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Iglesia del Pueblo

Daily Devotions - Entries from September 2011

FriFridaySepSeptember30th2011 Friday, September 30

Posted Friday, September 30 2011 @ 5 AM byMarie Allison Tagged Evangelism 0 comments Add comment

On Sunday, October 2, Wheaton Bible Church and Iglesia del Pueblo will welcome evangelist and author Luis Palau to our worship services. A prolific author and powerful speaker, Luis has shared the Gospel with more than 1 billion people through evangelistic events and media. He has spoken in person to 25 million people in 72 countries, and has counseled with business and political leaders and heads of state around the globe. Don’t miss this special Sunday—and invite others to join you.

We thank Marie Allison for preparing these devotional thoughts. Marie is the Director of Evangelism and Connect Ministries here at Wheaton Bible Church and currently leads the Alpha Course on Wednesday mornings and Thursday evenings. To learn more about Alpha, go to http://www.wheatonbible.org/Alpha.

Today we are reading and meditating on 2 Corinthians 5:20–21. The text below is taken from the New Living Translation, but feel free to read from the version of your choice.

20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” 21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

Have you ever watched a small child beam as they were given a very important job. Whether it is pouring the milk for dinner or putting their own laundry in the washing machine. It is an honor to be trusted with the task and they beam with pride and joy.

That is what it should feel like to be Christ’s ambassador. At the time this passage was written Corinth was a Roman territory. The Emperor would send ambassadors out to the territories that were not yet under Roman rule. These areas of the country were not yet peaceful, they were not yet civilized. The ambassadors would go with the authority of the Emperor to persuade people to cooperate with Rome. They went with great authority. It was as though the Emperor himself was speaking.

We are to go out to God’s lost children and speak as though the very voice of God were speaking through us. We are to make an appeal, we are to plead, “Come back to God!”

The message he gives us to say is simply stated in verse 21- “For God made Christ, who never sinned to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.”

Father,
I am honored to be your ambassador. Thank you for trusting me with such a precious task. Thank you that you have equipped me through your Holy Spirit to what you have asked.
Amen.

ThuThursdaySepSeptember29th2011 Thursday, September 29

Posted Thursday, September 29 2011 @ 5 AM byMarie Allison Tagged Evangelism 0 comments Add comment

Today we are reading and meditating on 2 Corinthians 5:18-19. The text below is taken from the New Living Translation, but feel free to read from the version of your choice.

18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. 19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.

The Encarta dictionary says the word “reconcile” means “to put people back on friendly terms after a dispute or estrangement.” God created us to be in a loving relationship with him, but at the fall of humankind our allegiance changed, we developed a sin nature and came under the influence of the evil one.

We don’t like to speak in terms of black and white. We like gray areas, but in this the Bible draws clear lines. Acts 26:17-18, tells us that people are in darkness or light, under the power of Satan or the power of God. James 4:4 tells us if we are friends of the world we are enemies of God.

Our condition sounds dire until we remember that God came in the person of Christ. When we acknowledge our need and accept His atoning death on the cross we are seen as righteous in God’s eyes and our friendship with Him is restored. He does not hold our sins against us. He forgives our sins.

Pause for a moment and let the reality of that sink in. You were in darkness and now you are in light! You were under the power of Satan. Now you are friends with God. So next time your friends say, “You must have friends in high places,” tell them they have no idea. You have the only friend that really counts.

The good news is they can too! Christ did the major work on this. He lived a perfect life and died on the cross. He just asks us to tell others what he did.

Father,
I am so happy to be friends with you. Thank you for coming in the person of Jesus to die on the cross so I could be reconciled to you. Thank you that you want to use me to reconcile others. You have given me a wonderful message, now help me to be faithful to share it with others.
Amen.

WedWednesdaySepSeptember28th2011 Wednesday, September 28

Posted Wednesday, September 28 2011 @ 5 AM byMarie Allison Tagged Evangelism 0 comments Add comment

Today we continue reading from 2 Corinthians 5:14–21. The text below is taken from the New Living Translation, but feel free to read from the version of your choice.

16 So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! 17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

Before the Apostle Paul believed in Christ, he thought Jesus was a human being, a mere person who threatened the Jewish faith he vowed to protect. But one day all this changed. He saw a bright light and heard the voice of the resurrected Jesus. He became blind. As you might imagine, Paul began to pray. While he prayed he had another vision. A man named Ananias would come and restore his sight. Three days later a man named Ananias, upon direction from the Lord, did just that. (Acts 9:1-19).

Wow, that is not a coincidence. That is a God-incident. One moment Paul thought Jesus was a human, the next moment he knew He was God. Heaven visited earth.

In this passage the Apostle Paul takes it a step further. Not only does he see Christ differently, but he sees humans differently as well. He sees every person as an eternal being. C.S. Lewis said it well in his sermon, The Weight of Glory:

It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations. It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and the circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal.

God longs for us to realize people will exist through all time and we are to care about where that will be. As we tell people about Christ they become new creations. Reunited with God and clothed with the righteousness of Christ ready to reside with him in heaven where God longs for all of His children to be.

Father,
Help me to see people as you see them. Help me to love them as much as you love them.
Amen.

TueTuesdaySepSeptember27th2011 Tuesday, September 27

Posted Tuesday, September 27 2011 @ 5 AM byMarie Allison Tagged Evangelism 0 comments Add comment

Today we continue our study of 2 Corinthians 5:14–21, focusing on the first few verses. The text below is taken from the New Living Translation, but feel free to read from the version of your choice.

14 Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. 15 He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.

John 15:13 says, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” What would it feel like if someone saved you from danger and died in your place? Words like humility, gratitude and indebtedness come to mind, but there are truly no words to fully capture how an event like that would mark the future of one’s life.

This year on the anniversary of 9/11 we remembered stories of those who did just that. Welles Crowther was a young 24-year-old equities trader who repeatedly went into the World Trade Center building to guide people out, even carrying some down the stairs. Welles’s mother never knew what happed to her son in those last hours. Months after the event survivor stories began to circulate and some had a repeating theme—the hero was a young man in a red bandana. Mrs. Crowther knew immediately it was her son. Since he was a young boy he kept with him a red bandana given to him by his father. He wore it as he gave his life saving others.

A story like that makes our stomach drop. Our movement stills. We choke up. Hold on to that feeling for a moment and look back at verse 14. Pinch the skin on your arm. Feel the flesh. Imagine a wonderful young man, who had flesh and blood just like you. Who had a mother, brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, and friends. Now imagine that he died for you. You were under a death sentence and Jesus Christ died in your place. He did it because He loves you.

In these verses the Apostle Paul is saying the reality of that sacrificial love controls him. It is his guiding force through life. It is the compelling motivator for all he does. On the day Paul accepted the gift Christ gave him by dying on the cross, he died to his old life. He became a new person with a new purpose.

