Most High in word and in deed

What would happen if you did that?  The world would be a much better place, that’s what!

Sounds like a good plan to me!  How about you?

“Kindness is in our power, even when fondness is not.”  ~Samuel Johnson

Prayer… Lord, it is so easy, especially with this rule for life, to be a hearer of the word only, and not a doer. Help me, O God, to fully live out The Golden Rule in my every waking moment.

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Giving Faith Permission To Rule Feelings

5×5×5 Bible Plan

Read: Luke 5
Meditation: Luke 5:4-5

When Jesus had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.

Shift Your Focus… From the very moment Jesus first called him to follow, Peter demonstrated what it meant to be a true disciple. In so doing, the response of this very first disciple established the benchmarks for would-be disciples in every age.

To begin with, Peter exhibited a fair amount of holy discontent with his current experience. Peter could have rejected Jesus’ command, and we would understand. He had already worked hard the previous night. He had tried what Jesus was suggesting, with no results. He had “been there, done that.”

But Peter wasn’t satisfied. Despite his best efforts, his past experience had left him empty. The old way hadn’t worked. To keep doing the same thing yet expect different results was pure insanity. Peter wanted more, so he was willing to let go of the past and risk the adventure of something new in order to follow Jesus.

As Peter’s experience demonstrated, both literally and figuratively, you cannot set sail for new horizons of faith and stay tethered to the shore of what you know. Holy discontent calls you to let go, and set sail!

On top of holy discontent, Peter was quick to subjugate his feelings to his faith. He was tired. His muscles ached from a night of tossing and dragging those heavy fishing nets. His fingers had been worked to the bone as he picked out the weeds, untangled the tangles and mended the rips that had been caused by snagging rocks.

Making it even worse, all Peter’s effort had resulted in nothing to show for it. He just wanted to get to the local pub, unwind with his buddies before heading home to crash for the night, where he would catch a few winks, get up early the next day and go through the same routine yet again.

Peter had neither the physical nor emotional strength for another fishing expedition. Yet there was just something about this amazing man named Jesus who had the audacity to ask Peter to do what he had already been doing that caused his faith to rise. And in that moment, Peter made a life-altering decision to grab his “want-er by his will-er” and do what Jesus had commanded.

True discipleship demands that you give your faith the authority to rule your feelings.

That’s what Peter did. He simply obeyed. That’s the bottom line of authentic discipleship. Peter was willing to take Jesus at his word and just do it. Without argument or delay, Peter merged belief with behavior; he took action.

And the result was a miraculous catch. Suddenly where there had been emptiness and barrenness, there was fullness and fruitfulness—the reward of obedience.

And that’s what Jesus is asking of us today. We must allow the Spirit of God to foment a holy discontent with the emptiness and barrenness of our lives. We must take our feelings and our emotions and enslave them to whatever faith is requiring of us. And then we must simply, purely, quickly and completely obey. That is true discipleship.

If we will just do that, a miraculous provision of holy contentment will be ours!

“Beware of reasoning about God’s Word – obey It.”  ~Oswald Chambers

Prayer… Lord, full obedience, not out of fear, but out of love, is what I will offer you today—and every day for the rest of eternity.

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How To Get Noticed

5×5×5 Bible Plan

Read: Luke 4
Meditation: Luke 4:14

Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region.

Shift Your Focus… It seems that the god of our age is fame. People would do just about anything for their fifteen minutes of it. Just watch one of the fifty reality shows that you can now choose from on any given night, or even the evening news, and you will see a half dozen goofballs pushing their mugs into the camera or offering their mindless drivel on a talk show just to get their shot at being in the spotlight. And, unfortunately, we have a mindless media that is all too happy to oblige these fame seekers.

People want to be famous, but for all the wrong reasons. Fame itself isn’t bad, but there is a better way to achieve it. Just notice how Jesus attained fame in Luke 4.

The setting for this chapter is the launching of Jesus’ public ministry. He has been baptized in the Jordan—and in the Spirit (Luke 3:21-22), and he has been tempted by the devil (Luke 4:1-13).

Now he launches his ministry as Israel’s Messiah in the power of the Spirit (Luke 4:14) by going into their synagogues to teach the Word, heal the sick, and deliver those oppressed by demonic spirits. And we are told that everywhere he goes people are simply and utterly amazed by him:

“News about him spread through the whole countryside.” (Verse 14)

“He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.” (Verse 15)

“All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips.” (Verse 22)

“They were amazed at his teaching, because his message had authority.” (Verse 32)

“All the people were amazed and said to each other, ‘What is this teaching? With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits and they come out!’” (Verse 36)

“And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area.” (Verse 37)

How did Jesus become famous? He was full of the Spirit’s power and overflowing with God’s grace! That is probably not what you were expecting, but it is the best way to attain the kind of fame that really counts. Allow the Spirit to empower you and then just go about your day exuding the grace of God in every circumstance.

