May 7 - Hell

Read: Mark 9:42-50 & John 14:1-3

"where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched." (Mark 9:48 ESV)

There have been countless sermons about hell. There have been books about hell. There are movies about hell. There are bumper stickers, songs, paintings, T-shirts, and a plethora of media portraying various imaginings of hell. I'm really and truly convinced that none of them get it entirely right.

Jesus spoke about it candidly. It is clearly a literal place. It is definitely not a place that you want to be. Jesus' descriptions of it make it out to sound truly horrendous.

But it is a place that is going to be a reality for anyone that has not entered into an authentic relationship with Jesus. Some people misguidedly trumpeted that information with a proud or arrogant kind of bravado, which is altogether sad. But that sadness is profoundly and shockingly eclipsed by the reality of hell. It is the reality of an eternal existence apart from God.

May 6 - At His Feet

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)

What is more important working for Jesus, or being with Jesus? That question lies at the heart of the story of Jesus' friends Mary and Martha. Martha was busy working to prepare hospitality for her guests while Mary simply sat at the Lord's feet to hear all that he had to say.

Jesus addressed the issue quite plainly. He said that Mary had chosen something wonderful. Se had elected to sit at his feet. She had chosen presence over productivity.

Sadly in today's culture we are obsessed with productivity. Accomplishment and busyness are the norm, but there is something especially wonderful about simply abiding in Jesus. Being with Jesus takes precedence.

This notion doesn't release from the responsibility of working hard to do the things God asks of us. It doesn't free us from the wonderful burden of Godly stewardship. In fact, actively pursuing God's presence will always set us up for success in other endeavors.

May 5 - Friends & Faith

Read: Matthew 9:2-8; Mark 2:3-12; Luke 5:18-26

And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. (Mark 2:3 ESV)

Story of Jesus and the paralytic is one of my favorites. Just imagine for a second if you'd been in Jesus' place. He was standing there teaching all of those people—it was a capacity crowd—and suddenly the roof opened up and a crippled man was lowered into the room.

Jesus had compassion on the paralytic. He healed him. He forgave his sins. But what if the paralytic's friends hadn't lowered him through the roof?

Who are you in this story? Certainly there have been times in my life when I was the paralytic. On many occasions I have found myself on the receiving end of an encounter with Jesus that was initiated by a loving friend. Sometimes that friend didn't even know what they did. Hopefully we all have friends like that. People who would tear apart houses and disturb the neighborhood, loved ones that would be willing to shake up the status quo a bit to initiate an encounter with the Prince of Peace.

What about all of those people around us that don't have anyone like that in their lives? There are millions, no billions, of people who need an encounter with Jesus. And every one of them needs at least one friend who would be willing to get out of their comfort zone and take them to Jesus.

Sometimes introducing someone to the King of Kings is about simply demonstrating an authentic lifestyle. At other times its about opening your mouth and sharing the truth. And then sometimes you just have to get them to a place where Jesus is. What will you do when the time comes to carry them to the One they need most of all?

May 4 - Fulfilling

Read: Luke 4:16-30

And he began to say to them, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." (Luke 4:21 ESV)

Have you ever finished accomplishing or doing something and felt completely fulfilled? Fulfillment is a mysterious and elusive thing. Some people clamor and claw for it their entire lives.

I can't imagine being in the shoes of one of those people who had known Jesus his entire life and hearing him stand up to say that he was the fulfillment of Scripture. It probably would've been pretty tough to deal with. I mean the Bible basically says it was because the same crowd of people tried to kill him.

Jesus was unique. He was prophesied about. He was the Messiah. He was the fulfillment of Scripture. He found his fulfillment in Scripture.

While you and I are not quite as unique, special, or privileged as Jesus —we too can find our fulfillment in God's purpose for our lives. There is something we are supposed to do. There's something we are supposed to accomplish. There is something God has promised. Finding that, doing that, hearing that, will lead us to the kind of fulfillment we can only have in God.

May 3 - What Happened?

Read: Matthew 13:1-23

But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. (Matthew 13:16 ESV)

Did it work? Did you hear the Word of God and respond to it? Did it take root in your life? These are all questions Jesus asked the crowds that had gathered to listen to him.