What about you?

Father,
I confess I too often brush over the story of your death on the cross. I hear the story without emotion. I read it without feeling. Today Holy Spirit make my stomach drop, still my movement, bring tears to my eyes over your sacrifice. Make it something that marks my life forever.
Amen.

MonMondaySepSeptember26th2011 Monday, September 26

Posted Monday, September 26 2011 @ 5 AM byMarie Allison Tagged Evangelism 0 comments Add comment

Today we are reading and meditating on 2 Corinthians 5:14–21. The text below is taken from the New Living Translation, but feel free to read from the version of your choice.

14 Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. 15 He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.

16 So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! 17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. 19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” 21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

This Sunday Dr. Luis Palau will be speaking to us from this passage. Dr. Palau was born in Argentina to a family that loved God. His father was a successful businessman who would take his family and preach in the villages on the weekends. Luis was touched by his father’s words and longed to tell people about the love of Jesus as his father did. At 10 years old, the bottom dropped out of Luis’ life. While he was away at boarding school, his father died. The family’s finances were mis-managed by a relative and they became desperately poor. At times the family of seven would share a loaf of bread for dinner. Despite difficult circumstances Luis clung to God and believed in His faithfulness. He went to work in a bank to earn money, but his real desire was to follow in his father’s footsteps and tell people about Jesus. That desire came true. He has now spoken to 25 million people in 72 countries and has seen one million people make decisions to follow Christ.

What was it about the love of Christ that captured a young boy’s heart and motivated him to spend his life telling others? Can we be gripped by this same passion?

Father,
I look forward to being in your word this week. Thank you that you want to meet with me. Thank you that you have something to say to me. I tell you now Lord that I am listening.
Amen.

FriFridaySepSeptember23rd2011 Friday, September 23

Posted Friday, September 23 2011 @ 5 AM byKim Miller Tagged Suffering When the Bottom Drops Out 0 comments Add comment

On Sunday, Pastor Rob will continue his sermon series drawn from the content of his new book, When the Bottom Drops Out. During this series, he is sharing the lessons he and his family learned about God’s grace in the midst of profound disappointment. As we prepare our hearts for the next message in his series on God’s grace in the midst of disappointment, we will take a closer look this week at Joseph from the Old Testament, and how he models what living well in the light of adversity looks like.

We thank Kim Miller -- a senior editor at Tyndale House Publishers who worked with Pastor Rob on the editing of his book -- for preparing these devotional thoughts . Kim also attends Wheaton Bible Church, and leads a small group of sixth grade girls in Quest56.

Today we are reading and meditating on 1 Chronicles 29:11-12 from the New Living Translation:

11Yours, O LORD, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O LORD, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things. 12Wealth and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand, and at your discretion people are made great and given strength.

Have you ever had a paper cut? If so, you might have been surprised at the intense, throbbing pain caused by such a tiny wound. Sensitive nerves are concentrated in the hands, particularly in the top layers just beneath the skin. It takes very little to activate these nerves, so while paper cuts usually pose little danger, the affected nerves in your hand or finger scream for attention.

Likewise, our natural reaction to intense suffering -- whether from physical pain, emotional trauma, or disappointing relationships -- is to howl in pain. We may lash out in anger, sink in despair, or plot our revenge.

Given the magnitude of his trials, it would be hard to fault Joseph for reacting in any of these ways. Instead, he modeled a counterintuitive response, one that led to healing and glorified God. His ability to remain strong wasn’t due to his own goodness or power; it was possible only because of his vision of God. Because he saw God as holy, he was pure; because he saw God as all-powerful, he was bold; and because he saw God as sovereign, he was content, gracious, and unusually forgiving.

In other words, Joseph was able to see beyond his circumstances to God’s goodness and His larger plan. As a young man, he might not have known where God was leading him, but he knew better than to stray from the course set out for him. In fact, Pastor Bugh points out in When the Bottom Drops Out that the best indicator of how well someone will cope with adversity is his or her view of God. Does he or she continue coming to God in hope and expectation, or does the person turn away from God in anger or despair?

One of the psalmists expressed the outlook Joseph maintained in lyrics he wrote for pilgrims to sing as they ascended the hills around Jerusalem: “I lift my eyes to you, O God, enthroned in heaven. We keep looking to the Lord our God for his mercy, just as servants keep their eyes on their master, as a slave girl watches her mistress for the slightest signal” (Psalm 123:1-2).

As with Joseph, the Lord has a path for you and me. The way may get rocky at times with twists and turns that seem to lead nowhere or even backward. That’s the time to take our eyes off ourselves and look up -- to our holy, all-powerful, sovereign God.

Father,
Today please keep troubles from tripping me, temptations from enticing me, and my to-do list from distracting me from the sound of Your voice or the sight of Your footsteps in front of me. May all my steps bring me closer to You
Amen

ThuThursdaySepSeptember22nd2011 Thursday, September 22

Posted Thursday, September 22 2011 @ 5 AM byKim Miller Tagged Suffering When the Bottom Drops Out 0 comments Add comment

On Sunday, Pastor Rob will continue his sermon series drawn from the content of his new book, When the Bottom Drops Out. During this series, he is sharing the lessons he and his family learned about God’s grace in the midst of profound disappointment. As we prepare our hearts for the next message in his series on God’s grace in the midst of disappointment, we will take a closer look this week at Joseph from the Old Testament, and how he models what living well in the light of adversity looks like.

We thank Kim Miller -- a senior editor at Tyndale House Publishers who worked with Pastor Rob on the editing of his book -- for preparing these devotional thoughts . Kim also attends Wheaton Bible Church, and leads a small group of sixth grade girls in Quest56.

Today we are reading and meditating on Genesis 50:19-20 from the New Living Translation:

Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.”

Realizing she was far more moved by stories of forgiveness than of revenge, British freelance journalist Marina Cantacuzino joined with photographer Brian Moody in 2003 to create an exhibition of words and images exploring the topics of forgiveness and reconciliation. The Forgiveness Project, a website devoted to collecting and sharing stories that explore the nature of forgiveness, grew out of the enthusiastic response to the exhibition.

One remarkable story that doesn’t appear on the website is that of Joseph. Years after his brothers sold him into slavery, he came face-to-face with them again. Now the tables were turned. This time, they were at the mercy of Joseph, who was second only to Pharaoh in power.

Instead of throwing them into prison or even denying their request for food, Joseph tearfully extended forgiveness to his brothers. Why? Because he recognized that God had allowed his suffering for a higher purpose. He had come to rest in the sovereignty of God.

Not all of us will have the privilege in this life of seeing why God has permitted great loss, suffering, and pain. Certainly Pastor Rob cannot explain why God chose to allow his wife, Carol, and his good friend, Tom Williams, to die at such relatively young ages. Yet they, and all of us who are God’s children, can rest in the assurance that God is in control of both the good bad times; that He is always working out His plan; and that He works all things together for the good of those who belong to Him (see Romans 8:28).

