The Road Least Recognized

Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it.  For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it.  Matthew 7:13, 14 (New American Standard Bible)

One Christmas when my children were young I attempted to assemble their Christmas toys without reading the instructions. Who needed to be constricted to complicated assembly instructions?  It couldn’t be that difficult and doing it the way I thought it ought to be done seemed easier.  I took the wide and easy way and wound up having to return to the instructions and reassemble the toy.  From that time on I’ve always followed the steps in assembling anything new.

Jesus spoke of seeking the easy way when He addressed how easy it is to choose the wide way of the world’s choices missing God’s less recognized way totally.  The human heart, much like water, follows the path of least resistence.  The wide boulevard of self and denial of Christ is easier to find and follow for it’s always much easier to go with the flow.  The narrow way is more difficult but Christ says it is the way that leads to eternal life.  At times of discouragement in our walk with Christ it is good to stop to reconsider why we chose the narrow gate and way in the first place.  We obviously saw something of worth in going that way and obviously continue too as we remain there.

Jesus used the illustration of people being like sheep without a shepherd (Matthew 9:36). That, of course, is metaphorically speaking.  Sheep are pretty much helpless on their own and need a guiding hand. He said He is the Good Shepherd (John 10:11).  Jesus didn’t drive us through that narrow gate; we followed Him through it.  We put our total hope in His love and protection trusting that He knows that narrow way perfectly.  The wide way is easier to find but leads to destruction while the narrow way leads to eternal life through Christ.  For those of us who have discovered that narrow gate and way it is a source of hope and comfort.  Jesus said He is the only way through (John 14:6).  It is the gate least recognized but the gate that is most worthwhile.    

Ken

www.devotionstoday.blogspot.com

Regift It

But to each of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.  Ephesians 4:7 (New American Standard Bible)

A regift is when Aunt Hilda gives Uncle Harry a tie for Christmas and Harry doesn’t like it, so he rewraps it and gives it to his nephew Oscar.  It gets rid of the problem for Uncle Harry, that is, until Oscar inadvertently wears the tie in the presence of Aunt Hilda.

Regifting is looked upon as a somewhat humorous practice but it still remains to some extent a minor disgrace to do to another individual.  There is no preconceived plan to give the gift to the person and the action is done purely for the convenience of the giver. 

There is one gift, however, that it is all right to regift and that consistently.  It is the message of God’s gift to us of His Son and of His redemption to the world.  The gift of God’s love and eternal life through his Son is not only astounding it is life changing.  Only God can truly turn a life around and give the dependable power to live it in Him.  Tis the season to meditate upon the announcement of the ultimate gift made known first to the shepherds by the angels.  It is a wonderful gift to give away for in giving it we also get to keep and enjoy it. It is a gift that arrives in swaddling clothes and concludes in the highest glory at the right hand of God.  It is indeed the most valuable regift ever and one we are encouraged to give throughout the year. 

Merry Christmas,

Ken

www.devotionstoday.blogspot.com

Gloria in Excelsis Deo

And great multitudes came to Him, bringing with them those who were lame, crippled, blind, dumb, and many others, and they laid them down at His feet; and He healed them, so that the multitude marveled  as they saw the dumb speaking, the crippled restored, and the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.  Matthew 15:30, 31 (New American Standard Bible)

As we are in the season of Advent it is good to remember the birth of our Savior.  While there is little known of Jesus’ childhood the recording of His conception and birth tell us that He was conceived by the Holy Spirit without the biology of a human father (Matthew 1:18, Luke 1:35).  Jehovah God was His Father both in eternity and in the flesh which made Jesus uniquely both the Son of God and the Son of Man.  He was human in every sense of the word yet fully God. 

Jesus did not begin His existence in that stable in Bethlehem but had always existed with God sharing the glory of His heavenly Father before the world was created (John 17:5).  In becoming a man He did not forsake or leave that glory behind but kept it veiled from human eyes.  He went from the highest glory and splendor of heaven to a body of flesh, bone, blood and breath to show us the Father (John 14:9).