What do you do when you hear the word of the Lord? Sometimes it depends on what it is exactly that we hear. Some truths are just harder to accept and implement than others. Sometimes we get confused, sometimes we get stubborn, sometimes we get fearful, and yet God is hoping that what he says and speaks to our hearts will take route. He wants us to let it change our lives.

The word Jesus used to describe people who were affected and changed by God is blessed. If you see what He is trying to say you are blessed. If you hear what He is trying to say you are blessed. It's not always easy to obey. Sometimes we just don't understand. But when we do obey we are blessed.

May 2 - With Authority

Read: Matthew 7:28, 29

And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes. (Matthew 7:28, 29 ESV)

At the conclusion of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount the people were astonished. Many theologians estimate the number of people in the crowd to have been around 20,000 people. They had just heard Jesus teach on a wealth of subjects.

He had challenged many of their previous assumptions. He had moved them beyond their blind obedience of the Pharisaic rules. He had called them to true repentance, a life of fruit, and a close walk with the Father. He had taught them to do good for the sake of doing good, to pray in earnest, and to pursue the Kingdom of God. The crowds listened.

He captivated them, not just because he was a great communicator, which I'm sure he was, but he had their heartfelt attention because he possessed authority. He could speak into each of those situations because he had experiential knowledge. He knew what he was talking about. He didn't second guess himself. He didn't cover his tracks by brandishing the heavy handed doctrines of men. He spoke with authority.

In the not so infrequent moments when my faith is sometimes tough to wrestle with, whether it be emotionally, intellectually, or spiritually, I find the authority of Jesus a steadfast reassurance. That he experienced, taught, lived, and even passed on some representation of his authority is humbling. We who would call ourselves followers of Christ have a lot to live up to. Fortunately we have the final there to enable us along the way.

May 1 - Foolish Man

Read: Matthew 7:24-27

And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. (Matthew 7:26 ESV)

Several months ago a good friend of mine was speaking to a group of students and I'll never forget one of the things he said, "You can't build your house on the beach and get angry at the ocean."

Jesus offered wise counsel to those listening to his Sermon on the Mount. In our modern age we have the Bible, which is more truth than any one person could ever hope to absorb in a lifetime. But how do we respond to this truth? It is our response that makes the difference.

Accepting Jesus' words means more than lip service or empty academic acknowledgement. Recognizing the truth behind Christ's teaching means acting on his words. It is the sound, and spiritually responsible action.

Rejecting his words is total folly. Sadly it is the course many choose. Jesus described them as people who build their lives on shifting sands. They build empires of neglect on foundations of disaster. It is sad. it is their choice. It is foolish.

April 30 - Not Everyone

Read: Matthew 7:21-23

"Not everyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord," will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 7:21 ESV)

As Jesus neared the end of his popular Sermon on the Mount he began to caution his listeners regarding some of the things that might keep them from experiencing the fullness of the kingdom of God. He declared that simply stating you were his follower was not enough. He taught that your life must show evidence. He also taught that you must do God's will.

I lost count of the number of times I have taught on the subject of God's will a long time ago. It is a frequently discussed topic in my field of ministry. But college students are not alone in their desire to find and pursue God's will for their lives.

Usually when we consider the phrase "God's will" we infer the ideas of location and occupation. I don't think Jesus was speaking to these two things during the Sermon on the Mount. I actually think he was talking about God's will for us in terms of the way we think and act.

Does our way of thinking—and by that I mean our attitude, our discipline, contentment, and secret thought life; do these things match up with what God desires for us? That's a tall order. We really can't do it, but I think the point Jesus was making is that he is asking us to try, and desiring for us to lean on him for help to do it. God's will in this sense is his desire for us to want him. His desire for us to worship him, and him alone.

April 29 - Fruit Trees

Read: Matthew 7:15-20

Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. (Matthew 7:20 ESV)

All of my favorite fruits are quite frankly very easy to recognize. Strawberries are small, a deep shade of red, and distinctly shaped. Pineapples are characterized by their outer husk and pointy greenery. Watermelons are quickly noted for their green and often striped rind and round oblong shape. But the kind of vegetation a fruit comes from is not always so easy to identify unless you're an expert. The fruit itself is the key component.