Because of our fallen nature, the “default setting” of our hearts tends toward anger, resentment, and bitterness. Unfortunately, these natural responses lead only to more pain and bondage. How much better to look up at God and rest in His holiness, His power, and His sovereignty. In what circumstance do you need, like Joseph, to acknowledge, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good”?

Sovereign Lord,
Help me to trust that Your thoughts and Your ways are higher than mine, even when I struggle to understand how good and righteousness can come from pain and suffering. May Your name be glorified as I respond to difficult circumstances from this perspective.
Amen.

WedWednesdaySepSeptember21st2011 Wednesday, September 21

Posted Wednesday, September 21 2011 @ 5 AM byKim Miller Tagged Genesis 41 Suffering When the Bottom Drops Out 0 comments Add comment

On Sunday, Pastor Rob will continue his sermon series drawn from the content of his new book, When the Bottom Drops Out. During this series, he is sharing the lessons he and his family learned about God’s grace in the midst of profound disappointment. As we prepare our hearts for the next message in his series on God’s grace in the midst of disappointment, we will take a closer look this week at Joseph from the Old Testament, and how he models what living well in the light of adversity looks like.

We thank Kim Miller -- a senior editor at Tyndale House Publishers who worked with Pastor Rob on the editing of his book -- for preparing these devotional thoughts . Kim also attends Wheaton Bible Church, and leads a small group of sixth grade girls in Quest56.

Today we are reading and meditating Genesis 41:15-16 from the New Living Translation:

15Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream last night, and no one here can tell me what it means. But I have heard that when you hear about a dream you can interpret it.”

16 “It is beyond my power to do this,” Joseph replied. “But God can tell you what it means and set you at ease.”

As a young man, Andy van der Bijl didn’t seem to have much going for him. His father was a deaf blacksmith; his mother was a semi-invalid. He didn’t finish high school, and even his stint as a commando in the Dutch army came to an abrupt end when he was shot in the ankle.

God began drawing Andy to himself through the kindness of the Fransciscan sisters who tended to his wound in the hospital. Eventually he gave his life to Christ and, during the height of the Cold War, felt God calling him to help Christians behind the Iron Curtain.

Not long after, he decided to smuggle Bibles into Romania. Driving to the checkpoint, he pulled up behind several waiting cars. As he watched the inspections, he began to worry. The soldiers were stopping each driver and carefully checking every inch of the cars for contraband.

Andy knew that they were sure to find the Bibles he’d hidden, so he began praying, “Lord, I know that no amount of cleverness on my part can get me through this border search. Dare I ask for a miracle?” So that he would know that God, not his own cleverness, had protected him, he took out a few of the Bibles and placed them in the front seat.

When he reached the front of the line, Andy handed the guard his documents and prepared to exit his VW. After a cursory glance at the papers, however, the guard waved him on. As Andy drove away, he saw the driver of the car behind him get out as the soldier opened his hood.

This Bible smuggler, known today as Brother Andrew, says, “My heart was racing. Not with the excitement of the crossing, but with the excitement of having caught such a spectacular glimpse of God at work!” [Open Doors, “Brother Andrew’s Story,” http://www.opendoorsusa.org/about-us/brother-andrew/.]

Thousands of years ago, Joseph got a similar glimpse of God’s power when he was asked to interpret the Pharaoh’s dream. Joseph’s first words to the Egyptian ruler were, “It is beyond my power to do this. . . . But God can tell you what it means and set you at ease” (Genesis 41:16).

What is your response when trouble comes? Do you fret and stew, or like Brother Andrew and Joseph, do you immediately acknowledge your weakness and then ask God to show His strength? Whenever you face a challenge today, why not make your first response a prayer that Christ would work His power through you for His glory?

Heavenly Father,
I ask for the privilege of seeing Your power at work around me today. I praise You because You are all-powerful -- my rock, my fortress, and my shield in times of trouble.
Amen.

TueTuesdaySepSeptember20th2011 Tuesday, September 20

Posted Tuesday, September 20 2011 @ 5 AM byKim Miller Tagged Genesis 39 Joseph Suffering When the Bottom Drops Out 0 comments Add comment

On Sunday, Pastor Rob will continue his sermon series drawn from the content of his new book, When the Bottom Drops Out. During this series, he is sharing the lessons he and his family learned about God’s grace in the midst of profound disappointment. As we prepare our hearts for the next message in his series on God’s grace in the midst of disappointment, we will take a closer look this week at Joseph from the Old Testament, and how he models what living well in the light of adversity looks like.

We thank Kim Miller -- a senior editor at Tyndale House Publishers who worked with Pastor Rob on the editing of his book -- for preparing these devotional thoughts . Kim also attends Wheaton Bible Church, and leads a small group of sixth grade girls in Quest56.

Today we are reading and meditating on Genesis 39:6–9 from the New Living Translation:

Joseph was a very handsome and well-built young man, and Potiphar’s wife soon began to look at him lustfully. “Come and sleep with me,” she demanded.

But Joseph refused. “Look,” he told her, “my master trusts me with everything in his entire household. No one here has more authority than I do. He has held back nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How could I do such a wicked thing? It would be a great sin against God.”

A few years ago, the Ethics Resource Center surveyed 2,852 workers and found that about 15 percent of the respondents said it’s acceptable to call in sick when they are not actually ill. [Sarah Needleman, “‘The Cat Hid My Car Keys’ -- Excuses Workers Make,” Wall Street Journal, May 14, 2010.] How did the employees rationalize this? Many workers said they deserved more time off than their companies gave them.

What if Joseph had followed similar reasoning when approached by Potiphar’s wife? What if he had decided he was entitled to a little human affection after being rejected and treated so miserably by his own brothers? Or what if he had determined that he deserved some “relaxation” after working so hard to advance Potiphar’s interests and increase his wealth?

If the ERC took another survey in which they asked whether Joseph should have been excused for giving in to the advances of Potiphar’s wife, I suspect a fairly high percentage of respondents would give him a pass. And yet Joseph stood firm. Why was that?

Interestingly, he doesn’t mention fear of being caught or indicate that Potiphar’s wife was unattractive. Rather, his response to her advances makes clear that Joseph recognized God’s holiness. Refusing her invitation, he said: “How could I do such a wicked thing? It would be a great sin against God” (Genesis 39:9).

When the bottom falls out of our own lives, we are vulnerable, just as Joseph was. We may distance ourselves from God out of anger and hurt. That makes it easy to rationalize sinful behavior. Joseph stood strong because he revered God. He was willing to delay gratification but unwilling to violate God’s standards -- even in difficult circumstances.

