April 17 - Pray: Daily Bread

Read: Matthew 6:9-13

Give us this day our daily bread, (Matthew 6:11 ESV)

Some people are really, exceedingly, financially blessed. They seem to have access to a limitless bank account. And sometimes its really easy to envy that kind of carefree wealth. During his teaching about prayer at the Sermon on the Mount Jesus taught his followers to desire only daily provision.

When I think of the words "daily bread" I am instantly reminded of the Old Testament stories about how God fed the Israelites with mana from heaven. He gave them exactly what they needed to get through each day. If they collected excess or tried to keep it beyond the time frame God allowed it turned to rot and worms.

I think the truth to be found in these Biblical examples has next to nothing to do with how much stuff we own. I really think it boils down to our heart and attitudes in relation to stuff and ownership. Jesus' words are not an indictment against ownership, or even abundant wealth, they are reminder to seek, and to be content with God's provision for the day.

April 16 - Pray: Kingdom Come

Read: Matthew 6:9-13

Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:10 ESV)

Jesus' spoke at length during his Sermon on the Mount about prayer, even demonstrating a very practical kind of way of praying for his followers. As such a hugely important aspect of the Christian life, I believe we can still model prayer after Christ's words. The second aspect of his prayer revolved around both the kingdom and will of God.

In the Old Testament people regularly referred to the Jews as the Kingdom of God. Jesus spent a lot of time speaking to that issue. The kingdom he referred to was not one of heritage or borders. Rather, God's kingdom was one of the soul. It was comprised of people following the heart of God.

Jesus told his people to pray for God to have His way among them. It was a way for them to intentionally set aside their own desires in recognition for the superiority of God's plan. It is the acknowledgement that for the Kingdom of God to be the reality for our lives that God Himself must be the king of our lives.

April 15 - Pray: Hallowed Father

Read: Matthew 6:9-13

Pray then like this: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. (Matthew 6:9 ESV)

Prayer is such a powerful and important component of the Christian life. During his Sermon on the Mount Jesus laid out a really practical example for what healthy prayer looks like. It began with a statement of reverence.

Ultimately God is our Heavenly Father. He is to be revered. He is holy. He is unique in such a way that words can not accurately describe and the human mind can not begin to fathom.

Even though He remains beyond our comprehension God has chosen to reveal Himself to humanity as a Father. He really is. It is often difficult to comprehend. Especially if we do not have a mortal father from which to draw a clearly defined example.

Reverence for our Hallowed Father is demonstrated out of what the Bible often calls the fear of the Lord. It means displaying a realistic perspective of God's power and sovereignty. It means having a healthy fear of God, but not being afraid of God.

I think of it as a child who stands in awe of their father or mother. They realize that there is ability, power, protection, and control that far supersedes what they know or understand. While they do not think of it in those terms they live it, accept it, and depend on it. It is all they know. It shapes everything about their little world. I believe that having that healthy reverence for God can be something we live from, communicate from, and pray from. I believe it shapes everything about our little world.

April 14 - Dad Knows

Read: Matthew 6:5-8

Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. (Matthew 6:8 ESV)

Jesus taught his followers that it was hypocritical to make prayer a fancy public display. He urged that the most sincere form of personal prayer was conducted in privacy. No matter in what form, or location, a prayer is offered God knows our need before we ask.

I have seen this regularly played out in my relationship with my wife. She will go to the store and come home with something I needed or wanted before I have even had a chance to ask her to get it. How does she know? Because we spend time together, we communicate, and she knows my desires. God knows what we need, what we want, and the best timing to come through. He really wants us to talk to him about it, even though he knows, because it demonstrates intimacy and trust. We don't have to boldly, publicly, or weirdly declare our needs.

That's not to say that we shouldn't pray in public. I think there is something pretty amazing about corporate prayer when we are joined together with other believers. The point is to make the act of praying about connecting with God; communicating your desires, praying for the needs of others, and offering thankfulness and praise for what God has already done. Prayer is a powerful thing. Our Father really does know what we need.

April 13 - Unknown

Read: Matthew 6:1-4

But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, (Matthew 6:3 ESV)

Have you ever known someone that did something incredibly generous, but then completely soiled on it by making a big deal out of it? Generosity was never meant to become a spectacle. It's like those TV shows that take some genuinely deserving person in need of an upgraded home and make this huge ordeal out of building them a newer bigger one. Perhaps, they do actually want to help people, but at the end of the day they are after ratings and advertising dollars. True generosity is accomplished in secret.