The people who follow Jesus should be easily recognizable. We should readily, easily, and naturally demonstrate the kind of fruit that makes this a reality. Jesus said it himself. People are recognized for who they truly are by the kind of fruit their lives produce.

What kind of fruit are you demonstrating to an onlooking world? It's an important question. For way too long the American Christian community has been far too content simply answering the questions of life with grande theological responses. We spend too much time in our heads, or none at all. What our unchurched friends, family, and neighbors truly need to see is the evidence of Christian fruit.

April 28 - To Life

Read: Matthew 7:12-14

For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. (Matthew 7:14 ESV)

All of us have chosen death at some point in our lives. Often we probably didn't even mean to. Sometimes we actually probably thought we were choosing life.

Jesus taught a few things about life. He taught that he was the way, the truth, and the life. He taught that he came so that those who believed in him and followed him would have abundant life. He also taught that the entry point, the gate, and the path to life were narrow.

What all of that boils down to is this—Jesus is life. When we choose selfishness we choose death. When we choose our own path we choose death. Even with the best of intentions, without choosing Jesus we choose death.

That sounds horrible. It certainly could be. Except that Jesus actually made choosing him a pretty simple thing. It is simply a matter of faith. That means combining belief in Jesus as savior, with trust in Jesus for your future. That is the direction toward the path of life.

April 27 - Ask Dad

Read: Matthew 7:7-11

Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? (Matthew 7:9 ESV)

My father has always been the hardest working man I have ever known. Growing up he always provided for me whatever I needed, and a lot of what I asked for. You know what? Never once in my childhood do I remember my dad giving me a rock when I asked him for something to eat. It didn't happen.

The thought of sitting down at the dinner table to find a plate full of pebbles, or a granite slab as the main course, is utterly ridiculous. Stones are not food. God may not answer our prayers exactly the way we would like for Him to, but I have yet to see Him answer a prayer by giving me something that has no chance of meeting my need.

Jesus was specific in his teaching on this subject. God is a better dad than I am. He is a better dad than yours. And He knows how to give good gifts. He doesn't do a bait and switch. He doesn't substitute the inedible for the edible. No, God answers exactly in the way that He needs to. Every time.

And the thing to take away from all of this is that we really can ask God. Whatever the situation is, Jesus compels us, that we should take it to the Father. The older I get the more I am completely convinced of this. Ask our Divine Dad. Be persistent. Get on your knees. Pray humbly, passionately, and regularly. Just ask Him.

April 26 - Judges

Read: Matthew 7:1-6

Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? (Matthew 7:3 ESV)

It's so easy to see other people's problems. And yet, it can be really hard to have an honest sense of our own shortcomings. Often our own personal hang ups are a blind spot.

This is not a new problem. Jesus' disciples had the same problem. He thought it was a big enough issue that he addressed it in his famous Sermon on the Mount. Jesus point was that dealing with our own sin should take priority over confronting other people about theirs.

"Don't judge me" is an all-too-common phrase today. And while it is certainly grounded in a biblical truth it is usually pulled woefully out of context by someone trying to grant themselves free license to sanction whatever sinful deed they desire to commit. This was not the point Jesus was trying to make.

Jesus' point was that each of us should carefully measure our actions. We should take stock of our sin. We should pray that our transgressions would be revealed to us so that there would be no blind spots in our lives. We aren't to seek a life free from judgement, after all God is going to judge us all. Instead, we should realistically submit ourselves to the graceful judgement of Christ now so that we might be spared the justice of Christ later.

April 25 - Hide & Seek

Read: Matthew 6:31-34

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:33 ESV)

I loved playing Hide and Seek as a kid. My brother, cousins, and myself used to run around all over the mountains where my grandparents lived playing games of this sort. Of course, the best part was always finding someone.

Unfortunately, I think many of us have this idea that God has hidden away a lot of really important things. So, instead of spending our time trying to draw nearer to the Father, we ironically, and tragically, reject Him in an attempt to uncover all of the things we unconsciously think He must have hid from us.