That allowed the Lord to work out His purposes for Joseph’s life. Before elevating Joseph to a high position of honor where he “could instruct the king’s aides as he pleased and teach the king’s advisers” (Psalm 105:22), God refined his character through servitude, temptation, and imprisonment.
Not surprisingly, Joseph is included in the “faith hall of fame” found in Hebrews 11. He is commended because he remained confident in God’s promises all his life. Perhaps the writer of Hebrews still has Joseph in mind when, in chapter 13, verses 5 and 6, he quotes from Proverbs 3:11-12: “My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you. For the Lord disciplines those he loves.” In verse 11, he adds, “God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness.”

Sharing in God’s holiness? May that be true in our own lives as we invite the Spirit to give us a glimpse of God’s purity, even today!

Heavenly Father,
Today I praise You for Your holiness, purity, and majesty, though they are far beyond what my mind can comprehend. Remind me that sometimes Your love comes in the form of righteous discipline designed to refine and shape me. Give me the grace to turn to You for strength in times of trouble.
Amen.

MonMondaySepSeptember19th2011 Monday, September 19

Posted Monday, September 19 2011 @ 5 AM byKim Miller Tagged Acts 7:8-10 Suffering When the Bottom Drops Out 0 comments Add comment

On Sunday, Pastor Rob will continue his sermon series drawn from the content of his new book, When the Bottom Drops Out. During this series, he is sharing the lessons he and his family learned about God’s grace in the midst of profound disappointment. As we prepare our hearts for the next message in his series on God’s grace in the midst of disappointment, we will take a closer look this week at Joseph from the Old Testament, and how he models what living well in the light of adversity looks like.

We thank Kim Miller -- a senior editor at Tyndale House Publishers who worked with Pastor Rob on the editing of his book -- for preparing these devotional thoughts . Kim also attends Wheaton Bible Church, and leads a small group of sixth grade girls in Quest56.

Today we are reading and meditating on Acts 7:8–10, Stephen’s testimony before the Jewish high council after he’d been accused by lying witnesses of speaking against the Temple and the law of Moses. When asked if the charges against him were true, Stephen walked them through key events in Israel’s history to illustrate how the nation had a long history of resisting God and his servants.

Today’s reading, which comes from the New Living Translation, focuses on Joseph’s life:

8Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs of the Israelite nation. 9These patriarchs were jealous of their brother Joseph, and they sold him to be a slave in Egypt. But God was with him 10and rescued him from all his troubles. And God gave him favor before Pharaoh, king of Egypt. God also gave Joseph unusual wisdom, so that Pharaoh appointed him governor over all of Egypt and put him in charge of the palace.

In the early 1960s, the classic children’s book Fortunately hit the shelves. On the cover is an illustration of a little boy named Ned floating down from the sky in a bright white parachute. For decades kids have been delighted by this tale in which Ned, fortunately, is invited to a birthday party.

Unfortunately, the party is being held a thousand miles away. Fortunately, a friend loans him a plane so he can fly there. Unfortunately . . . well, you get the idea.

In the Old Testament, we meet Joseph, a man who might have been the model for Ned. Fortunately, Joseph was given a colorful coat because he was his father’s favorite. Unfortunately, his jealous brothers stripped him of that coat, threw him in a cistern, and then sold him to some nomadic traders.

Fortunately, God was with him and, as a result, his master, Potiphar, prospered and put him over everything in his household. Unfortunately, Potiphar’s wife falsely accused Joseph of attempted rape and he was thrown in prison.

Fortunately, the warden was so impressed with Joseph that he put him in charge of all the other prisoners, which put him in position to correctly interpret the dreams of Pharaoh’s chief cupbearer and baker. Unfortunately, the cupbearer forgot Joseph’s request that he tell Pharaoh about his plight. And so Joseph’s saga continues.

Sometimes Christians make the mistake of treating Joseph a little like the fictional Ned -- a memorable character for a kids’ story that ends on a happy note. Yet in his book, When the Bottom Drops Out, Pastor Rob urges us take a closer look at Joseph. The reason Joseph triumphed over enslavement, false accusations, and imprisonment wasn’t because of his good looks, winsome personality, or raw intelligence. Instead, the Lord entrusted him with increasing responsibility and wisdom because of the way Joseph viewed God in the midst of his many troubles.

For the rest of this week, we’ll consider three of God’s attributes that Joseph focused on -- even in the grimmest of circumstances. Because of his confidence in God, Joseph did nothing to dishonor the Lord and refused to give in to despair.

Unfortunately, like Joseph, we will encounter trials in this life, and we may be hurt by people who envy us, misuse us, or ignore us. Fortunately, we have a God who is close to the brokenhearted; who saves the crushed in spirit (see Psalm 34:18).

Father,
When I encounter trouble or pain today, help me to see that You are far bigger than anything I might face. And let me respond with compassion to those around me who are weighed down with difficulty.
Amen.

FriFridaySepSeptember16th2011 Friday, September 16

Posted Friday, September 16 2011 @ 5 AM byKim Miller Tagged Suffering When the Bottom Drops Out 0 comments Add comment

Today we are reading and meditating on 2 Corinthians 5:17-18 in the New International Version:

17If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

When my sons were younger, our family often watched Extreme Home Makeover together. The high point for us -- and certainly for the family whose home had been rebuilt -- was when Ty Pennington raised his megaphone and belted out, “Move that bus!” As soon as the gigantic tour bus drove forward, Mom, Dad, and kids got the first glimpse of the beautiful new home that had replaced the worn-out house they had left just a week or two before.

I wonder what would happen if the show adopted a slightly different format and became Existing Home Makeover. What if, instead of building dream homes, the construction crew merely renovated each family’s home? Think how much time and money could be saved if Ty and his crew simply replaced the porch lights; patched the cement steps; maybe even painted over any mildew they found creeping along the foundation.

Okay, maybe not. Such a change would definitely take away the “wow” factor. The difference between Extreme Home Makeover and the fictional Existing Home Makeover is similar to the difference between the transformation the Holy Spirit works in us and our attempts to make ourselves over.

Most people express a desire to be better human beings -- more patient, more generous, more courageous. Yet the truth is, resolving to be less selfish on our own is like slapping bright white paint over mildew: we might look better temporarily, but the mildew is bound to reappear. God is the only source of the grace we need to be transformed into His likeness and prepare ourselves for Truth #4:

Whoever believes in Jesus will live with Him in heaven forever.

In When the Bottom Drops Out, Pastor Rob encourages us not to allow the troubles we face to obscure the reality that Christ’s death and resurrection solved the biggest problem we ever faced -- eternal separation from God. Paul, the once-proud Pharisee who later called himself a slave of Christ, reminds us that “it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -- not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9, NIV).

God’s gift of salvation is wondrous enough in itself, but Paul goes on: “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (v. 10, NIV). If you haven’t yet accepted God’s gift of salvation, do that today. If you have, will you invite the Holy Spirit to continue to transform you into God’s masterpiece? That, truly, is the only extreme makeover that will last.