We live in such a graceless world that when one of God’s servants spreads a little Divine grace around, people notice.

Do that enough, and people will begin to talk about you too! 

“Grace is but Glory begun, and Glory is but Grace perfected.”  ~Jonathan Edwards

Prayer… Lord, if fame ever comes my way, may it be because I am full of your Spirit and overflowing with your grace.

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Jesus The Baptist

5×5×5 Bible Plan

Read: Luke 3
Meditation: Luke 3:16

John answered, saying to all, “I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Shift Your Focus… John the Baptist launched his ministry as the forerunner to the Messiah with preaching the likes of which people had never heard before.  His messages were so confrontational and penetrating that the crowds were convicted to the core of their being. People from every dimension of Jewish society began to repent and return to the God of Israel.  Israel was in the midst of a great revival.

This spiritual awakening was so powerful that people began to wonder if John himself was the long-awaited Messiah.  But John quickly put those rumors to rest by letting them know that his ministry was simply to lead people to repentance in preparation for the Messiah.  It would be the Messiah’s ministry that would empower them with the very Spirit of God.

The Message version of Luke’s account offers this rendition:

“I’m baptizing you here in the river. The main character in this drama, to whom I’m a mere stagehand, will ignite the kingdom life, a fire, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out. He’s going to clean house—make a clean sweep of your lives. He’ll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he’ll put out with the trash to be burned.”

The ministry of the Messiah was not simply to announce and launch the Kingdom of God on Planet Earth, it was to so immerse his followers in the Holy Spirit that they themselves would embody the words and carry out the works of Jesus, and as the King’s agents, extend his Kingdom “to the uttermost parts of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

Now the real question for those of us reading these words today is this:  Is the baptism with the Holy Spirit and fire something you just read about historically, or is it an experience that is personal and fresh in your life today?

The truth is, despite all the misgivings and discomfort modern Christians may have about this baptism with the Holy Spirit, we cannot simply erase this important dimension of Christ’s ministry from the pages of Scripture.  To paraphrase D.L. Moody, to remove the work of the Holy Spirit from the Bible is like using a sundial by moonlight.

Jesus is still the baptizer with the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is still the one who empowers believers to do words and works of Jesus.

And Paul’s question to the Ephesians in Acts 19:2 is as critically important for you today as it was for them nearly 2,000:  “Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed?”

If you haven’t, perhaps you should spend some time with the Great Baptizer and ask him for the Holy Spirit and fire.  Jesus himself has said in John 14:16-17 and in Luke 11:13,

“I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth … how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

I think Someone is waiting to be asked!

“If Christians are forbidden to enjoy the wine of the Spirit they will turn to the wine of the flesh…Christ died for our hearts and the Holy Spirit wants to come and satisfy them.”  ~A.W. Tozer

Prayer… Lord, give me a fresh baptism of the Spirit and fire.  Cleanse me and empower me so that I can embody your words and carry out your works in my world.

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Ponder That!

5×5×5 Bible Plan

Read: Luke 2
Meditation: Luke 2:19

“But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.”

Shift Your Focus… That statement has always intrigued me, and I am not exactly sure what it means. It is stated again at the end of the chapter in verse 51 as Luke gives us a glimpse into the life of Jesus as a growing boy at about the age of 12.

We don’t know a great deal about Jesus’ early life beyond what we read here, but to say the least, it must have been quite interesting for Mary to be the mother of God. I think it is safe to say that, on the one hand, Jesus was like any other baby who needed to be changed, cried when he was hungry, developed a cute little personality as the months passed by, and became an inquisitive little boy.

On the other hand, he was the Son of God. Angels attended his birth, shepherds came to worship him, wise men from afar brought him expenses gifts, prophets prophesied over him during the customary temple ceremonies, and he carried on a spirited dialogue with the intelligentsia of his day during a family visit to the temple.

I am sure that most mothers and fathers would have bragged incessantly and shamelessly to the neighbors about their son’s many outstanding qualities and unusual experiences. But not Mary; she simply treasured all these things that were said about Jesus and all the things that Jesus did as he grew, and pondered them in her heart. In other words, she gave them a lot of thought; she kept them between herself and her Lord.

