It’s not a Choice Between but the Choice to Pursue

S - 1 Corinthians 12:31 (NIV): "But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way. "

O - The JFB [Jamieson, Fausset and Brown] Commentary renders this verse: "Besides recommending your zealous desire for the greatest gifts, I am about to show you a something still more excellent (literally, “a way most way-like”) to desire, “the way of love”." So many teachers, leaders and folks try to set gifts against love or love against the gifts when the Scriptures present them as not only complementary to each other but directly connected and essential to each other. The reason we can't just "love" and forget the gifts is because the love we have received/experienced and represent and express to all is the love of God … and how can this love find an accurate expression where the gifts are never in play? Jesus' point of the kingdom being at hand included expressions of God's love via the gifts. It is how he sent out the 12 and the 70 and its how he sends us all out into the world. The gifts without their precursor and motivator being love would disintegrate into expressions of superiority and measures of judgment rather than expressions of grace and the Lord's measureless love. Faith is to always lead wisdom, love to always lead gifts/power, hope must lead all facts and mercy is to lead all sacrifice.

A - I can't produce the gifts on demand but I can love "on demand." The love must recognize the Lord's greatness, power and gifts and zealously seek such for the sake of his name and for the sake of all. I am not to be "passive" in my desire for the gifts nor in my expressions of love to all people. The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand and it is the Kingdom of love in action and of power not just words. My part is to believe, pursue and give away what he has so freely given to me. This is the most excellent way; it is the way of love, the way of Jesus.

P - All Merciful, All Powerful, All Loving Lord of all and Lord of me,

Thanks for this day with all of its dynamics, events and preceding occurrences - for you are working everything for the good of those who love you back and stay called according to your purpose. I thank you for love, the gifts, faith, wisdom, mercy, hope, grace and power. Thank you for calling me to your amazing, miraculous self so that I would know I am loved and learn your ways. Lord, I turn into you and take you at your word, written and spoken. Today, use me … let me lead with love and believe for the expressions of your power in any and every circumstance. Help me to have the zeal you require according to the gifts and the immediacy of love toward any and all. Jesus, I have never been this way … this day … and my only hope is in you. You lead. I follow - no matter where you're going or what you require me to face. Lord, my answer is yes!

Steve

Joseph Part 2 - It Really is not Over 'til its Over

S - Genesis 50:17b-21 (NIV): "Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.” When their message came to him, Joseph wept. 18 His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. “We are your slaves,” they said. 19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. 21 So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them."

O - Was the means of Joseph's travel to Egypt and the means of his rise to Pharaoh's court and throne the only way for God's will to be fulfilled? Obviously the answer is no. Any among us can construct a "much better" scenario to get Joseph in the right place for the right time. Of course, another route would produce not only another context for the story but a different Joseph. There is no doubt that our life experiences strongly influence and shape who we are at our core … they are not the only dynamic which does this but they are a major one. Would David be the same David without the caves? Would Abraham be the same Abraham without the delay of Isaac and the journey up Moriah? Since the goal is not so much a place and function but a relationship with and likeness to the Lord (Romans 8:29; 2Corinthians 3:18) then these miseries in the mystery of God's will have more going on than mere endurance or tenacity. Joseph's statement to his brothers comes at a time when his perspective is clear and God's intentions beyond doubt. These (God's intent and purpose) were never in flux but Joseph's capacity to understand them was. It's not over tell it's over is an essential quality in the worldview of all who follow the Living God.

A - Joseph did not have to end up on Pharaoh's throne … he could have spent the rest of his life in Pharaoh's prison. He could have never seen his father again, missed the opportunity with the baker and cup bearer or been forgotten by the cup bearer regardless of Pharaoh's dreams. For Joseph, none of this happened and his life and legacy remain what they are. While endurance and tenacity in themselves do not guarantee a Joseph type ending they are essential to such an ending. My assignment is to believe, trust, and obey unto the will of God. I admit that he really is purposeful in everything he causes and in everything he allows. Today, while it is called today, my course is clear come what may. There is much that has been "evil" (even if the humans through whom it came do not intend it as such). This "evil" still lurks and holds the capacity to radically alter my life's course … but it is not beyond the control, focus nor purpose of the Lord and his intent for me is clear. I do welcome the will and ways of the Lord no matter what.

P - Dear Lord who is Life,

I turn to you in this day grateful for all that you have done and allowed. I am not yet able to see your purpose in much of this and I fear that somehow I will OR have already missed a moment which cannot be retrieved nor reconfigured. I am asking, seeking, knocking according to newwines skins and mulberry trees in the ocean … and I call upon you and your wonderful name in recognition that nothing is to wonderful for you. O King of all and King of me … I do welcome your will and commit to your purpose even though I am unclear on most of it and not liking most of the feel of it. Nevertheless, today begins and with You everything is possible … and when my life on this earth is over the last line will be and he lived happily ever after. Thank you for this, and for letting me love you back.

Steve

Joseph Part 1 - The Mystery and Misery of God's Will

S - Acts 7:9-10 (NIV): "“Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him 10 and rescued him from all his troubles. He gave Joseph wisdom and enabled him to gain the goodwill of Pharaoh king of Egypt; so he made him ruler over Egypt and all his palace."

O - God was with him, rescued him and God gave him wisdom and enabled him to gain favor. This is how it must always be for those who follow him into the goodness he has planned. There is no person in Scripture who is presented as a friend of the Lord who does not live out this dynamic in one way or the other. The story of Joseph's life not only reveals God dynamics but how the Lord orchestrates the activities of others who are directly affecting the one he is with. The troubles came from Joseph's brothers and from Potiphar's wife. The opportunity to even be near Pharaoh came a few years "late" (from Joseph's perspective) and right on time from the Lord's. Joseph's great position and capacity to care for all of Israel came because Pharaoh so ordered. All of this exchange, interface, tragedy and triumph, injustice and fruitfulness, comes in the strange mixture of what God causes and what he allows. His ways are holy, brilliant and his own. He calls us to follow and trust his person not to figure out a plan. The most important question for any life is exclusively about presence and not about performance, resource or position. The real question is: Is the Lord with you rather than do you understand his plan?

