Day 34 - Dear God, I'm Yours (1 Corinthians 9:19-27)

Most people would agree that it's a good thing to care about others. To give to people in need. To feed and clothe the homeless. To pray for those that are hurting.

In today's reading, the Apostle Paul reveals his desire to meet people's greatest need.

If necessary, he's willing to make himself a "slave to everyone."
If necessary, he's prepared to "become weak" in order to help those that are weak.
If necessary, he's willing to "become all things to all men" in order to rescue others.
If necessary, he's putting himself through "strict training" so that he is ready whenever he's needed.

I wonder how the world would be different if all Christ-followers had a similar level of commitment.

I wonder how my church would be different if we shared Paul's intensity and sacrifice for the sake of reaching people who are far from God.

I wonder how my neighborhood would be different if I seized opportunities every day to make connections with them - to "become all things to all men" for the sake of someday sharing the GREAT NEWS about Jesus.

If you approach God in prayer, and tell Him honestly, "God, I'm yours..." If you do this on a regular basis, you're eventually going to love Jesus and desire to serve Him on every possible occasion. You'll take up His mission to seek and save people who are far from God. You'll embrace the kind of passion and focus Paul has, with a willingness to do whatever it takes to win others to faith in Christ.

Here's a question for you...

What person in your life went out of his (or her) way to share Jesus with you? What friend has really helped you see more clearly the good news, the amazing love that God has given to you? I'd be interested to hear any stories (in the 'comments' link below) about how God has used someone else in your life to help you grow closer to Him!

Dear God,

Open my eyes to see the people around me, and recognize how they need You in their lives. Open my mind to think about ways to connect with them, serve them, encourage them, talk with them, build a real friendship with them. Open my heart to ways that I can represent the lifestyle and compassion and joy that Jesus Christ himself would demonstrate with others.

Make me willing - like Paul - to become a servant to all... even to enter "strict training" because I know that the most important thing I do is to represent Jesus to other people whenever I can.

Day 33 - Dear God, I'm Yours (Hebrews 10:19-25)

Hebrews 10.

This is one of my favorite parts of the Bible. Click here.


In fact, this passage is yet another reminder of the two greatest commands. The two greatest joys, privileges, and responsibilities for human beings.

Love God, and love people.

Because of Jesus' sacrifice, you and I can enter God's presence with confidence. We can talk to Him without feeling shame. We can spend time with Him feeling a sense of freedom and peace, rather than guilt and shame.

Clean hands, clean conscience - it's all a gift from God.

And, because of God's goodness to us... we can be good to others.. That sounds too cliche. It's harder than that. It takes work to love someone well. It takes focus and thought to consider what THEY need.

Considering what others need is more important than merely giving them what I think they need... or what I want to give them.

Just as Jesus' life was not all about Himself (but for others)... my life should not be about myself (but for others)!

Easier said.

That's why I need to "consider" how to spur others on. Above, there's a picture of a "spur" - it pushes, encourages, communicates to the horse - "Giddy up, it's time to go! Time to move forward! Time to run, baby!"

I need friends that encourage me, push me, inspire me, and get in my face, saying, "let's go, Underwood."

And I need to be that kind of friend as well.

Dear God, thanks for the confidence and clear conscience I can have before you. Thanks for the freedom to talk (or blog) to you whenever and about anything. Please help me to take that confidence and faith and use it to encourage others. Starting with Jennie and my kids, help me to spur people on toward love and good deeds... Thank you, Lord, for this terrific reminder in these verses. Help me be a Spur in someone else's life!

Day 32 - Dear God, I'm Yours! (Luke 14:25-35)

Today's reading is Luke 14:25-35.

If you're going to do anything worthwhile in life, you're going to have to make sacrifices.

If you're going to live for God, you're going to stop living to please anyone else before Him.

Jesus made some bold statements, challenging people to declare God the most important person in their lives. That's what it means to be His follower. As Leader and Creator of everything there is... doesn't He deserve top billing in my little life?

These verses find Jesus challenging us to "carry a cross" and even to "hate" family members and ourselves. Shock value? You bet. In comparison with our loyalties and surrender to God's leadership and direction, any other person in the world - their opinions, their feelings, their demands on us - they pale in comparison to Him.