Jesus told his disciples that this is a completely backward way of living. He taught that if you really want to find any kind of meaningful fulfillment in life you must seek God and his righteousness first. Seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness may sound like a dual pursuit, but its actually not. Jesus wasn't talking about to two separate things, he was reemphasizing the same thing.

Seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness has nothing to do with pursuing our own righteousness. It has nothing to do with attempting to fill our wish lists. Seeking God's kingdom and His righteousness is about seeking Jesus. To come into all the added things first requires actually wanting Jesus more. As you pursue Jesus, as you become more like the person he wants you to be, your life will take shape in a way that God will then be able to trust you with all of the things that might have distracted you had He given them to you first.

April 24 - Don't Worry

Read: Matthew 6:25-30

And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? (Matthew 6:27 ESV)

I was born a worrier. In the fourth grade my teacher told my mom she was afraid I was going to develop ulcers because of how badly I worried about my grades. Later on in high school God spoke to me through this passage in Matthew and changed my life forever.

I believe the experience I had with this passage is exactly what Jesus wanted his followers to have when he first taught this principle during the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus wants us to understand that excessive worry is bad for us. It is bad for us in every facet of life, physically, mentally, and spiritually.

Worry leads to anxiety which can cause stress and sickness. It can creep into your mind creating paranoia, obsessiveness, and a skewed thought life. When worry seeps into your soul it can give root to unhealthy doubts about God and undermine your faith.

All of these things can be disastrous, but they are rarely isolated. Usually someone struggling with worry develops a combination of the above problems. Thankfully Jesus can walk us through it.

When God showed me the truth of a worry free life it didn't lead me into a reckless carelessness full of irresponsibility. Instead God helped me to step up to my responsibilities and shoulder them with His full blessing. Knowing He would provide for me, empower me, and help me gave me the faith to take on more. It allowed me to set aside fear and uncertainty. And it gave me the assurance to take every step of faith wherever the Father was leading.

April 23 - BO$$

Read: Matthew 6:22-24

"No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. (Matthew 6:24 ESV)

Have you ever found yourself facing a tough decision only to realize that money is playing a major factor in how you make that decision? If your life is anything like mine, that happens. Sometimes it can be a horrible feeling.

Jesus cautioned his followers about the deceptive allure of following money as a master. His blunt statement is absolutely true. It is impossible to serve God, and your bank account or bottom line.

Personally, some of my most challenging god-moments have involved money matters. I can't help but feel like this is a direct attempt by God to lead me away from any kind of material idolatry. Those kinds of experiences are not easy. I wish I could say that I have always succeeded. The truth is that I haven't.

However, turning over every aspect of my life to God means giving Him control of my check book too. It means submitting my spending habits, savings plans, and lifestyle choices to His high standards. It can be, and has been daunting. It is a process my wife and I have been intentionally working through over the last couple of years, and it has led to some pretty cool stuff, both in terms of Spiritual and material blessing. We never want anyone to say that we served anything other than God.

April 22 - Treasure

Read: Matthew 6:19-21

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:21 ESV)

Just the idea of treasure is pretty cool. It makes me think of rare valuables of unimaginable worth. Sparkly shiny things tucked away in secret chests hidden away behind maps, traps, and adventure. It also elicits visions of priceless artifacts put on display in public places by people who wish to share their treasure with the world. Treasure is awesome. Jesus' concept of treasure painted an even better word picture. He defined treasure as something of value. Treasure as he taught it, was something of extreme importance. Treasure was and is whatever you put your heart into.

What you value matters. What you value shapes your hobbies, decisions, and ethics. What you value is your treasure, and your treasure is your values. How important you deem something to be gauges your willingness to invest in it. It determines your perception of its worth. Something perceived to be of high value is handled with care and respect. Something considered frivolous or unworthy is disregarded, neglected, or abused.

We make decisions about our treasure every day. Sometimes we share it. Often we hoard. Sometimes we decide people are treasured, and other times we see them as having no value at all. My prayer is that Jesus would help me daily to value things as he does. I want my heart to be where his is. I want my treasure to be the same. I have such a long way to go to get there.

April 21 - Fast Face

Read: Matthew 6:16-18

"And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. (Matthew 6:16 ESV)

One of the repeating themes in Jesus' Sermon on the Mount is the notion of prideful religious display. Jesus did not like the way the Pharisees regularly paraded their superficial religiosity around for everyone to see. He cautioned his followers against that kind of conduct.

