Yes, But...

May 6 (John 6:28-29)

Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”  (ESV)

Yes, but….  The non-believer says no to the call of God, and the believer who says yes often falls into the pride of the Pharisee who thanked God for not being like others (Luke 18:11).  If truth were told, however, the yes of the believer is often conditional.  We say yes and then hurry on to an objection.  “Yes, yes, I get it, Lord.  You want me to believe in Jesus.  But what do you really want me to do?  Shouldn’t I be out there saving the world with the wonderful talents you have given me?”

Belief in Jesus leads to following Him, and following Him leads to acts of service through which He does indeed change the world.  Yet when we rush to the acts of service and forget Jesus Himself, we fall prey to pride that we are the ones actually making the difference.  We begin to believe that it is all up to us, and this turns into a deadly perfectionism that leaves us exhausted from carrying burdens we were never meant to carry.  Remember, it was Jesus who said that His burden was light (Matthew 11:30).

Are you experiencing the love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control that are the fruits of the Spirit?  If yes, then thank God and savor the true life in Christ.  If not, don’t double down on your own efforts to force those fruits into existence.  That is likely what you are doing anyhow and is the cause of the problem.  Instead, turn back to Jesus.  Let Him become once again your all in all.  When you let Him become your life, you are truly doing the work of God.

Jesus, pry my fingers from the tight grip I maintain on life.  Open my hands so that I may receive You.  May You direct my paths and not my agenda, however many good things it may contain.  Amen.

Copyright © 2018 by Steven R. Perkins

Becoming A Better Christian

May 8 (Romans 6:13)

Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness.  (NIV)

Imagine that you are a scholarship athlete.  For some of us, that may take quite a bit of imagining, but just go with me here.  Imagine that you are a scholarship athlete and that you just put in a less than stellar practice.  The coach calls you over and says, “That’s not going to cut it.  You have more talent than anyone else on the team, and you need to start acting like it.  We have some tough opponents coming up this season.  You have to become the athlete I know you are.”

What would you do?  Any serious athlete would get back in the gym, dig deeper, and give the coach what was being asked of him.  You would not get angry at the coach.  You would not think he was being mean or unfair or just trying to come down on you.  You would know that this is what a coach does, and since this is the sport you chose, you would want to get better.

Do you see where this is going?  Too many people think verses like the one for today are just about God wagging His finger like a stern, old grandfather.  God is not your grandfather.  He is not a cosmic killjoy.  He is the one Who knows the real you, what you were made for and what you can be.  When you chose to follow Jesus, God rejoiced.  And now He wants to get the best out of you.

Father, I want to be a better follower of Jesus.  Help me develop into the Christian You know I can be.  Where there is sin in my life, help me to be fierce in rooting it out.  Where I can be more loving, help me to develop the gifts You have given me to share the love of Jesus.  This day I choose to begin getting better in following You.  In the name of Jesus, Who is the model of what it looks like to follow You truly and fully, amen.

Copyright © 2016 by Steven R. Perkins

When We Lose Sight of Jesus

February 28 (John 15:5)

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.  (ESV)

Hundreds of people packed the gymnasium as teams from five states competed in a regional basketball tournament.  Our son was playing, but I had quickly given up trying to keep an eye on him as he hung out with his team either practicing or watching various games.  Instead I stayed close to my wife and daughter and several other families as we waited for our son to play.

And then it happened.  Our son’s team was about to take the court, families started moving toward the bleachers, and I lost sight of my wife.  I scanned the crowd, but could not find her.  I stepped out onto the court and looked every which way, and in that moment this verse flashed through my mind.  Would I feel so helpless if I could not find God?

How much of the time do we blunder and bluster our way through life without keeping our eye on Jesus?  Does a quick rush of panic run through us when we realize we have gotten ahead of Him and cannot see Him?  It should.  We should walk each day as if we were children, hand in hand with Jesus and scared the very minute we have separated from Him.  Can we humble ourselves enough to believe that what Jesus said in John 15:5 is true?

Lord, I remember times of walking so closely with You.  I remember what it felt like to follow hard in Your steps.  I also know what it is like to run breathlessly after my own plans, unaware that I have separated myself from You.  Help me to hear Your soft voice, to move when You move, to be still when You are still.  And when I stray, draw me ever back to You.  Amen.

Copyright © 2016 by Steven R. Perkins

September 7 (Revelation 3:15-16)

“I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot!  So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.”  ESV

Statistics indicate that 25% of Americans fall into a category that makes no sense.  It is the category of casual Christians, those who believe in God, but consider faith a private issue.  Family and happiness are the most important things.  The culture around them shapes their morality more than Scripture or the Holy Spirit.

The phrase “casual Christian” is in fact a contradiction.  It is as logical as “hot ice” or “dry liquid.”  God was quite clear throughout the Old Testament as was Jesus during His earthly ministry, and He echoes that truth in these words from Revelation.  Be hot or cold, in or out.  Follow Him or don’t.  Just don’t deceive yourself into thinking that you have your spiritual life together by rolling into church now and then and wearing a cross around your neck.

It is easy to look at others and see them as lukewarm in their faith, but this is not about other people.  It is about you.  It is about me.  Your resume may show that you do some things for the community and that church is a part of your life.  God does not look at our resumes.  He looks at our hearts.  What does your life look like there?

Lord, I want to be sold out, on fire, passionate, engaged, 100% involved in Kingdom life with You.  I do not want to live a half faith, one that goes no deeper than the cover of the Bible I want people to see me carrying.  As the hymn says, “Take my life and let it be always, only, all for thee.”  In the name of Jesus, Who lived that better than anyone, amen.

Copyright © 2014 by Steven R. Perkins