Jesus was pretty clear about this. The Pharisees and other religious folk accompanied their generous actions with much pomp and fanfare. Jesus said that a pure heart will give without recognition. Obviously you can not give and keep it a secret from your own body, that wasn't his point. Jesus' point was to give, authentically, and more so, purely.

To give with sincere motives means to give while expecting nothing in return. Generosity in its highest form takes place when there is neither recognition nor reward to be gained. No horns. No parades. No pats on the back. Perhaps not even a "Thank you." And maybe even resentment, hostility, and/or hatred.

April 12 - What Reward

Read: Matthew 5:43-48

For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? (Matthew 5:46 ESV)

I used to really love getting a box of CrackerJacks. Not because of the snack. But because of the prize. That little red box came with a guarantee—some reward waited inside.

In many ways that mindset never left me. Even as I stepped into ministry I found myself only investing where I was sure to get a return. I rarely poured into people that couldn't do something for me. I rarely invested in a church that wasn't capable of sowing into my ministry. I'm glad that about me eventually changed.

Jesus had to work on me a lot. I was, and still am, stubborn. However, over time he lead me to see the value of giving love without a secret agenda. It's how he did it. It's how he still does it. Jesus simply loves people. All people.

Too often we make the mistake of trying to think we can screen people before extending the love of Christ in their direction. Shame on us. There is no filtration system for the love of God. We do not have the right to make a choice for someone where love is concerned.

April 11 - Give

Read: Matthew 5:38-42

Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you. (Matthew 5:42 ESV)

My bank account is not overflowing with staggering financial figures. My wife and I do not own our home. We don't drive new vehicles. We love to give. We especially love to give to people who have no idea we are doing it. That's the best. I'm not trying to put us up on some kind of religious pedestal. I simply want to point out a principle Jesus taught that we are embracing.

Giving is powerful. It creates in you a condition of surrender that says to God, "Ok, Lord, everything I have is in reality Yours. It can be used by You, for You, and through You. Distribute it as You please." There is an indescribable amount of freedom that comes with a lack of attachment to your stuff.

Jesus gave EVERYTHING. To those who hated, accused, slandered, mocked, abused, and murdered him he in turn poured out his blood, sweat, tears, mercy, healing, grace, and life. Jesus gave EVERYTHING.

The overwhelming pattern of the Gospel is this. GIVE. Give your money, your time, your desires, your finances, and your life to God and to others. He will use it in better ways than you could ever hope to. If you try to keep it, you will lose it. If you let it go you will actually find that the power of the truth was hiding from you all along.

April 10 - Yes or No

Read: Matthew 5:33-37

Let what you say be simply "Yes" or "No"; anything more than this comes from evil. (Matthew 5:37 ESV)

"I swear" used to be a regularly heard phrase. Probably because of the popularity of a hit song by the same name. It spoke of the depth of the love a man had for a woman, and how he was swearing an oath based on all of these wondrous astrological things. It's a beautiful thought, but its deceptive.

Jesus taught his followers that their words were empty when there were too many of them. People did not need to accompany all of their promises to God, or each other, with all of the wordy oaths that had become so commonplace. "Yes" or "No" was enough.

I can readily identify with this idea. It's so easy to want to make grand proclamations in accompaniment with our promises. Still, its easy to want to make our promises more about the fact that we are making them in the first place, and less about what we are actually committing ourselves to do.

How many weddings have you been to that were absolutely breathtaking ceremonies either aesthetically or ritually? How many of them ended in disaster? None I hope, but the evidence is all around us. Hundreds and thousands of wonderfully worded weddings end abruptly every year. Forgotten are the word-filled vows to love and cherish until departure by death. What if the commitment to being together, the "Yes" was more important than the way it's displayed for the world?

Weddings are an easy to spot example, but this principle carries over into every day life. When someone asks us to pray for their need, we don't need to just quote them a scripture and agree to remember them later in prayer. We need to pray for them. Regularly. Right on the spot if possible. And there are many more examples we could discuss. The simple idea is that when you make an oath, when you promise, when you vow—"Yes" or "No" is enough.

April 9 - Divorce

Read: Matthew 5:31-32

"It was also said, "Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce." (Matthew 5:31 ESV)

Divorce is such a terribly tragic thing. It is the unravelling, the death, of something brought together under a covenant, blessing, and vows. When a married couple divorces it is the death of not only the present state of that marriage, but also the death of all of their future together.

It seems like we see a lot of this today. Think about it for a second. How many people do you know that are divorced? How many people even in your own family have experienced its affects? Perhaps you yourself have experienced divorce first hand.

