Accountability

Word
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective – James 5:16

Observation
It’s clear from this scripture that, though we must first confess our sins to Jesus for forgiveness, we must also do the same to one another. There’s a word for this, accountability.

Revelation
Most people don’t like that word, accountability. They’ll say things like, “My business is between me and the Lord.” This to me sounds like a crafty way of getting out of being held accountable for the sin they’ve confessed. Jesus most certainly guides us in our walk and helps us with the sin we confess. But He also established the church; a body of believers assembled for the glory of the Lord. Confessing sin one to another puts us in a whole new place, because now there are people in your life who can help you through your sin you’re dealing with.

If you just confessed the sin of pornography to the Lord only, you may be more prone to doing it again, then confessing again, doing it again, and on and on; caught in a vicious cycle with no freedom from the bondage. However, if you’ve made others you trust around you aware of your problem, you just might be less likely to do it simply because you know your friend could ask you at any moment, “Have you looked at pornography lately?” At which point you can lie (and then have to confess that later) or you can tell the truth and get help dealing with your sin and setting your free.

Devotion
Lord, make me a man that can handle the hard questions. I pray I continue to confess my sins to those around me I trust, and believe them to hold me accountable simply so that I may better serve you. Amen.

My Mantra

Word
Will you not take what your god Chemosh gives you? Likewise, Whatever the Lord our God has given us, we will possess. – Judges 11:24

Observation
Oh Man! I love this. I think I’m going to make this my mantra. Here Jephthah, in a letter, is writing a to the king of Ammon trying to appeal to him to not wage war against Israel. He explains himself in the earlier parts of the letter but I think this statement just about sums it up. To me it almost comes across as a taunting challenge, like he’s saying, “Don’t even mess with us, our God’s for real.” Because we know that Jephthah believes in the One true God of Israel, and that in reality, there is no Chemosh.

Revelation
This makes me think in particular of our nation, the United States. It’s ravaged with people that want tot make war with Christianity such as the ACLU and other special interest groups that oppose all that Christ died and resurrected for.

We [Christians] have given up so much ground in this country it sickens me; the Ten Commandments, prayer in school, abortion, homosexual marriage, and much more. I honestly don’t believe the answer, however, is picketing a Gay Pride Parade, or standing outside of an abortion clinic and hurling insults at them. If anything this only serves to destroy our testimony.

I think purely and simply we take the stand that Jephthah did. So their “god” has given them what they’ve taken…fine. Now we will take what our God has given us to possess. This country is ours for the taking; God has delivered it to us. It doesn’t start with a protest line though; it starts with a body of believers gathered in His name to wage spiritual warfare through weapons such as prayer and fasting.

Something I’m learning the hard way, and that doesn’t come easy for my nature, is that Jesus, while He did have moments of rebuking and correction, taught peace. We will not take possession of this land with the weapons of the enemy, because they are carnal. Our war is a spiritual war and must be fought accordingly. I know first hand that shouting at your enemy convinces them of nothing. The key is prayer, which unlocks the door to action. Not protests, but the Great Commission. Not violently attacking abortion clinics, but going out preaching and teaching the gospel and making disciples for the Lord.

The Truth is, if we’d done our job this way decades ago, more people would be saved living for Jesus and these issues of today wouldn’t be issues at all. God has given us possession of this land. Now we must take it!

Devotion
Lord, you’re taking me on a journey inward to see the world as you see it. May I be a peacemaker living emotionally steady for the betterment of your Kingdom. May I, through spiritual warfare and not my own fleshly weapons, seize the land you’ve given me. May we as the Body take possession of this land you’ve given us. Our God is bigger and truer than theirs. Empower us to become warriors of the faith fulfilling your Great Commission. Amen.

Walking in Circles

Word
Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain. – Deuteronomy 25:4

Observation
My observation is what a stinking odd command from God! Just before this, He’s speaking on a public flogging, and just after it about the family line and it not being blotted out from Israel.

God’s mind is so obviously above mine, because at first I REALLY didn’t get this. Could this just be a command put in place to assure obedience from His people? We shouldn’t second guess the Lord in His commands I know, but what is going on here? So an ox is doing work and treading on grain to separate chaff from kernels. If he’s muzzled what effect does that have on the ox? And there in lies the revelation.

Revelation
As the ox treads, it gets to graze on the grain. However, put a muzzle on the ox and it can no longer graze and enjoy the fruits of its labor. Take heed Christianity – do not muzzle the ox while it treads the grain! If all we do is work ourselves to death, strapped to a pole walking in circles, treading the grain, doing our daily “deeds” for the Lord but are muzzled, then the fruits of our labor are never enjoyed.

I know there is a time and a season for reaping and a season for sowing, but to be strapped in walking in circles doing hard labor while having our mouths forced shut so as not to graze is dangerous to our walk with God.

I believe more than anything this is a stab at pastoral care. I know I was born with a call on my life and will serve in a pastoral capacity soon. This is a wonderful lesson on how NOT to treat those serving under me. I should NEVER shut them up only to arduously work over and over with no return.

Devotion
Lord, thank you for such a wonderful revelation. I pray this be engraved in my spirit so that when I do have others serving under me I will have their interests in mind. You and your Will, will always come first, you cared for your people when you were on this earth and still do today. May I too do the same , and never muzzle the ox as it treads the grain. Amen.

Like Me, Not Them

Word
When you enter the land your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. -- Deuteronomy 18:9

Observation
This is my second journal in a row where the word ‘detestable’ is uttered by God—granted I’ve “accidentally” skipped two days worth of reading. But in any case the LORD God is very adamant about keeping his people holy in His sight. Many times I’ve read in the bible where the Israelites did the opposite and moved into a new land and adopted its customs and religious rituals. They would mix their one true God with other gods and somehow think it was all going to be okay. But of course the more you read on you discover how these very actions would bring about their destruction.

Revelation
This is no new revelation for me, but rather a confirmation that the LORD God almighty detests sin. Modern Christianity, in many circles, looks nothing like Christ and completely like the world it’s supposedly trying to save. This idea of ‘Cultural Relevancy’ is spoken against clearly here in Deuteronomy by God Himself. God said DO NOT imitate surrounding nations. In essence, look nothing like them. And yet today I find it very difficult to walk down the street and discern a believer from a non-believer.

My hope is this isn’t coming across as judgment, because I’m simply quoting the Word of God. It’s time we wake up as the people of God and distinguish ourselves as such. I must somehow bare the unmistakable mark as a Son of Glory. How do I do that? Well for starters, I DON’T blend in with the culture surrounding me but rather stand out like a soar thumb. So how do I not do that? Prayer, fasting, spending time in the Word, communing with God’s Spirit—these are the keys to unlocking this *big* mystery of how to save the world. After all, that’s what He died and resurrected for—so that I might have relationship with the Father and make disciples like myself.

Devotion
Thank you for your grace God for a people that walk away and back again so much. Wake us up LORD. Take the words culturally relevant out of our vocabulary and make us different. Set us apart from this nation surrounding us so that we might truly fulfill your Great Commission.