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.

Keep Your Steak

If I ever caught someone trying to feed my son steak they would be in a lot of trouble. Like a drop kick to the chinny-chin-chin kind of trouble. It's not because he can't eat steak, he can, he just needs really tiny bites. He's just not ready for the fully unleashed awesomeness of a 20 ounce New York Strip. In the mean time he exists on milk, and soft fruits and veggies. In fact, most of his food is made by his mommy.

I am really and truly perplexed when I find Christians trying to feed baby believers spiritual steak. It makes me mad. I am even more annoyed when I see believers taking the weight of the Word and trying to force it on people who have yet to even embrace Jesus. When we throw our buffet of perceived fundamentals at them and they reject them why are we so surprised?

Why do we in the Church get it so WRONG so OFTEN?

It's because we're so messed up ourselves. I am messed up, you are messed up, your pastor is messed up, and so is the habitual sex addict that lives two houses over. We wander into grievous folly when we fight to force feed someone that does not even recognize their hunger.

When my son sees me eating, he wants to eat. When he sees me get a drink he wants some. When he sees me enjoy something, he wants to partake. What our friends, family, and neighbors need is someone who will show them that Christ is enjoyable.

Life lived for Jesus is not a pity party, a political party, or a social party. It is a life. It is full. It is wonderful. It is digestible. It is palatable.

I am convinced, truly convinced, that many people (not all) are so much more interested in Jesus than we often give them credit for. When an unbeliever witnesses the winsome life-giving love of Christ at work within the life of a believer it is hard not to pay attention. In fact, it forces them to make an internal decision to investigate further, or to reject wholesale. However, when we're busy peddling opinionated agendas and wrestling with unnecessary internal foibles it all but makes the decision for those looking on.

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.

Vomit, Crying, & Gratitude

Last night was a rough one in the King house. Our 12 month old son Ethan came down with some kind of stomach bug out of the blue. One minute he was happily soaking up Sesame Street with his mommy on the couch and all-of-a-sudden he was vomiting like crazy. Yeah, I know that's gross. Sorry. It was a mess, but that was the least of our concerns. Our little boy was sick. To compound the issue I had to leave for our weekly ministry gathering shortly after the ordeal began. This went on throughout the night. My wife would try to get some fluids in him to prevent dehydration, but his little body would reject them, and up they came. He got splotches on his tummy that indicated the onset of dehydration. It was scary. We prayed a lot. I was largely distracted during our service. My mind kept going back to my little boy. After service was over I made my goodbyes and headed to the pharmacy to get some special juice that is supposed to help with that kind of situation. It did. He drank it, and kept it down. He drank some more, and kept it down.

Jamie and I took turns sitting up with him on the couch throughout the night. We slept sporadically. When morning came it seemed his energy had returned. He laughed, he played a little, and then.... he cried.

It wasn't a cry of pain, or a whimpering wailing of discomfort. It was the kind of short bursting cry that comes from being just a little spoiled, something that I am completely ok with at his age. And while I am usually easily annoyed by prolonged bouts of crying, especially during my more cranky moments, this morning was different. I was grateful. I was just happy he had the energy to cry.

Sometimes something that is annoying, aggravating, or challenging can actually be a reason for rejoicing. Yes, life is sometimes hard, but often our attitude has the power to shape the perception of our experience. Today, I'm grateful for the grace to see with gratitude.

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.

April 5 - Salty

Read: Matthew 5:13-16

"You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. (Matthew 5:13 ESV)

Salt is a wonderful thing. I probably like it more than I should. Even just a little bit goes a really long way in improving the taste of something. In Jesus day it was a rare luxury. It was highly valued. As long as it was tasty. Because if salt isn't used for food it is used for clearing paths. It's used to walk on.

Jesus warned his audience, with a warning that should ring true for us today as well, we exist for a purpose. We have a flavor. We exist to make where we are better. And if we don't or can't do that, then we are not really fulfilling our primary purpose.

Sometimes it's hard to be the kind of presence in our world that we desire to be. There are so many potential distractions. We are imperfect. Sometimes it feels like we're in perpetual danger of losing our saltiness. I don't believe that this has to be true. What does it mean to be salt in your world? How can you be a difference there? How can you avoid losing your flavor?

April 4 - For Righteousness

Read: Matthew 5:1-12

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. (Matthew 5:6 ESV)

The Sermon on the Mount, recorded in Matthew 5-7, is one of the most widely taught passages of scripture. The first portion is frequently referred to as the Beatitudes. Jesus' purpose in sharing this message was to influence people to forgo their desires for things beyond the Kingdom of God.