Lord Jesus,
I often feel so unlovely and wonder how You could ever use me. I ask that You would transform me -- that You would not allow me to be content with surface change but would re-create me through the Holy Spirit’s power. Help me to remember that He will not waste my troubled times but wants to use them to make me more like You.
Amen.

ThuThursdaySepSeptember15th2011 Thursday, September 15

Posted Thursday, September 15 2011 @ 5 AM byKim Miller Tagged Matthew 16:24-27 Suffering When the Bottom Drops Out 0 comments Add comment

Today we are reading and meditating on Matthew 16:24-27 in the New International Version, but feel free to read from another translation:

24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.”

Because all eyes were on China as it prepared to host the 2008 summer Olympics, restrictions on unregistered churches in the host city temporarily eased. In fact, one Beijing house church began meeting openly each week in a large rented building.

However, once the games had ended, the government resumed its crackdown on unregistered churches. Soon after, the house church found itself locked out of its rented building by a fearful landlord who suggested they go back underground. Instead, the first Sunday after their lockout, thousands of believers gathered for worship in a city park.

In their book The Privilege of Persecution, Carl Moeller and David Hegg use this illustration to point out what the persecuted church has to teach us: “When [members of the persecuted church] come together to worship, they are coming to an outpost of heaven; they are experiencing a foretaste of what it may be like to be standing before God’s throne. They don’t want to leave, because when they do, what they go back to is hell.” [Carl Moeller and David Hegg, The Privilege of Persecution (Chicago: Moody, 2011), 63.]

In the United States, we often lose sight of eternity in our rush to get all we can from this life; in closed countries, believers keep their eyes on eternity because they expect to get very little from this life. In fact, they find great hope in Truth #3:

The believer is not home yet.

Although you and I may not suffer intense persecution, we will not escape this life without trouble. If this life was all there was, that would be terrible news. However, heaven is coming. And not only that, the difficulties we experience now actually prepare us for forever.

In chapter 2 of his book, Pastor Rob says, “As soap is to the hand, suffering is to the soul.” In fact, suffering is generally the only agent that will wash away the selfishness and pride that keep us from loving as God intended. Only when we have become perfect in love -- a process that God begins in this life but that won’t be completed until we reach our heavenly home -- will we be all that He created us to be.

Father,
Thank You for the promise of heaven. Please help me to number my days, to remember what a short time I’ll spend on this earth, and to look ahead to my heavenly home. In hard times, help me to remember that You are with me and want to use those circumstances to cleanse me and make me look more like You.
Amen.

WedWednesdaySepSeptember14th2011 Wednesday, September 14

Posted Wednesday, September 14 2011 @ 5 AM byKim Miller Tagged Job Suffering When the Bottom Drops Out 0 comments Add comment

Today we read and meditate on Job 1:20-22 in the New International Version, but feel free to read from the translation of your choice:

At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.” In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.

Several familiar passages became especially significant to Pastor Rob during his wife’s illness. One of them is Job’s response after he’s been told that his vast herds of livestock have been stolen, his servants massacred by raiders, and his children killed by a freak windstorm: “The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”

Note that Job doesn’t hide his grief. The messengers who delivered the terrible news would recognize that by tearing his robe and shaving his head, Job was expressing great sorrow. It wouldn’t be surprising to see a grieving man fall on his face either -- but notice why Job prostrated himself: he was deep in worship.

Was Job in denial? Or perhaps in shock? No, Job chose to hold fast to what Pastor Rob points to asTruth #2:

God is wonderfully and completely sovereign.

When we face troubles of our own, our heavenly Father invites us to rest in the confidence that He is in control and that nothing happens to us that He has not permitted.

Tom Williams and Carol Bugh both clung to God’s sovereignty. Though they didn’t like losing their health and facing the prospect that they might die at relatively young ages, they didn’t give in to despair. In fact, when e-mailing friends and family before undergoing major surgery, doctors’ final effort to keep his cancer in check, Tom wrote, “My life is, as always, in His hands.” He died just a few weeks later.

If you wonder if God expects too much from hurting people, remember Jesus’ fervent prayer in the garden of Gethsemane: “Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will” (Mark 14:36). Knowing He would be betrayed and sentenced to death that very night, Jesus acknowledged His preference yet chose His Father’s will above His own.

If you are hurting, come to your heavenly Father. Don’t be afraid to express your raw feelings and your deep desires, yet ask for the grace to put your complete trust -- your very life -- in God’s hands.

Father,
When I bring You my doubts, my fears, my questions, You may not give me the answers I want, but thank You that You always offer me Your presence, Your peace, and Your comfort. Please give me the grace to grab hold of those today.
Amen.

TueTuesdaySepSeptember13th2011 Tuesday, September 13

Posted Tuesday, September 13 2011 @ 5 AM byKim Miller Tagged Romans 5 Suffering When the Bottom Drops Out 0 comments Add comment

On Sunday, Pastor Rob will continue his sermon series drawn from the content of his new book, When the Bottom Drops Out. During this series, he is sharing the lessons he and his family learned about God’s grace in the midst of profound disappointment. In addition, he will lay out a biblically based “theology of suffering” that will enable us to persevere through the inevitable storms of life. In our devotions this week, we’ll examine four biblical truths that we see playing out whenever we face trouble of any kind.

We thank Kim Miller -- a senior editor at Tyndale House Publishers who worked with Pastor Rob on the editing of his book -- for preparing these devotional thoughts . Kim also attends Wheaton Bible Church, and leads a small group of sixth grade girls in Quest56.

This week we are reading and meditating on Romans 5. Today we will read verses 6 through 8. The text below is taken from the New Living Translation, but feel free to read from the version of your choice.

6At just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

If you’ve ever spent any time around a two-year-old, you can probably vouch for the following unspoken property laws that dictate toddlers’ behavior:

1.   If I want it, it’s mine.
2.   If I’m holding it, it’s mine.
3.   If it looks just like mine, it’s mine.
4.   If it’s broken, it’s yours.

Whether your reaction to watching two toddlers tussle over a toy is annoyance or amusement, what you’re witnessing is evidence of original sin -- the inborn propensity we all have to turn from God and put ourselves first. The good news, according to our reading for today, is that God has provided a solution for the sin that would otherwise destroy us: “Christ died for the ungodly.” And notice that He acted “when we were still powerless.” We deserve eternal separation from God, yet even though sin blinded us to our need for Him, Christ came to die for us.

And that’s not all: When we repent and admit our utter dependence on God, the Holy Spirit works in us so that we are no longer helpless to sin. Yes, we will still fall, but we are no longer unable to resist sin.

Still, we can’t escape the consequences of selfish decisions and evil actions, let alone flash floods, biting dogs, or cancer. They are a consequence of what Pastor Rob, in his book, identifies asTruth #1:

We live in a fallen, sinful world.