The church is not an exception, which is a terrible indictment upon our call to reflect Christ. Jesus loved the church so much that he died so it would come into being. And the bible tells us that one day he will return for his bride. What if he changed his mind? What if he decided he would rather divorce the church rather than put up with it for the rest of eternity? Thankfully he has already told us that he would never leave nor forsake us.

We live in a culture where it is too easy to walk out on stuff. Covenants and commitments mean very little. People give up on each other at home, socially, and in the church. I believe God made it possible to live a better way. A way full of commitment, covenant, and communal attachment. All we have to do to experience it is divorce our own selfishness and continually walk into his awaiting merciful grace.

April 8 - Throw It Away

Read: Matthew 5:27-30

If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. (Matthew 5:29 ESV)

I remember watching the press conference several years ago after a lost hiker had been found. He had been faced with a life or death situation as a result of an accident and made the decision to amputate his arm after getting it trapped. I listened as he described his situation, the decision making process, and finally the procedure he used to remove his arm. He could have kept his arm, stayed trapped, and died. Or, he could remove his arm through a terribly painful self-inflicted wound and try to make it to safety. It was a horrible dilemma, but the choice to remove his arm saved his life.

Jesus' words from the Sermon on the Mount about voluntarily removing body parts reminds me of that hiker. The thought of literally removing body parts to avoid hell is sobering, and admittedly a little disturbing. But what if it didn't have to come to that?

Couldn't the same principle Jesus is speaking of be applied to the things in our lives that lead us toward sin? Let me give you an example. If a certain type of movie caused us to think sinful thoughts or pursue sinful acts wouldn't it be better to just stop watching movies than to cut your eye out?

In the old days people called this principle holiness. And yes, some strange things have been done in pursuit of holiness, but I would rather be found to be strange than spend an eternity in hell. In the past this meant getting rid of a lot of stuff. As I find myself striving to be more like Jesus, I find myself pursuing authentic holiness. This isn't something made up by men with a long list of rules and how to's. It is, however, a reverent walk with Christ. One in which I long to be both sensitive and obedient. Ridding myself of distractions and hindrances along the way.

April 7 - Be Reconciled

Read: Matthew 5:21-26

So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. (Matthew 5:23, 24 ESV)

Have you ever had a really bad argument with someone? What about one that ended so badly you felt really distant at the end of it? Some things happen between people that drive an unhealthy wedge-like space into the relationship.

During his Sermon on the Mount Jesus told his followers that in order to worship to their fullest potential they didn't to do so without any unreconciled relationships. Whoa! It makes sense if you think about it. Why? Because the thing that creates unreconciled hearts is sin.

Sin separated us from God. Jesus came to bring reconciliation to that relationship. But he also came so that we could be reconciled to one another. Further, he expects that of us if we are going to worship him. And while disagreement or discord may sometimes be incredibly difficult to avoid, we should always yearn for reconciliation. It might not come in the way that we would hope for, but God knows our hearts.

April 6 - Exceeding Righteousness

Read: Matthew 5:17-20

For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:20 ESV)

The scribes and Pharisees have gotten nearly 2000 years worth of bad press from Christianity. They are often painted as the primary antagonists in the Gospels. And while they certainly went to ridiculous lengths to make Jesus' life difficult, at one time they were thought to be the pinnacle of righteousness among the Jews.

During his famous Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told his followers that their righteousness must surpass that of the scribes and Pharisees. That it was the only way in which they would be able to enter God's kingdom. For those of us who are familiar with the Gospel stories that seems like an easy achievement, but for the people who heard Jesus make this pronouncement, it was probably a fairly difficult thing to imagine.

I believe Jesus' purpose for this statement was to call his followers to an authentic relationship with God. A life of love and service to God that surpassed all of the rules and stifling Law that the Pharisees were so fond of in favor of a life-giving Spirit-empowered walk with the Father. A call to embrace the Spirit of the Law, not by adding a bunch of man made statutes to it, but by embracing what it means to show love to one anther.

It also means that we are to be fully devoted followers of Jesus. After all, the only righteousness we have is his. If we are saved by his merciful grace, and covered by his own righteousness then I'd say that is a pretty sure bet for having surpassed that of the scribes and Pharisees.

March 31 - Another Tomb

Read: Mark 6:21-29 & Matthew 14:1-12

When his disciples heard of it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb. (Mark 6:29 ESV)

Herod married his sister in law. That's pretty weird. But he did. And John the Baptizer called him out about it. Which promptly landed John in prison. It eventually cost him his life. Herod had John beheaded in the prison at the behest of his niece-turned-stepdaughter.

When John's disciples found out they collected the body (minus the head) and buried him in a tomb. John was the greatest man to ever live, but he was just a man. He would stay dead. He would stay in his tomb.