The star over the stable is gone and the babe in the manger now sits enthroned at the right hand of His Father as the God/Man Jesus Christ (Romans 8:34).  Without His birth we would still be in sin and error pining.  When He came to us it was with the greatest compassion and power to restore us from that sin and error.  When the babe grew to manhood He expressed the redemptive will of the Father qualified by giving the blind their sight, restoring the crippled and lame and the bringing speech to the dumb.  From His birth shepherds proclaimed Him (Luke 2:17), wise men worshiped Him (Matthew 2:11), the multitudes marveled at Him (Matt 15:30, 31, Luke 11:14) and in His death and resurrection He invites the entire world to follow Him (Matthew 28, 19, 20, Acts 1:8).  His flesh and blood birth reveals His God/Man humanity.  His life, works and miracles reveal God’s humanity to mankind.  God has revealed Himself to us in both ways.   Glory to God in the highest.

Ken

www.devotionstoday.blogspot.com

No Defense

And when He had come into the temple, the Chief priests and the elders of the people came to Him as He was teaching, and said, “By what authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this authority?”  Matthew 21:23 (NASB)

When we’re challenged it’s easy to get off the subject as we try to defend ourselves.  At that moment many of us focus on protecting our honor and character instead of bringing the focus back to the problem.   Defense and justification have a way of quickly turning into the blame game.   

Jesus never defended or justified Himself to anyone. Then by what authority did He do the things He did?  He did not quote scholarly rabbis, as was the custom but said, “You have heard it said…but I say to you…” The Jews recognized in Him speaking as He did there was some authority for it.  The authority of Jesus did not threaten or try to impress with self-importance. To be sure, there were times when His temper flared righteously as when He called the religious leaders ‘sons of the devil (John 8:44)’ and when he angrily drove the money changers out of the Temple (Matthew 21:12, Mark 11:15). But He didn’t do it with hatred or pride.  What He said was steeped in love and later He even wept over the lost souls of Israel (Luke 13:34).

The life and words of Jesus Christ were always truth and revelation.  Even though He was often critically questioned by the Scribes and Pharisees He remained unquestionable in whom He claimed to be.  He held those He interacted with accountable while modeling decorum and healthy relations-even with those who disliked Him. The witness of who He was was qualified by His Heavenly Father.  God spoke from heaven on two occasions confirming that Jesus was His Beloved Son (Matthew 3:17, Luke 9:35). His Heavenly Father alone qualified Him with the authority to do what He did.  There was no justification needed, for God alone speaks perfect truth.

Ken

www.devotiontoday.blogspot.com

Envious Eyes

“But he answered and said to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a Denarius?  Take what is yours and go your way, but I wish to give to this last man the same as you.  Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own?  Or is your eye envious because I am generous?”  Matthew 20:13-15 (New American Standard Bible)

In my youthful naiveté I was once asked by an inquisitive co-worker at a new job what my starting pay was.  With little experience in workplace matters I told the guy. As soon as I did the co-worker’s face went dark and he angrily turned on his heel and hot-footed it to the boss’s office.  He faced our boss and angrily demanded to know why he was paying me the same as him when I was new to the job and he had worked there longer.  I’m always reminded of this incident when I read this parable. 

At the outset this parable told by Jesus does seem unfair.  The men who worked the least were paid the same as those who had worked the longest.  The story illustrates the chasm between God’s grace and man’s corrupted nature.  Instead of seeing the blessing the owner bestowed upon the late comers and applauding his benevolence those who had started working that morning found fault with his generosity.