In chapter 2 of his book, Rob acknowledges our tendency to get angry at God when we or someone we love suffers because of an illness, accident, or other misfortune. In fact, unbelievers often point to suffering as proof that either God doesn’t exist or is powerless in the face of evil.

Yet when we understand the magnitude of God’s work on our behalf, we no longer need to live like screaming toddlers, out to get what’s ours. We no longer need to shake our fists at God or try to make life work on our own terms.

Because of Christ, there is hope. Even through our tears, we can “rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation” (Romans 5:11).

Lord Jesus,
Thank You that You loved me so much that You were willing to suffer and die so that I could find freedom from the weight of sin. Thank You for shouldering the penalty for my sin on the Cross. Help me to look to You for the strength I need to move past the difficult things of this life, filled with joy as I look forward to living with You forever.
Amen.

MonMondaySepSeptember12th2011 Monday September 12

Posted Monday, September 12 2011 @ 7 AM byKim Miller Tagged Devotions Romans 5 Suffering 0 comments Add comment

On Sunday, Pastor Rob will continue his sermon series drawn from the content of his new book, When the Bottom Drops Out. During this series, he is sharing the lessons he and his family learned about God’s grace in the midst of profound disappointment. In addition, he will lay out a biblically based “theology of suffering” that will enable us to persevere through the inevitable storms of life. In our devotions this week, we’ll examine four biblical truths that we see playing out whenever we face trouble of any kind.

We thank Kim Miller -- a senior editor at Tyndale House Publishers who worked with Pastor Rob on the editing of his book -- for preparing these devotional thoughts . Kim also attends Wheaton Bible Church, and leads a small group of sixth grade girls in Quest56.

Today we are reading and meditating on Romans 5, verses 1–5. The text below is taken from the New International Version, but feel free to read from the version of your choice.

1Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

The New-England Primer, the first textbook widely used in the American colonies, reflected the Puritans’ concern that children learn to read so they could study the Scriptures for themselves. No wonder, then, that each letter of the alphabet was introduced through a religious phrase. The first three letters were presented this way:

A   In ADAM’S Fall
We sinned all.
B   Heaven to find;
The Bible Mind.
C   Christ crucify’d
For sinners dy’d.

Seventeenth-century schoolchildren learned the truths of the Christian faith through rote memorization. While we may question the effectiveness of this teaching technique today, don’t we often approach the Good News in the same way? That is, don’t we often accept scriptural principles with our head without fully embracing them in our heart?

That is one reason why the apostle Paul, in verses 4 and 5 above, tells us to rejoice in our sufferings. While hardship is a tough teacher, it is often the only way we come to rock-solid faith in God’s faithfulness, mercy, and love.

Throughout this week, we are going to look at four scriptural truths that Pastor Rob was forced to examine anew during a time of great loss. In one sense, these four principles are Christianity 101; in another, they are lessons best learned through suffering, a teacher we’d all prefer to avoid.

Today, as you prepare to consider each of these four truths, read the passage above and note what it tells you about God and His plan of salvation. Can you think of three or four other aspects of God’s character (e.g., He loves you unconditionally, He will never leave you, He will protect you) that you’ve learned from Scripture? Which of these truths do you find easier to assent to with your head than to commit to with your heart?

Father,
Through His death and resurrection, Your Son gave me the perfect picture of Your lavish love. How I thank You for the peace and mercy that are mine through Christ. I confess, though, that sometimes I have trouble believing that You will never forget me or let me down. I ask that Your Spirit fill me with a sense of Your presence and peace even now, and I thank You for Your promise that You will never leave me nor forsake me.
Amen.

FriFridaySepSeptember9th2011 Friday, September 9

Posted Friday, September 09 2011 @ 5 AM byKim Miller Tagged Matthew 28 Psalm 116 When the Bottom Drops Out 0 comments Add comment

We thank Kim Miller -- a senior editor at Tyndale House Publishers who worked with Pastor Rob on the editing of his book -- for preparing these devotional thoughts. Kim also attends Wheaton Bible Church, and leads a small group of sixth grade girls in Quest56.

Today we are again reading and meditating on Psalm 116. The text below is taken from the New Living Translation, but feel free to read from the version of your choice.

1I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. 2Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath! 3 Death wrapped its ropes around me; the terrors of the grave overtook me. I saw only trouble and sorrow. 4 Then I called on the name of the Lord: "Please, Lord, save me!" 5How kind the Lord is! How good he is! So merciful, this God of ours! 6The Lord protects those of childlike faith; I was facing death, and he saved me. 7Let my soul be at rest again, for the Lord has been good to me. 8He has saved me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.

Yesterday we considered what this psalm reveals about how God reaches out to us when we bring Him our pain. Today, let's consider what the psalmist tells us about our response to God's initiative in our lives.

Throughout this psalm, we read several descriptions of the prayer of someone who is desperate: the psalmist asks for mercy (verse 1); he pledges to pray "as long as I have breath!" (verse 2); and he prays even when he can see nothing but trouble and sorrow (verse 3). The writer doesn't give us details about the danger he faced or how God delivered him, but it is clear that God responded. In fact, the psalm opens exuberantly: "I love the Lord because he hears my voice."

Spurgeon put it this way, "Answered prayers are silken bonds which bind our hearts to God. . . . When prayer is heard in our feebleness, and answered in the strength and greatness of God, we are strengthened in the habit of prayer, and confirmed in the resolve to make ceaseless intercession."

In fact, as Pastor Rob explains how he experienced God's grace in the midst of his own trials, we will see how central prayer became. Not only is it our lifeline to God, many times it appears to move God to act on our behalf. It is not that our Father is waiting for us to grovel or beg; however, He wants us to recognize our utter dependence on Him. Apart from Him, we are lost.

Not sure how or what to pray in the face of your disappointments? Don't let that stop you. After all, God in His graciousness has even provided an Advocate to intercede on our behalf:

"The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don't know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words" (Romans 8:26)

So don't stop praying today. Remember the Father is waiting to hear from you -- and to show you His mercy.

Lord Jesus,

Thank you for reaching out to me in love while I was still a sinner. As difficult as it is to accept my struggles, I thank you for using them to help me see how much I need you. I trust that You will deliver me in the time and way that is best.

Amen.

ThuThursdaySepSeptember8th2011 Thursday, September 8

Posted Thursday, September 08 2011 @ 5 AM byKim Miller Tagged When the Bottom Drops Out 0 comments Add comment

We thank Kim Miller -- a senior editor at Tyndale House Publishers who worked with Pastor Rob on the editing of his book -- for preparing these devotional thoughts. Kim also attends Wheaton Bible Church, and leads a small group of sixth grade girls in Quest56.

Today we are reading and meditating on Psalm 116. The text below is taken from the New Living Translation, but feel free to read from the version of your choice.