Jesus was understandably sad about the death of his cousin, friend, and colleage. Ultimately he would face a similar fate for his continued stance against the Pharisees and their damnable corruption. However, Jesus' tomb was only borrowed, and that for just a few days. Because as the sun came up that first Easter Sunday morning the Son of Man came out of the tomb.

It's rare in America for believers to face the threat of death for taking a hard stand for the truth. However, a day may come when we do. If whether, at home, or abroad we sometime find ourselves facing death for the truth of the Gospel, we may wind up in another tomb. But Jesus holds the keys to death, hell, and the grave. He holds the keys to our future and our foundation. We can rest well and easy in him.

March 30 - Gladly Perplexed

Read: Mark 6:14-20

When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he heard him gladly. (Mark 6:20b ESV)

Herod just didn't get it. He didn't know how to take John, didn't know who he was, what he was up to, or why he was so perplexed. Ultimately he threw John in prison for his preaching against Herod's sinful lifestyle. Yet even after that he regarded John as a holy man.

The cool thing about John is that he modeled exactly what Jesus wanted out of the disciples. John went before Jesus preparing people for the Kingdom of God, just as the disciples were charged to do when they were sent out, and just as we are charged to do today. John did it with great gusto.

Even today we can share the truth of the Gospel in a way that is perplexing to people. In fact, I completely believe that when we actually commit ourselves to lovingly sharing the fullness of the Good News it will perplex people. It will cause them to begin to question things in their lives that are out of order, and that separate them from God's truth.

Unfortunately Herod did not ultimately respond to the Gospel in a positive way, but that didn't keep John the Baptizer from sharing the fullness of truth. As you share your faith with those around you may not be met with positive response either. You might meet some gladly perplexed people too. Press on. Keep sharing. It is worth it.

March 28 - More Than A Prophet

Read: Luke 7:24-28

What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. (Luke 7:26 ESV)

Jesus emphatically declared his cousin John the Baptizer to be the greatest man ever born of a woman. That's pretty high praise coming from the highest of sources. And Jesus let the crowds know it. He reminded those listening of John's importance.

As a prophet John was God's voice in his day. In fact, he was the fulfillment of a prophecy from Isaiah which specifically talked about a voice preparing the way for The Lord. John was important not just because he was that prophet, and not just because he fulfilled prophecy, but because he stood against religious corruption.

Jesus himself was regularly called a prophet, sometimes he was even, like John, mistaken for a resurrected Old Testament prophet. Actually, they were both far more than prophets. John was the transitional figure between the Old and New Covenant. He preached the message of the soon coming Messiah. Jesus is the Messiah.

It is incredibly reassuring to know that Jesus was not just a man. He was not just a prophet. John was the greatest man that ever lived. Jesus was the only God-man that ever lived.

March 27 - In That Hour

Read: Luke 7:19-23

In that hour he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind he bestowed sight. (Luke 7:21 ESV)

While John the Baptizer was imprisoned for preaching the Gospel he reached out to Jesus via his disciples. I believe that he was looking for further encouragement and assurance regarding the true identity of his cousin. He got the assurance he was looking for.

John's disciples showed up in the middle of Jesus performing many miracles in the area where he was ministering. They witnessed people with diseases who were cleansed. The saw people purged of plagues. They witnessed Jesus cast out evil spirits. They even saw the blind regain sight. And it was all done within a short amount of time. It must have been an incredible day.

Sometimes we need to go to Jesus for assurance. Not because we are necessarily doubting him, although if we're honest we do probably face those moments as well, but because we are looking for encouragement. Jesus is the best place to go for assurance. He is the best place to go for encouragement.

The fact of the matter is that we will all face seasons where we feel as if we're imprisoned. I those moments we can take all of our doubts, insecurities, and questions to Christ. He is able to answer the questions, calm the fears, and deal with our doubts. Sometimes it may seem to take us a bit to overcome those things, but I truly believe that when we take them to him he will begin to work in us and for us that very hour.

March 26 - Offended

Read: Matthew 11:2-6

And blessed is the one who is not offended by me. (Matthew 11:6 ESV)

Jesus' cousin John the Baptizer had already seen proof of Jesus' identity as the foretold Messiah. John himself was a prophesied child. He was the one sent as a voice that would prepare the people for the coming of The Lord. Still, when John found himself imprisoned he reached out to Jesus for one more confirmation. Jesus did not disappoint.

