FBC Daily Devotions

Read John 9:1-5.

Our lives here are but a blur and a vapor compared to eternity. A time will come when our work here will be finished, and metaphorically, the night will come. What we do in this life is a matter of great concern to God. We are to be doing God’s work while it is still day.

When I look at this story of the blind man, I see the disciples, interested in why. Why, why, why? Why was this man born blind? Was it his parents who sinned? Was it the man himself who sinned? Jesus was not interested in the whys, but only in bringing glory to God by healing this blind man. Jesus wanted only to do the work of God while it was still day.

Then there was the man faced with a setback in his life. Born blind, he had every reason to sit out, to be of no use to God. And for all we know, he might have chosen this route. Yet despite his disability, God wanted to use that man to display His power and glory. If there’s anything I learn from the blind man, God wants to work through any disability. God wants to work through anyone and everyone while it is still day. No excuses.

To consider: There is a day coming when our work will be finished here. Only God knows that day. But until it arrives, God wants us to serve His purposes. Perhaps you can relate to the disciples – more interested in the “whys”. Have you ever used a “disability” as an excuse not to serve God? How do you spend your days? As we enter a new year, are there some things that need to be adjusted?

Read John 14:23-24.

To know God is to love Him. To love God is to obey Him. These are inseparable truths. Sometimes that truth can get turnaround, though. Instead of “If you love me you will obey me”, it can turn into “If you obey me, then you love me.” That may be true, but not always. Obedience can become legalistic and heartless. We can do things because we’re supposed to without any ounce of love. Maybe we obey because others are looking. Maybe we obey out of thoughtless routine.  But God says we are to love Him with all our heart, mind, and strength.

When we speak of a renewed commitment to love God, I refer not to the aspect of serving God – as in “I am committed to being loving toward God”. I am speaking of the idea of wanting to, in a sense, make Him our first love. We love many things, and sometimes those things can knock God out of first position. As you enter a new year, consider where God is in your life. Are there areas where He is not first?

How do we make Him our first love? How do we make ourselves want to obey Him out of love rather than duty? Now comes the interesting part…

After having said obedience doesn’t necessarily equal love, it can, however, help nurture love for God. Sometimes we have to simply obey even though we might drag our heals along the way. Do it enough, though,  and our hearts will begin to change as we interact with God daily. What is the difference between legalistic, heartless obedience and heal-dragging obedience? If we can honestly come before God and admit that our heart isn’t into it, but there’s just enough heart there to do it because you know it will please Him (the fact that you want to please Him is a seed of love in itself), that makes obedience an act of love. It may not be full love, but it will be the first step toward developing a love for Him.

In our passage today, look at Jesus’ words not so much as stating a requirement but rather as a reflection – a reflection of your love for Jesus. If you love Jesus, it will be reflected in how you live. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking if you love Jesus you must live in obedience. If you really love Jesus, you will live in obedience. Love comes first (even it’s only a little) and obedience follows. You may not always like to do the things Jesus asks, but we say to ourselves, “I love Him, so I will do what pleases Him.”

If you struggle with the motivation to love God – to make Him your first love – begin with what little love you do have and walk in obedience one step at a time. See if God won’t honor your obedience and meet you where you are and draw you to Himself.

Read Philippians 3:7-11.

It has been said here many times over that to know Christ is one of our chief aims as His followers. Sometimes I feel this is stated over and over again ad nauseum. Yes, another plea to know Christ more… But you know how important it is to know Him. We can know a lot about Christ, but do we really know Him? Do we know His love for us and others? Do we know His suffering? Do we know His passion to make the Father known to this world?

For some of us, our knowledge of Him is informed by our experiences. You may know what it means to love the hard to love. You know what it means to suffer terribly. You know what it means to give your worn out life over to Christ. I would like to suggest, however, that we cannot know Christ by experience alone. In fact, we must know him first before we can apply any experience to our knowledge of Him. Knowing Christ enables us to view our experiences through His eyes. How else will we see the world rightly unless we filter our lives through His life and words? That is why it is so important to take time to read and study God’s word, the Bible.

To consider: If you spend time with God regularly, you already know the value and necessity of this discipline. So consider how you might spur others on to do the same. One does not have to ask if another is spending time with God, but simply sharing what God is teaching you is enough. Allow your life in God’s word to infect others. My prayer is that as you continue the discipline of reading and reflecting on the words of the Bible, you might be able to say as Paul, “I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.”

As we leave 2008 and enter 2009, I thought it might be good to take a look forward (rather than back as is often the case). What lies ahead for 2009? We just never know, but God certainly does. Therefore, though we may not be able control the circumstances of our future, we can do much to prepare our minds and attitudes. This week we’ll look at several areas of potential renewal: Knowing Him, Loving Him, Serving Him, and Trusting Him. My prayer is that 2009 will be a year of continued growth for all of us. Take some time this week in preparation for the new year ahead.   –Pastor Mike

Day 1:  Children’s Musical

The children put on a great musical yesterday! These special occasions are snapshots in time. One day we’ll look back and wonder where all the time went. These are special days, and just as important is the message they bring. Do you recall the message of the musical? What stood out to you?

Look over your notes from the past week. What one or two things did God impress upon you this week?