In verse 33, the challenge is to "give up everything." When reading any part of the Bible, we should look at the context... these verses all come immediately after Jesus encounters a wealthy religious leader. Religious leaders (sometimes known as "Pharisees") were known for their knowledge, pride, and elite "club."

In context, Jesus is challenging them to give all of that up. Give up the addiction to possessions or money. Give up the addiction to other people's approval. Give up addiction to your own performance or achievement. Give up the idea that you can prove your value to God and others.

Consider the cost... be willing to lay down your pride and your lesser dreams... and come follow Jesus.

Dear God,

Help me take a deep look at my life and motives. If there are things that I have placed in front of following you, then please help me see those and surrender those. Remind me that anything great is going to take some form of sacrifice - and knowing you IS the greatest thing in my life.

Remind me that YOU always bless and guide and strengthen those who will give up their lives to follow You. Help me do that today..

Day 31 - Dear God, I'm Yours! (Galatians 2:1-21)

I don't mean to brag, but I have Rick Florian's autograph.  

At this point, I'll pause so you can ask, "Who in the world is Rick Florian?"

No matter.

But he signed a shirt for me once, and after his name, he wrote, "Galatians 2:20."  This verse is part of today's Bible passage.

2:20 reads, " I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me."

With that autograph and Scripture, he made it clear that nobody needs to remember Rick Florian or what famous thing he did or where I met him.

What's most important is that Christ lives in Rick.  And, if I have placed my faith in Jesus Christ and desire to follow Him completely - then Christ lives in Gary.  

And Christ will live in you.  Later on in that verse, Jesus is described as the one who "loved me and gave himself up for me." 

I couldn't be perfect, so Jesus gave me His own life as an example.

I couldn't gain a righteous and forgiven position before God, so Jesus gave Himself up - like a sacrificial lamb - to pay the price for my sins.

I can't represent God on my own efforts, so Jesus promises to "live in me."  When I let go of the old, dying man inside (sin nature), then Christ is free to live in me!  I surrender to Him, and He gives me the best of "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control" (Galatians 5:22-23).

Dear God, I pray that Jesus Christ would live in me.  Help me today - with my words, my actions, my thoughts - all of it - to think first about following you... to let your heart and your voice and your truth and your patience and your love for people - rule my life.  

Thank you so much, Jesus, for loving me and giving your life for me.  That is true love.  Please help me - and my family - and my church - help us all LOVE YOU first in our lives!

Day 30 - Dear God, I'm Yours! (John 12:20-26)

John 12:20-26 reads..."Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. "Sir," they said, "we would like to see Jesus." Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.

Jesus replied, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me."

Jesus Christ came on a mission.  He brought people a challenge.  "My Father will honor the one who serves me" (John 12:26).

Sometimes we get it backwards.  We think that God "belongs to us."  That He has to help us out, or we will decide not to follow Him.  Basically, we act as if God has to prove Himself to us.

Here, some Greeks want to see Jesus.  Andrew and Philip bring Jesus this news.  Jesus seems to ignore it as he starts talking metaphorically about his own death.  This "seed" is going to die, and produce many seeds.  

Jesus' life is supposed to be reproduced in many lives.  

If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, your life should be a modern-day version of His very life.  Your life should be 100% focused on giving up your life for Christ.  Total loyalty, obedience, and self-abandonment here.

This sort of commitment is far from common these days, but this is the standard Jesus describes for us.  Lose your life.  Follow me.  Be my disciple.  Live by my word.

This sort of commitment only comes by prayer.  Only by seeking God's heart through Scriptures and studying the life of Jesus.  Only by putting my sinful desires and my past temptations to death.  Only by seeking to let my life "die," just as Jesus let his life "die."

This sort of commitment earns God's favor.  "My Father will honor the one who..."

Evaluate your commitment level today.  Does your life here on earth belong to God or to yourself?  What would it look like to let your "kernel of wheat" - your earthly existence - fall to the ground and die in the name of Christ?  

At some point, we decide if we want to pursue a lasting, eternal life that honors God... or not.  We decide each day whether to follow through with that pursuit... or not.  