John's followers went to Jesus per the Baptizer's request and returned to share news of the incredible things Jesus was doing. Miracles were happening. The kind of which had never been seen before among the Jews. This was Jesus' testimony about himself as to the power and confirmation of his true identity as Messiah. As John's disciples parted Jesus offered one last comment, "blessed is the one who is not offended by me."

Jesus' words may sound strange at first but they would have been incredibly encouraging to John. John was arrested because his preaching offended a powerful man. Jesus in essence was issuing John a confirming statement. This same message holds true for us today.

We live in an age when many people find the message of the unmitigated Gospel offensive. They don't know how to handle the truth of the idea that mankind is responsible for their sinfulness, that all have sinned, and that Jesus is the only answer to the sin problem. So people often try to change the message to be less offensive by leaving out or altering the portions which would appear offensive.

Jesus' words are a clear warning. The Gospel will offend. Those with too much pride will reject its truth for their own comfort. They will harden their hearts. Those who embrace the offensiveness of Jesus will instead be changed by it. They will find freedom in the fact that although we are all sinful, and we are all responsible for our sin, Jesus offers us a way out. Truly blessed indeed are those who are not offended by Jesus.

March 25 - The Good Portion?

Read: Luke 10:38-42

And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. (Luke 10:39 ESV)

Martha welcomed Jesus into her home and began to serve his needs and offer hospitality. Her sister Mary was captivated by Jesus and sat at his feet listening to his teaching. Martha didn't like it at all. In her opinion Mary had left her to do all the work. Jesus' gentle rebuke of Martha's complaining speaks volumes. Martha was blessed by her service to The Lord, but Mary was more blessed by sitting at his feet to enjoy his presence.

This brief story sheds light on a big question among some Christians today. What is more important: serving Jesus through your actions, or serving him through abiding in his presence? The answers are as varied as the lives of those who ask the question.

Truthfully, there isn't a blanket answer that fits the life of every believer and every scenario. The story of Mary and Martha shows us that in this specific example Jesus was very pleased with Mary's decision to simply enjoy his presence. However, it is also clear that at other points Scripture is very clear about the need for us to actually doing something.

The big idea found here I believe is that we cannot assume that the way we connect to Jesus or serve him is how everyone else must do it. Let me be clear, I believe everyone must connect to Jesus. He is after all the "way, the truth, and the life". But let us not assume that the good portion is the same for everyone. Where Jesus calls one to instruction and abiding, he may call someone else to action and serving.

March 23 - How Do You Read It?

Read: Luke 10:25-28 He said to him, "What is written in the Law? How do you read it?" (Luke 10:26 ESV)

A lawyer stood up to put Jesus to the test. This was a guy who's sole job was to know the Law of Moses inside and out. He was out to find a loophole or other kind of weakness in Jesus's theology by asking him how to attain eternal life. Jesus' response was great, "What is written in the Law? How do you read it?"

Jesus was about to share a big truth with the lawyer, but first he wanted to hear the self-appointed inquisitor's own worldview. Jesus wanted to give the guy a chance to lay out his own presuppositions. I can almost hear Jesus' sarcasm as he looked at the man and basically said, "You're the expert. Why don't you tell me?"

A big question we all face in our Spiritual growth is How do we read it? Because we should all be reading the Bible. We should want to spend time in His book in some form. But how are we doing that? Do we only read it when we have a point to prove? Do we only go looking for scripture that will back up our particular line of reasoning? Or, do we do the healthy thing, the right thing, do we read the Holy Scriptures and allow them to change our thoughts and habits? How we read it matters. How do you read it?

March 22 - Eyes That See

Read: Luke 10:21-24

Then turning to the disciples he said privately, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see!" (Luke 10:23 ESV)

I am a really fortunate guy. Unlike many people in my life I have never had to worry about wearing any kind of corrective lenses. I have perfect natural vision. The rarity of this does not escape me. I am really really grateful for it.

Spiritual awareness is another kind of sight. Jesus often spoke very candidly in terms of seeing and hearing truth. Those who perceived and accepted his truth he proclaimed as blessed. Those who did not were not only already cursed because of the hardness of their hearts, but he warned that they would eventually face the eternal consequences of their curse in Hell.

I have known many people who were blind to truth. Some of them were unbelievers who eventually came to faith in Christ by repenting and believing in him. I have also known many who professed to be followers of Jesus, but were in actuality blind to the truth of what he cares most about. They did not follow him through repentance or believing.

My wife and I make it a regular practice in our marriage to openly discuss the things we believe. My constant prayer is that this prayerful openness would always help us to keep our eyes open to the truths that Jesus leads us to. That we would continually look only to him. And that by putting our focus where it belongs we might resist the distractions around us that would blind us.