Thursday, July 19, 2018

Devotion 3.49/150: Luke 11:24-26: Laundry Room, Demons

I have spent the past few days and nights cleaning and packing. I'm exhausted. We've been working around the clock getting the house all ready for our move out west. The truck came today to take our belongings. We go soon but first we have to finish cleaning.

I remember once, a few years ago, maybe after an earlier move when we were living out of boxes still. Susan and the girls were away for the weekend so I thought I would clean the laundry room. We had quite a large laundry room in our basement then. It was a big job: washing everyone's laundry, putting it away, vacuuming, washing walls and floors, cleaning the kitty litter box that was also in that room, washing down the machines and the windows. It took me the whole weekend of working hard but when I was finished it was the cleanest room in the house and everything was put away.

Sunday night they came home and Monday morning I headed off to work. When I came home from work where do you think that all of them were? Everyone of them was in the Laundry room! Reading books, drinking water and eating snacks, playing with toys and other things that they had brought from every corner of the house to my newly cleaned room! They weren't eating in the kitchen, playing in the play room or reading in their bed rooms, everyone brought all of their amusements to my newly cleaned laundry room!

We all like a clean and organized space. The devils are no different. When we put our house in order is when he is likely to pay more attention to us. It is when things start going well in our walk with God and we start cleaning up our lives that we have to be on guard against the Enemy trying to mess things up for us. When we start to make a change is when we need to make sure that we pray with others, read our Bible in community, go to church, and keep in touch with accountability partners.

Today I encourage us to do just that. Help a friend who is cleaning up their life by supporting them with prayer and encouragement.
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Devotion 3.48/149: Numbers 14:26-29 and Philippians 2:12: Grumbling Soldiers

The other day a good soldier came into my office as I am  about to be transferred and he asked me to interrogate him. He wanted me to help him discern if he has been a good soldier and a good christian. Another officer had done this for him in the past. It was important to him so I agreed.

I complimented the soldier on his musical abilities and willingness to perform for the Army at food banks, soup kitchens, talent nights, and Sunday services. I encouraged him in his faithfulness in participating in our 7am prayer walks around our community every week. I told him I was pleased with his regular reading of the Word. I asked him how he was progressing at managing his temper. He said he was doing fine.

The very next day this same friend called me to complain against God and his fellow saints because he was not receiving the sort of attention he felt he deserved. He felt that he was being left out of ministry opportunities and was quite upset. We followed up on our conversation from the day before and, exploring his grievances and his relationship to the Lord and others, I asked him why he was grumbling against people and the Lord. We drew his attention to Exodus; my friend was more than familiar with the Exodus story. Why would he want to do an extra lap around the desert of his perceived tribulation? Would he like his grumbling to keep him away from peace and happiness the way it kept a generations of Israelites out of the Promised Land? Philippians 2:12 reminds us to do everything without grumbling. This is the only way that we can have true peace and contentment.

That is my hope for us today that indeed we will experience the love, peace, and contentment that only comes when we set aside our own grumbling and complaining. Today, let us  put that grumbling aside and choose love and forgiveness instead.
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Devotion 3.47/148: 2 Corinthians 13:5-10: Take it or Leave it?

We are moving. We have lived in the same place for a few years. My children have grown up a bit. My youngest is too old for the board books she read when we got here. The hobbies and interests of my teenagers have changed a lot. The clothes that the kids like have changed and of course the clothes that fit them when we moved here no longer fit.

We need to examine everything. We need to evaluate whether we need to take it with us across the country to our new home or not. We have to decide if it is valuable and worth keeping or whether we should get rid of it.

Paul is saying something similar to the Corinthians. They need to test themselves to see whether they are in the faith or not. If they are not then there are somethings in their life they need to jettison and not bring with them into their new lives.

There is even more to this passage too. This part is important. John Wesley spoke about examining ourselves regularly to see if indeed we are Christians or if we are almost Christians. Paul here is encouraging those of us in the Church who claim to follow Christ to examine our lives. Do we follow Christ? Do we walk in truth? Do we discern his lead and follow it? I encourage you to think of evidence of your having Christ in your life today.

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Devotion 3.46/147: Philippians 3:13-16: Why should I study?

If I am going to heaven why do I need to read my Bible? If Christ has saved me why do I need to read my Bible? It is confusing. I can't read that well. It takes time. Abraham and Isaac didn't need to read the Bible to go to heaven; why do I need to read my Bible?

My oldest two daughters are taking exams this week. They are their final examinations for grade 10 and 11 respectively. I was speaking with one of them today. She told me that she has 88% going into the exam. The exam is only worth 50% of her mark; so even if she doesn't get a single question right on the exam she will still pass the course. She is still studying for the exam.

She wants to know as much of the subject matter as she can. She wants to be able to achieve as well as she possibly can. She wants to know more and she wants to perform well. She wants to do this for herself, her friends, family, and teachers. And the knowledge in the course will be very useful, it will make next year at school easier as she retains it and can make her whole future career go smoother as she retains the knowledge.

This is the same with us and reading the Bible. Yes, we passed the final exam when we accepted Jesus' free gift of salvation. Reading or not reading the Bible will not get us into heaven. It will however help us to achieve peace and perseverance in this world. It will give us valuable knowledge and insight that can help us with all of our present and future endeavours. As well, the more time we spend reading with the Lord, the closer we become.
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