Dear God, 

Help me learns what it means to "hate my life" - to let go of my personal ambitions or tastes, and make room for You as the top priority.  Help me seek to serve You before I serve myself.  Help me take every thought, every intention, every desire... and evaluate those things in light of my commitment to you.  Help me learn more this week about what it means to belong to you first, and not give in as a slave to selfishness.

Day 29 - Dear God, I'm Yours! (Psalm 25:1-15)

In seventh grade, I remember taking a class in American History. In tenth grade, I remember learning some of the basics of chemistry. That "periodic table" of elements presented a world of opportunities.

In school, some classes were "required" of us. General education. A certain amount of math, science, language, art, etc...

On many levels, we human beings are always "students." You may not be currently enrolled in a class, but you are constantly learning. Life experience, job training, culture changes, technology upgrades - there is always more to learn.

Let us never forget this - God created us to be life-long learners.

Don't drop out of the class, but continue to be "teachable" - ready, eager, and willing to learn more. That's the heart of today's Scripture reading - click here - Psalm 25:1-15.

King David describes the way he views God - "In you I trust, O my God..." Though he's got enemies coming after him, knows the failures inside him, and feels the sickness and stress of life on the run... David lifts his soul up to God. It's a prayer of remembering and drawing strength from life's best Teacher.

And David is teachable... "Show me your way... teach me your truth... guide me... "

Throughout life, will you remain open to the things God wants to teach? Are you humble and willing to keep reading, keep asking questions, keep noticing the "teachable moments" God has for us every day?

I hope I never reach the point where I think I know it all.

I hope I never close my mind and judge others based on my knowledge.

I hope I'm always willing to seek out God's path, His way, and then follow it.

I hope God continues to be patient with me, even when I am stubborn and don't want to learn.

I hope these things will be true of you as well.

-----

Dear God,

I do trust You first. Teach me how to do that more and more each day. Teach me how to trust you and follow you as I seek to be a better husband and father and friend. Show me your way.. how I should spend my time this week. The week seems already jam-packed with opportunities, meetings, and responsibilities. I'm excited and ready for a new week, but it would be wasteful to go after it without You.

Your way. Your truth. Your guidance.

Humbly, God, I ask you to open my heart to those things... and ask you to teach me more and more this week...

Day 28 - Dear God, Help! (Reflections)

I have a true Father.  The Bible reveals a God who cares more, gives more, teaches more, and disciplines better than any earthly dad.  

What does my Father want from me?  Love.  Here is God, my Father, who has promised to meet all my needs.  

If He is truly God, then He knows my needs better than I do.

He knows my next ten days, ten years, and ten centuries better than I do.

He knows my family, my job, my mind and heart far better than I do.

At times, I think it's pointless to pray, cause He already knows it all, He has it all, and He does it all.

However, here is a Father who wants me to pray.  Commands me to pray.  Teaches me to pray.  Rewards me when I pray.  Develops my mind, heart, soul, and relationships when I pray.

I can take breaks from prayer, but deep down, I know that this involves great risk.  

I'd suggest you read Philippians 4:10-19.   You'll see that famous verse, "I can do all everything through Him who gives me strength."  

For better or worse, this verse gets hijacked and mis-understood by people in all walks of life.  The athlete who wants to win more or get stronger.  The executive who wants a bigger market share or paycheck.  The student who aspires to write books or ace medical school.

Yes, God gives abilities and strengths to all of these... but that's not what this verse is talking about.

In these paragraphs, Paul shares that he has learned - through the ups and downs of life - that a relationship with God is all you need.  

He's been forced to learn that during times of brokenness.  He's been placed in situations where only God could provide.  Only God could rescue.  Only God could answer.  Only God could give hope.  

Few Americans are ever "forced" to brokenness in a lot of ways... except when you have a broken heart over the loss of a loved one, loss of job, or loss of health... 

That's when the athlete will see a God who can do everything.  That's when the up-and-coming student will learn what truly matters and lasts in life.  That's when the CEO can experience, learning first hand the truth of Philippians 4:19-20, which we end this day's journal with...

"And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.  To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever.  Amen."