You will be blessed by yearning for, and indeed, living off of Christ's righteousness. We possess no righteousness except for Christ's. His goodness, his holiness, his perfection is the root of righteous satisfaction.

We can, and should do good works in this life. However, they will never make us righteous. They will never make us holy. They will never satisfy. Only Jesus can and will. Let us all seek after and for righteousness.

April 3 - Jesus Changes Things

Read: John 5:1-17

When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to be healed?" (John 5:6 ESV)

Can you imagine laying in the same spot everyday and just hoping that someone would help you? It sounds horrible. Yet that was the daily reality of the lame man at the pool. Unfortunately it is also the daily reality for many people today.

Jesus came along and changed everything for the lame man. He did the same for so many others throughout the gospels. And he initiated the change with the question, "Do you want to be healed?"

I firmly believe that many people who face dire situations today, no matter long they have been trapped in that circumstance, can experience a change in their life. Jesus changes things. Not only is he the diving point of human history, but he can also be the diving point of your own personal story.

April 2 - Believe Jesus

Read: John 4:46-54

Jesus said to him, "Go; your son will live." The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way. (John 4:50 ESV)

Belief is such a powerful thing. It compels people to behave in ways that are all over the place. Some responses to it are rational. Some are strange to say the least. History, even recent history, has shown us that some people react to belief with violence. In the gospels we see that people frequently responded to Jesus by believing in him. Today is no different.

We can believe in him. He stands apart from everyone and everything else in history. And that belief is not misplaced.

Like the father from John's story we will see a remarkable difference in this life by placing our belief in the Lordship of the incarnate Son of God. It will mean spiritual healing. Sometimes it may mean literal physical healing. It will certainly mean an eternal destiny in his Kingdom.

However, belief alone is not enough. Belief is the starting point for the recognition of our need for him. Submission, surrender, is the move that brings us wholly into his holy family.

April 1 - Miracles

Read: Isaiah 35:5-6 & Matthew 11:2-6 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; (Isaiah 35:5, 6 ESV)

Around 700 B.C. the Old Testament prophet Isaiah lived and ministered among the Jews. His written work which bears his name is sometimes called the "Fifth Gospel" because of how frequently he prophesied about Jesus. Isaiah prophesied plainly that the Messiah would be a miracle worker.

I've spent a lot of time hearing about and thinking about miracles in my life. I grew up within a Christian movement that openly accepts not only the possibility, but the likely probability, of miracles. I believe that I have even experienced a couple of miracles during my life.

I don't think that average common Jew was very familiar with the likelihood of the miraculous before Jesus came on the scene. They had all of the stories of Moses and the Judges to cling to, but religious oppressiveness had most likely pushed their expectation for any direct interventional supernatural activity initiated by God out of their minds. Some groups of Jews actually vehemently denied the possibility of the supernatural.

Jesus changed everything.

He was more than an illusionist. He was more than a sorcerer. He was even more than a miracle worker. He was God, come to be with man so that he might save man. While he was here he performed a lot of miracles. He did them everywhere he went. He did them for followers, strangers, neighbors, allies, and sometimes even enemies.

Do you believe in the possibiltiy of miracles? What is a miracle you would like to see? What is a miracle you might be in need of?

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 29 - Fakers

Read: Matthew 11:7-19

But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates, "We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn." (Matthew 11:16, 17 ESV)

The Pharisees were major critics of John and Jesus, neither of whom avoided offending their ridiculous religious pride on a regular basis. Jesus compared to them to children playing wedding and funeral games. They were fake and phony. Less than the real thing, poor replacements. The Pharisees fell short of what God had called them to in a lot of ways. They had traded authentic communion with God for shallow and ridiculous purity rituals.

It would be kind of like if you were supposed to have dinner with your family or close friends, but all you did was stay in the bathroom and wash your hands all night instead of ever taking your place at the table. What's worse is that they kept calling everyone else into the bathroom too. Their message to everyone was something like, "the only way to really worship God is if you stay here and wash your hands."

They were fake. It was tragically sad because I'm sure there were many among their number who legitamately believed they were doing the right things. It kind of makes you want to step back and examine your own life when you think about it like that. Is there any area in my life where I am accepting less than the real thing? Am I trading authenticity and communion for shallow ritual or stubborn tradition? God helps us to find these areas of our loves that we might be blind to if we're serious about coming to terms with them.

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.