1I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. 2Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath! 3Death wrapped its ropes around me; the terrors of the grave overtook me. I saw only trouble and sorrow. 4Then I called on the name of the Lord: "Please, Lord, save me!" 5How kind the Lord is! How good he is! So merciful, this God of ours! 6The Lord protects those of childlike faith; I was facing death, and he saved me. 7Let my soul be at rest again, for the Lord has been good to me. 8He has saved me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.

After Jesus and His disciples had eaten their final Passover meal together, it is likely they sang Psalm 116. It is one of six psalms (Psalm 113-118) that form the Egyptian Paschal Hallel, a collection of hymns of praise sung during the Passover celebration.

During her illness, Psalm 116 also had great meaning for Carol Bugh. She recalled that, the night before receiving her cancer diagnosis, a woman from our church was awakened in the middle of the night with a strong sense that she needed to pray for Carol. She got up and studied her Bible, particularly Psalm 116, and repeatedly prayed for Carol without knowing why.

What a fitting song for all of us to consider when we face trouble of any kind. Just consider what it tells us about how intimately our Heavenly Father responds to our cries. Not only does He hear each of our distinctive voices and our specific requests for mercy, he actually bends down to listen! When my boys were toddlers and became upset, I remember kneeling down in front of them to comfort them. I wanted to be sure they knew I was listening, and I wanted to let them see how very near I was. If that's the natural response of a parent to her child, how much more powerful is it when our infinite, all-powerful God stoops down to us.

No wonder that in verse 5 the psalmist describes the Lord as kind, good, and merciful. He is the reason we can be at peace, even when the bottom seems to drop out of our lives. Commenting on verse 8, eighteenth-century preacher Charles H. Spurgeon wrote,

"The triune God has given us a trinity of deliverances: our life has been spared from the grave, our heart has been uplifted from its griefs, and our course in life has been preserved from dishonour. . . . Death is vanquished, tears are dried, and fears are banished when the Lord is near."

Regardless of what trouble we face today, let us say to the Lord: "Let my soul be at rest again, for the Lord has been good to me" (verse 7).

Father,

Thank You for bending down to hear me when I cry out to You. What a comfort to know that You not only know my troubles, You are concerned for me. May You help me rest in Your goodness today.

Amen.

WedWednesdaySepSeptember7th2011 Wednesday, September 7

Posted Wednesday, September 07 2011 @ 5 AM byKim Miller Tagged John 16:28 John 32-33 When the Bottom Drops Out 0 comments Add comment

We thank Kim Miller -- a senior editor at Tyndale House Publishers who worked with Pastor Rob on the editing of his book -- for preparing these devotional thoughts. Kim also attends Wheaton Bible Church, and leads a small group of sixth grade girls in Quest56.

Today we read and meditate on John 16:28, and 32-33. The text below is taken from the New Living Translation, but feel free to read from the version of your choice.

28"I came from the Father into the world, and now I will leave the world and return to the Father. . . . 32The time is coming -- indeed it's here now -- when you will be scattered, each one going his own way, leaving me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. 33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world."

Imagine you are one of the twelve disciples seated in the Upper Room. You have been looking forward to this evening -- the Passover feast -- for weeks. Every year you delight in this celebration of God's deliverance of your enslaved ancestors from Egypt.

This Passover, however, begins differently. Not long after you are all seated, the Lord Jesus stands up, removes His robe, ties a towel around His waist, pours water into a basin, and begins washing the feet of the disciple sitting next to Him. As He moves toward you, everything within you resists. Like Peter, you want to protest that you are not worthy. You keep silent, though, because Jesus tells Peter that unless He washes him, Peter won't belong to Him. And then, a few minutes later when the Lord smiles at you as He bends down and takes your dirty feet in His calloused hands, you sense His love for you in a deep, new way.

The joy you feel is tempered when Jesus, seated again, announces that one of you will betray Him. You steal uneasy glances at those around you. Jesus goes on to explain that He will soon be going away, though He promises to go and prepare a place for you. Someday, He says, He will come back for you and all who are His will be together with Him forever.

You are baffled by much of what Jesus says; so much so that you don't even know what to ask Him. He speaks of sending the Holy Spirit to comfort you and guide you into all truth. Clearly, He knows He is about to face agonizing trials. He says that all of you will scatter, leaving Him to suffer with only His heavenly Father to comfort Him.

And He promises that you, too, will experience trouble in this life. How is it, then, that as your Master finishes speaking and bows His head to pray, you feel a warmth flowing through you that you could only describe as peace?

Of course, we weren't at the Last Supper, so we can only imagine the emotions Jesus' disciples felt. Like them, however, we may have trouble balancing two truths about life's trials: (1) Each of us will face loss and disappointments, some of which will be horrific; and (2) God's plan for us includes pain. He uses our troubles to strengthen us and equip us to offer His comfort to others. These are the realities that Pastor Rob learned to embrace during his ordeal.

Like His disciples, we may not comprehend how God is moving in the heartaches of our lives. However, we can stand strong in the knowledge that He is in control: "You have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy" (John 16:22).

Lord Jesus,

Thank you for willingly enduring the shame and pain on the Cross. Your death and resurrection show me how much You love me and remind me that You know what it is like to suffer and feel abandoned. Fill me today with Your peace so that I may see beyond my current troubles.

Amen.

TueTuesdaySepSeptember6th2011 Tuesday, September 6

Posted Tuesday, September 06 2011 @ 5 AM byKim Miller Tagged 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 Matthew 28 When the Bottom Drops Out 0 comments Add comment

We thank Kim Miller -- a senior editor at Tyndale House Publishers who worked with Pastor Rob on the editing of his book -- for preparing these devotional thoughts. Kim also attends Wheaton Bible Church, and leads a small group of sixth grade girls in Quest56.

Today we continue our meditation on 2 Corinthians 4:17-18. The text below is taken from the New Living Translation, but feel free to read from the version of your choice.

17Our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 18 So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever

When life hums along pretty much as we think it should, we tend to keep our eyes on what is right in front of us -- a pressing work project; the upcoming game against our big rival; a child's struggles at school. That's not to say we love God less or don't long to know him better; it simply takes great commitment to think beyond the here and now for very long.

In the upcoming series, we'll learn how the Bugh and Williams families coped when their lives were invaded by health crises they didn't see coming. Both Tom Williams and Carol Bugh had busy lives filled with work, volunteer, and family responsibilities. In the years leading up to their cancer diagnoses, however, they had also immersed themselves in God's Word and made themselves available to Him.

When the bottom dropped out, then they understood what Paul meant when he urged believers not to look "at the troubles we can see now" but to "fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen." That is what they had been doing for years. Tom was never shy about telling other people about the good news available to them through Christ. Carol's children knew where they could find her when they got up each morning -- down at the kitchen table with her Bible open and her prayer list spread out in front of her.