That is not such not a bad idea, wouldn’t you say? We probably ought to do that a lot more often. Rather than blurting out everything that happens to you or happens in you, perhaps you ought to just meditate on those experiences and keep them between the Lord and you.

When someone comes to you with a “word from the Lord”; when you have a dream that seems to have an unusual spiritual dimension to it; when you have an extraordinary encounter with God, and you are not quite sure how to respond to these experiences, why not just treasure them and ponder them in your heart. Keep them between you and your Lord and just watch over time to see how God uses them.

I have a feeling that this, in part, is how we grow deeper in our spiritual lives. Likewise, I would not be too surprised to find out that when we give in to our need to blurt out all of these holy things to anyone within earshot, we have spent the entire capital of that experience, and it will go no further than that.

Some of the things that may happen in your life this week will be of a truly rich nature. Ask God for the wisdom to discern if that experience is of the kind that should simply be treasured and pondered in your heart.

“How pleasant, how delightful, to sit alone and in silence, to converse with God, and so to enjoy the only chief good, in whom all good things are found!” ~Thomas A` Kempis

Prayer… Lord, teach me to understand the difference between the things that need to be shared and those experiences that are so rich that they are meant only to be shared between you and me.

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The Benedictus

5×5×5 Bible Plan

Read: Luke 1
Meditation: Luke 1:67-68

Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people..”

Shift Your Focus… Over the years the church has given Zechariah’s song the title, “The Benedictus,” or The Blessing. The lyrics of this brief song, which we read in verses 67-79, were sung by one of the proudest and oldest first time fathers of all time. But more than being just a happy little diddy from a happy old daddy, Zechariah verbalizes two timeless and timely truths about God’s character that you and I probably need to hear again today.

First, we are reminded that God never breaks a promise! John’s birth was living proof of God’s faithfulness. In His song, Zechariah belts out to all who will listen, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people.” (v. 68)

God keeps his promises—every one of them. He can’t help himself; it is just his nature. He had promised through the prophets a redeemer for Israel hundreds of year before, and 400 silent years had passed since the last prophet Malachi had uttered the oracles of God until the time the angel Gabriel revealed God’s plan to Zechariah. Though God’s promise had been ever so slow in coming, it was nonetheless fulfilled.

Zechariah’s song reminds us that even though God may be slow, he is never late!

Second, God never forgets. “Zechariah”’s name meant “God remembers”. And in his song Zechariah exploded with the joyful realization that God does remember: “God has remembered his oath…” (vv. 72-73)

Zechariah must have been discouraged. He was a priest of a nation that had turned its back on God. He and Elizabeth, whose name meant “the promise of God,” had been faithful to God all their lives—they lived up to the meaning of their names. Yet God had not blessed them with a son, and wayward Israel continued to be oppressed by its pagan enemies.

But Zechariah clung to this truth: Our Creator remembers! God knows who we are, where we are and what we need. He remembers us. He remembers his promises, and God graciously acts at the proper time.

Isaiah 49:15-16 reminds us, “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.”

God can’t forget!

You may remember the name of Tom Sutherland. He was taken hostage by radicals in the Middle East and held in captivity for four years in the mid 1980’s, mostly in solitary confinement. He existed in deep darkness during that long ordeal.

Sometimes he could hear his captor’s radio when they tuned it to the BBC, and Tom would listen intently hoping and praying to hear his name mentioned on a newscast. But he never heard it, so he figured that people back home didn’t even know he was alive, much less imprisoned.

Finally, Tom was released. He flew back to the US and landed in San Francisco, and he was amazed as he got off the plane to see a huge crowd, people waving signs, cameras, reporters, and TV lights. He turned to his wife and said, “There must have been a famous person on this plane with us. See if you can spot them.”

She said, “Tom, they’re all here for you!” At that, Tom broke down and cried like a baby.

After he regained his composure, he said, “I thought everybody had forgotten me…I felt abandoned…I didn’t think anybody cared. Thank God I was wrong.”

If you are reading these words today and feeling a little forgotten by God, thank God you’re wrong! Zechariah reminds you from first hand experience through his song that God remembers you and will fulfill every single one of his promises to you at the proper time!

So be faithful!

“God often gives in one brief moment that which He has for a long time denied.”  ~Thomas A` Kempis 

Prayer… Thank you Lord for your unfailing faithfulness.  You remember your promises to me, and you will fulfill them all.  I will rejoice in you this day and give my life faithfully back to you.