I do not like to fast. It's one of the spiritual disciplines that I am really just not a big fan of. But I do it. I don't make a habit of it. I reserve it for significant moments of decision or when I feel like God has specifically asked me to do it. I also try really hard to make it a private matter between me, my family, and God.

That is my personal conviction about fasting. I truly, deeply, believe it is a biblically sound approach. I think God blesses our efforts to please Him in a special way when we make it a secret action between Father and child. I wonder, what other spiritual disciples can we practice in our lives more authentically by making them less public?

April 20 - Trespassing

Read: Matthew 6:14, 15

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (Matthew 6:14, 15 ESV)

We have all been sinned against. We have all sinned against God, and other people. The English Standard Version uses the word trespasses which paints a significant word picture. All of us have passed into territory where we do not belong.

Thinking in terms of trespassing the idea of separation from God takes on a lot more meaning. God is sovereign. He is the rightful king of our hearts. But, when we assert selfish control over our own lives we have trespassed into His territory. This is the essence of sin and it puts distance between our hearts and our holy God.

Likewise people trespass into our territory. Perhaps they do so accidentally, or maybe even with pure intentions, but it is inevitable that we will be wronged by others at some point. This creates distance and discord between our hearts. Jesus taught that it is his followers' duty to forgive those kinds of trespasses committed against us. We are to extend grace to our fellow man when that situation occurs.

Trespassing happens because of the idea of ownership. We easily, willfully, and frequently trespass against God because we think we possess ownership, when in fact He is in total ownership. We regularly feel trespassed against for the same reason. Sometimes it is valid as others extend their perceived ownership too far. Often it is invalid as the pride created because of our false sense of ownership is offended. Even this is encroaching on God's dominion.

Forgiveness happens, and can only happen, when we lay aside our false sense of ownership over places in our hearts. When we are unthreatened by someone's presence somewhere we will gladly welcome them in. This action extends forgiveness to others, but it also helps us to receive forgiveness from the Father.

April 19 - Pray: Deliver Us

Read: Matthew 6:9-13

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. (Matthew 6:13 ESV)

The final passage of the Lord's Prayer, found in the Sermon on the Mount, is a clarion call from Christ for God to aid His people in our natural struggles with sin and evil. It's a position we truly do need God's help with. As fallen people we regularly put ourselves in harm's way. We repeatedly place ourselves in situations where sin and temptation are easily accessible. We need God's help in changing our hearts, minds, and motives.

This point hit home for me a couple of days ago as I was feeding my son breakfast. I had him strapped into his highchair and he kept gesturing for things around the room that he wanted. They were all things he was normally allowed to have, but they were not his breakfast. Someone had left these items within sight. They were tempting him. He desired them. In order for me to get him to eat his breakfast I had to remove the distractions. Once they were all put away he went on eating breakfast, the other stuff no longer mattered.

It's not God's duty to keep us from temptation. Often I believe we bring it on ourselves. I do however believe that He will help us rid our lives of things that distract us from Him if we ask Him to. And I believe He is often urging us to want His help in doing so. And I firmly believe that God is never the source of temptation for His children.

April 18 - Pray: Debts

Read: Matthew 6:9-13

and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. (Matthew 6:12 ESV)

Have you ever had someone owe you money or a favor? Have you ever tried to unsuccessfully collect on it? Jesus' teaching on prayer included a phrase about debt, debtors, and forgiveness that reflects several of his earlier teachings.

The prospect of taking on a large financial debt is pretty intimidating to me. I feel a lot more freedom in my life without massive debt. But, where God and our sin are concerned that is precisely the issue at stake. We are all sinful people. Our sin has accrued for us a debt owed to God. We are all people that have fallen far short of God's standard for us. However, He is willing to reach down and willfully remove our cumbersome debt. In fact Jesus died to accomplish just that.

The words of Christ during this teaching serve as both a reminder and an incentive. We are freely forgiven of our sins if we choose to receive such forgiveness. We are also forgiven as long as we extend the same kind of merciful grace toward those who have wronged us.