When trouble comes, we have a choice: we can allow our situation to fill our field of vision so that we give in to panic and fear. Or, as Paul recommends in verse 18, we can "see" with the eyes of faith. That is, we can grab hold of what we know about God and His promises to us: "The Lord is my light and salvation -- so why should I be afraid?" (Psalm 27:1); "I will never fail you. I will never abandon you" (Hebrews 13:5); "Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you" (1 Peter 5:7).

That is what Carol chose to do. Not long after she received word that her cancer was continuing to spread, she wrote a letter to her e-mail supporters in which she quoted our passage for today. She added, "I believe God is able to heal completely, and He is also able to use our troubles for His glory. We can trust Him, no matter what the outcome, that He will always love us and always be intimately involved in our lives."

The outcome for Carol was not the one her family longed for. Likewise, God may not address our disappointments in the way we would like. Yet we can rest in the certainty that our loving God is in control and that "no eye has seen . . . what God has prepared for those who love him" (1 Corinthians 2:9). That is seeing with the eyes of faith.

Lord Jesus,

When I think of the price You paid so that my relationship with You could be restored, I am filled with awe and gratitude. Help me to fix my gaze on You today, and open my eyes to opportunities to share this hope with others. In Your name, I pray.

Amen.

MonMondaySepSeptember5th2011 Monday, September 5

Posted Monday, September 05 2011 @ 5 AM byKim Miller Tagged 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 Matthew 28 Suffering When the Bottom Drops Out 0 comments Add comment

This coming Sunday, Pastor Rob will begin a six-part series drawn from the content of his new book, When the Bottom Drops Out. During this series, he will share the lessons he and his family learned about God's grace in the midst of profound disappointment. In addition, he will lay out a biblically based "theology of suffering" that will enable us to persevere through the inevitable storms of life. In our devotions this week, we will begin to consider two truths: the inevitability of trials in this life and God's sovereignty over everything that happens to us.

We thank Kim Miller -- a senior editor at Tyndale House Publishers who worked with Pastor Rob on the editing of his book -- for preparing these devotional thoughts. Kim also attends Wheaton Bible Church, and leads a small group of sixth grade girls in Quest56.

Today we are reflecting 2 Corinthians 4:17-18. The text below is taken from the New Living Translation, but feel free to read from the version of your choice.

17Our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 18 So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

The apostle Paul makes a striking claim in verse 17 -- particularly when you consider that later in his letter, he enumerates the trials he had already endured as an apostle: numerous imprisonments, death threats, whippings, beatings, stonings, nights adrift at sea, hunger, thirst, sleeplessness, and cold, all because he was a servant of Christ (see chapter 11:23-27). Did he really believe his troubles were small and relatively insignificant?

His list of trials may leave you wondering if you can even relate to Paul. If I compared my troubles to his, I'd feel like the daughter who complains about having to walk two blocks to the bus stop, only to hear her dad respond that when he was her age, he had to walk two miles to and from school -- and the path was uphill both ways.

Yet Paul is not making light of his troubles or our struggles. He's not suggesting we just grin and bear them. Nor is he suggesting that we deny our pain. Instead, he offers an invaluable perspective on how we should view trouble.

Notice, first, that in light of eternity, our troubles won't last long. Not only that, but God is using the problems that so often discourage us to shape and mold us into Christ's likeness even now. And the joy that can bring far exceeds the greatest trials we face.

C. S. Lewis described that delight this way: "To please God . . . to be a real ingredient in the divine happiness . . . to be loved by God, not merely pitied, but delighted in as an artist delights in his work or a father in a son -- it seems impossible, a weight or burden of glory which our thoughts can hardly sustain. But so it is." [C. S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory, New York: The Macmillan Co., 1966]

If you feel burdened today, be open with God about your struggles. You might even express your pain in writing. Then rest in the knowledge that Christ will never leave you -- nor will He waste your pain.

Father, Thank You that, as difficult as some days are, You are using every one of my struggles to prepare me to spend eternity with You. Help me to see Your glory in the world around me today. Amen.

FriFridaySepSeptember2nd2011 Friday, September 2

Posted Friday, September 02 2011 @ 5 AM byJonathan Ziman Tagged Be One Make One Devotions Discipleship 0 comments Add comment

On Sunday, Pastor Rob will finish his three-week series of messages focusing on our church's mission and vision. The title of this series -- "Be One. Make One." -- references our calling as a body of believers to be disciple-makers. This week we will focus our attention on reaching the world.

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!” (Isa. 52:7, ESV)

The Kingdom grows as God’s people are sent out into their homes, their schoolyards, their offices, their playgrounds, their communities and our world. Jesus was constantly pushing the disciples into activities they were convinced they were not ready for.

A disciple who makes disciples who will then make other disciples is fueled by love, leading into action, and launching new disciples into God’s mission “to seek and to save that which is lost” (Luke 19:10). New disciples grow and mature, participating in God’s mission to save a broken world, sharing Jesus with others who then grow and mature, participating in God’s mission, drawing new disciples into the Kingdom and launching them to do the same.

Someone once noted that if you want to see a moving train, you have to be standing by the tracks. It sounds obvious, but if you want to see God moving in powerful ways, you’ve got to get involved in what he’s doing.

The Kingdom is expanding and God is doing some amazing, exciting and frequently unexpected things. So if you want to see God change the world, start loving, start leading and start launching.

Father,
I see the lost all around me but sometimes it’s hard to know where to start. Guide me as I take the first faltering steps in obedience to your call to make disciples.
Amen

ThuThursdaySepSeptember1st2011 Thursday, September 1

Posted Thursday, September 01 2011 @ 5 AM byJonathan Ziman Tagged Be One Make One Devotions Discipleship 0 comments Add comment

“How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’” (Rom. 10:14-15, ESV).

The final key to making disciples is launching. As you have heard in our church on numerous occasions, our church (and your community group) is not a holding tank but a launching pad. A mature, growing disciple is not just moving out into the world as an individual, but launching others to do the same.

We may not feel ready, the people we are leading may not seem ready, but the time is short and the world is slipping away and we have to get moving. Our definition of a disciple is someone who is a student or follower of Jesus, a person who is modeling their life on Jesus. And one of the most foundational characteristics of Jesus is that he was “sent” (Phil. 2:1-11).

Jesus himself makes this clear to the disciples after the resurrection, when he says, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you” (John 20:21). God the father launched his Son into the world to save us from sin. The Son sends the Spirit. And now the Spirit sends us.

A disciple who makes disciples who then make other disciples is going out into the world and launching others on a similar trajectory. Our part in God’s mission depends on this.

Dear Father,
If I am honest, this idea of being sent is both scary and exciting. I want to be a part of something big, to be actively involved in the Kingdom you are growing, but at the same time it makes me a little nervous. Please give me courage to step out in faith.
Amen