A - I am fairly shocked at the level of troubles I have been in need of rescuing from. The volume and the sources are as shocking as the troubles themselves. Nevertheless, the issue is about my proximity to the Lord NOT the sad or painful or underserved or tragic circumstances I may be facing. I do believe the Lord is with me and therefore I must believe that he will rescue me from all my troubles and give me wisdom and enable me to gain goodwill. I am turning in not out. I am believing and going to honor him by the greatness of my requests in keeping with the greatness of his person. All the rest is up to him. I have decided to follow Jesus -- no turning back, no turning back.

P - Dear Lord,

Be with me, rescue me and enable me … give to me that I might accomplish your will on earth in my generation. I admit that you are working everything for good and that you are purposeful in everything you cause and in everything you allow.

Thank you for being near,

Steve

Singled Out

S - Mark 16:3-8 (NLT): "On the way they were discussing who would roll the stone away from the entrance to the tomb. But when they arrived, they looked up and saw that the stone--a very large one--had already been rolled aside. So they entered the tomb, and there on the right sat a young man clothed in a white robe. The women were startled, but the angel said, "Do not be so surprised. You are looking for Jesus, the Nazarene, who was crucified. He isn't here! He has been raised from the dead! Look, this is where they laid his body. Now go and give this message to his disciples, including Peter: Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you before he died!" The women fled from the tomb, trembling and bewildered, saying nothing to anyone because they were too frightened to talk.[Shorter Ending of Mark]Then they reported all these instructions briefly to Peter and his companions. Afterward Jesus himself sent them out from east to west with the sacred and unfailing message of salvation that gives eternal life. Amen."

O - Why is Peter singled out twice? There are eleven apostles left and more disciples than that … why just mention Peter? Is it the rock issues of his confession (Matthew 16) or the very public denial issue of the last three days? The Scriptures do not specifically say and it could be both of these along with others that don't and won't cross our minds. However, with the unique and powerful exchange of Jesus with Peter in John 21, I am compelled to think that the denial was certainly a leading reason for God to have the angel mention him specifically and the Scriptures to record the message as delivered to him along with the others. All of the "boys" ran, only Peter and John make it to the High Priest's house. Only Peter is three times directly asked about his association with Jesus and three times he just as directly denies any affiliation whatsoever. Could it be that all of heaven (not just Jesus) wants Peter to know he's still wanted, still "in", still the rock, the friend, disciple and, yes, an apostle of Jesus? Could it be true that Jesus and all of heaven wants us at our worst, not just at our best? Perhaps the importance of this "singling out" is not found in a conclusion about Peter but about ourselves and how we think heaven thinks about us.

A - Wanted not tolerated. Loved because we're loved not because of anything we could, should or ever will do. It may be more than coincidental that Peter will be inspired to observe (1 Peter 1:12): "Even angels long to look into these things." This is true for all people at all times and this is true for me at all times too. The only thing left to do is simply love him back … the very thing I am eager to do.

P - Lord of life, love, all and Lord of me,

Thank you for singling me out for love. Thank you for wanting me at my worst; for loving me so much you would pay more than what it "cost" to get me in your family and kingdom … you would pay what it would cost to keep me in. Let me love you back, have the joy of making you glad and being a reason someone else would believe.

Steve

A National Healthcare Plan

S - Deut. 4:6-9 (NLT): "If you obey them carefully, you will display your wisdom and intelligence to the surrounding nations. When they hear about these laws, they will exclaim, `What other nation is as wise and prudent as this!' For what great nation has a god as near to them as the LORD our God is near to us whenever we call on him? And what great nation has laws and regulations as fair as this body of laws that I am giving you today? "But watch out! Be very careful never to forget what you have seen the LORD do for you. Do not let these things escape from your mind as long as you live! And be sure to pass them on to your children and grandchildren."

O - These regulations of the Lord (we now call this ideal the rule of law) are beautiful because they set a single and public measure for all people, leaders and the least, rich and poor, the mighty and the weak. This facet of national life is good to all nations who engage it; those who don't always live out the tragic consequences. The rule of law, however, is set in dynamic tension with two other equally important realities: 1. a constant recognition of the nearness of God and 2. experiences of the Living God carefully remembered and intentionally communicated to the next generation(s). All three are required for any nation/culture to be healthy. This is also true for any family and any individual. Find examples of this powerful triad at any level and the result is always a wisdom and discernment worthy of affirmation.

A - I am thinking about our nation and about my family (Jan, Jake and Heather). The US is big on rule of law and very weak on the other two. I'm okay at the first two and am thinking about the sharing/telling part. Jake has heard so many stories because of my public speaking his entire life until he left our home to form his own. I do need to revisit these stories and to chat about them again with Jake, Heather and Jan. I would like my life to example the fairness, wisdom and a discerning which is consistently reflective of the Kingdom of Heaven.

P - Lord of Heaven and Earth,

Thank you for the instruction, nearness and life experience you make available to all. I do remember so many of your awesome activities on my behalf in matters spiritual and human, eternal and temporal, in things seen and unseen. I welcome your presence, shepherding, decision making, course correcting love and authority to engage me again and again. Please help me to live out this awesome and healthy dynamic … unto all you intend for all those you intend … now and to the generations to come.

Steve