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Scripture: Lamentations 4:1-5:22, Hebrews 2:1-18, Psalm 103:1-22, Proverbs 26:23

You gave them authority over all things.” Now when it says “all things,” it means nothing is left out. But we have not yet seen all things put under their authority. (Hebrews 2:8)

Observation: Today is Halloween. The devil’s day… right? Its the day everybody does scary things and glorifies vampires and demons and all the satanists are performing their rituals under the full moon… right? When you look into Halloween’s past, it is clearly the most evil, occultic, wicked day… right? No God fearing Christian would have anything to do with Halloween… right?

NO!

The devil doesn’t get a day. All things are under our authority. This isn’t a day we should cower in fear. This isn’t a day where we should hide ourselves in our homes with the lights off or cloister ourselves in our churches cut off from culture. This day belongs to God. The potential for good today is huge if only we take hold of it. All things are under our authority even if it doesn’t seem like it. I can only imagine how frustrated the devil must feel with the fact that a day that supposedly belongs to him is a day of community. Parents spend time going out with their children to meet their neighbors who in turn say nice things and give gifts to the kids. The opportunity is so rich… if only we grab hold.

Application: So what are you going to be for Halloween? Me, I’m going to be a Christian. I’m going to be a good neighbor and a good coworker. I’m going to find a way to encourage kids, build relationship with their parents. Because this day does not belong to the Devil. It belongs to God. And He has given me authority over it.

Prayer: Dear God, help me to take advantage of the opportunities that will be so rich today. Help me to use this day to plant seeds and show love to my neighbors. Help me to redeem the day rather than hide from it. Help me to be more like You, abandoning the comforts of the Kingdom to advance the cause of the Kingdom. Help me to live in the authority You have given me.

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Scripture: Lamentations 1:1-2:22, Philemon 1:1-25, Psalm 101:1-8, Proverbs 26:20

And I am praying that you will put into action the generosity that comes from your faith as you understand and experience all the good things we have in Christ. (Philemon 1:6)

Observation: As I type this, Broome County is less than 3 hours away from a state of emergency. It has already been declared and, if Hurricane Sandy does anything close to the floods we got in ’11 and ’06, rightfully so. Binghamton is a city that people start getting nervous if it rains two days in a row so you can imagine what some of us are going through. I had a friend who had purchased a 100k house just a month before the ’06 flood who had to cut his losses just weeks later. Insurance wouldn’t cover and the cost of repair was far more than the deposit and the damage to his credit as he defaulted. Just one of many, many stories that everyone in this area has. Now we’re looking straight in the face of a possible rerun.

Application: We are also looking at the possibility to express God’s love in an abundance of ways. My house is in an area that, last year became in island. That means in every direction there are people who might need someone to demonstrate God’s love and a little hope and encouragement. I might have neighbors who are elderly or have young children that I could drop by to check in on. If we lose power, someone down the street might not have a working flashlight or candles. They might need some dry stock food or a few water bottles. After the flood passes through there will almost definitely be groups forming to help clean up and offer shelter that I could volunteer my time in. There will possibly be windows to board up, branches to clear out and an abundance of other small tasks that would cost a little time but reap an eternal benefit. We will have the opportunity to put into action the generosity that comes from our faith.

Prayer: Those in the path of this hurricane, pray not only for your own safety and protection but also those you know nearby who might not be able to prepare and react to the conditions as well. Those who are not in this storms path… thank you for your prayers.

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Scripture: Jeremiah 51:1-53, Titus 2:1-15, Psalm 99:1-9, Proverbs 26:17

He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds. (Titus 2:14)

Observation: Jesus died. God died. It’s something we know, and we’ve heard so many times that it’s hard to allow the impact of that statement to really, truly sink in. He died. The Creator and sustainer of the universe shrunk into the frail, fragile weakness of humanity. The genie, when he first explains his capabilities and dreams yells out, voice thundering through the room, “INFINITE POWER OF THE UNIVERSE!!” Then he says in a small boyish voice, “In an itty bitty living space.” That’s it. Jesus, the Creator, became weak and frail in an itty bitty living space. He got sick. He got tired. He got weak and hungry. Then He was tortured, humiliated, and killed. For you. For me.