Jesus was teaching that any matter of award is under God’s Sovereign control.  God is the one before whom all accounts will be settled.  What will God do with the person who in their final hour accepts Christ?  There were only brief minutes for that person to enjoy His saving grace.  What kind of reward will He give to the person who had no time to live the Christian life over those who were Christians all their lives?  It’s an unanswerable question but I do know He will offer the ideal reward to them and when He does we will say “Isn’t that the perfect and just reward for that person?”  In the final accounting it will be the Lord’s will and insight that will carry the greatest weight.  His reward comes through grace and not merit.  He is indeed generous and gives many gifts to us.  What He gives to us is perfect and instead of running to the boss with complaints we can bow and be thankful for His wise and loving beneficence. 

Ken

www.devotionstoday.blogspot.com

A Friend of Us All

And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, “Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.   And he hurried and came down, and received Him gladly.  And when they [the Jews] saw it, they all began to grumble saying, “He has gone to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.”  Luke 19:5-7 (New American Standard Bible)

If you pay taxes you can have an idea how much the Jews disliked the Publicans, or tax collectors of their time.  These men were hired by Rome to wring revenue from the people under their rule.  The average tax collector was not paid a salary by the Roman Government.  Rome assigned these people a certain amount to be collected.  As long as Rome got their portion it didn’t care how much ‘payment for services’ the Publicans took so most of them took more than Rome demanded.  They were just not relentless extortionist they were ruthless.

So the Jews were offended that Jesus was not only going to the house of a tax collector but was going to dine with him.  In today’s terms think of the most notorious figure you know.  Now picture Billy Graham going to his or her home, maybe sitting poolside with them and acting like they were his good friend.  In voicing their displeasure at Jesus’ action the Jews were saying Zacchaeus was only worthy of God’s punishment.

Think of how many times we have the same feelings toward someone.  I just wonder that if this example of Jesus’ grace and love had been modeled in the childhoods of the John Dillinger’s, Al Capone’s, Josef Stalin’s and Adolf Hitler’s of history how their stories would read today?

Jesus had a heart for people, just like the ones around us every day that are outside of the redemption of Christ.  There is some hesitancy to sit down with these “sinners” and just be their friend. How will those who hunger and thirst after righteousness taste it unless we bring the Bread of Life to their table?  Those who taste of the Lord will see He is good.  He will become a refuge and blessing to all who dine with Him.  Jesus has always been a friend of those who could demonstrate ruthless qualities.  Jesus has been a friend to us all.

Ken

www.devtionstoday.blogspot.com

Because He's Worthy

“You shall not  worship them [other gods]  or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.” Exodus 20:5 (New American Standard Bible)

I heard a famous talk show host tell why she turned her back on the Judeo-Christian God when her pastor mentioned in a sermon that God was a ‘jealous’ God.   She wrongly concluded that jealous meant He was vindictive, selfish and angry without further investigating what the phrase meant.  She rejected the God of Scripture and instead embraced a philosophical god of her own choosing.  Now when she speaks of God she is not speaking of the God of the Bible but one of her own preference.

Isn’t it wrong to be jealous? It usually ends in discord.  Not concerning God for in this case He is saying He does not want our fullest devotion given to another.  There is no one else in the universe that can make the claim to ultimate power and glory except God alone and He demands worship only be ascribed to Him.  Some would say it’s audacious of God to demand worship and they’re right it is audacious but along with that He is the ultimate supremacy in space and time and therefore mighty enough to warrant it.  But the other side of the coin is even though He demands we worship Him He doesn’t force us to do it.  A jealous lover will interfere, threaten, rage and sometimes use physical force to keep the other person within their sphere of influence.  God gives everyone free rein to choose Him or to give their allegiance to another as they please. 

The jealousy of God reveals a whole different definition of the idea.  It is the definition of supreme worth because of the holy and pure perfection it represents.  God deserves to be venerated and He wants no other to usurp His place.  It isn’t ego but Who He is that makes Him praiseworthy in the most holy sense.  He is never influenced by the Green-Eyed Monster.  He is the only one who is worthy of worship and because of who He is He is the only One who rightly deserves it.

Ken

www.devotionstoday.blogspot.com