Application: He died to free me from sin. So am I living in freedom? Why not? If He was tortured and killed to free me, why am I not living in freedom? He died to make me clean. Why am I a mess? He died to make me a part of His family? Then why do I feel so alone? He took my sin so I can live for Him. Am I? Are you? He has done so much for us. He has opened up access for us to so much more than we have stepped into. Why are we not taking hold of it? Or perhaps you are and I’m just talking to myself. He died… and sometimes I feel like I’m wasting what He has done for me.

Prayer: God, I am sorry. I’m sorry that I have taken Your grace so flippantly. I am sorry that the hard truth of what You have done for me so often fails to bring me to tears. I am sorry that I have not stepped through the doors You have opened for me. Help me to realize that You have died to make me Yours. Help me to live my life totally committed to doing the good deeds You have appointed for me.

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Scripture: Jeremiah 49:23-50:46, Titus 1:1-16, Psalm 97:1-98:9, Proverbs 26:13-16

Even one of their own men, a prophet from Crete, has said about them, “The people of Crete are all liars, cruel animals, and lazy gluttons.” This is true. So reprimand them sternly to make them strong in the faith. (Titus 1:12-13)

Observation: Paul wasn’t very politically correct, was he? Just imagine a pastor throwing a blanket out there like that today. We’d call him Jerry Falwell or think he was from Westboro Baptist Church or something. The thing is, even if we don’t use them publically, most cultures have certain characteristics that, to others become stereotypes. If you say French, I think someone lounging around all day at a cafe looking down on everyone else. If you say British, I’m going to think of someone very stuffy and uptight. All Asians are great students. Germans make excellent engineers. The Spanish and Brazilians have the best soccer players in the world. Italians…

Application: Each stereotype has its origins in some shred of truth, and stereotypes don’t just have to do with ethnicity. How often do I use my background, or my ethnicity, or my experiences, or my upbringing as an excuse for my own behavior. “Of course I’m going to be a compulsive liar, I’m a Cretin.” That’s what the people Titus was sent to minister might have said, I might say instead, “I can’t help that anger, I’m part _____” What are my excuses? Rather than trying to ignore the stereotypes of his day for the sake of political correctness, Paul encouraged Titus to address them head on. The only excuse we have for our behavior is the blood of Jesus. The only thing we can say is, “I can’t help living right, I’m a child of God.”

Prayer: God, help me to make You my only excuse. I recognize that because of my culture and background there are going to be some sin issues that will be more difficult for me to overcome. I also recognize that because I am Yours, I am a new creation. Please, keep recreating me until the only thing people can see in me is You.

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Scripture: Jeremiah 48:1-49:22, 2 Timothy 4:1-22, Psalm 95:1-96:13, Proverbs 26:9-12

Give to the Lord the glory he deserves. Bring your offering and come into his courts. (Psalm 96:8)

Observation: The other day I was waiting tables on what I thought was the nicest couple I’d ever met. Boy was I wrong. I said my name when they first sat down, the gentleman shook my hand and they both gave me their name, thanked me for serving them then got their drinks. Every time I did anything at the table I got a smile and a thank you. They pretended that they were really grateful and I was feeling like I truly enjoyed serving them. Then all that went right out the door. When they left their tip it was $1.19 on a $48.81 bill. All of a sudden all of their kind words and smiles meant nothing. They were cheap, they took up one of my tables, and they wasted my time.

Application: That last sentence shows how far I still have to come in showing gratitude and having a servants heart. Doesn’t it? But there’s also a truth there. Words mean little if they aren’t followed by action. When we say we are grateful, we should show it. If I say I love someone but nothing beyond my words demonstrates it, soon those words will mean less and less. If a parent is always threatening but never punishing their child, soon the child is always ignoring the parent. If we say we love God, lets prove it. Give God the glory He deserves. Bring your offering and come into His courts.

Prayer: God, help me to love You not just in word, but also in action. Let my lifestyle reflect how worthy I know You to be of all my praise. Help me to pour out on others the love You have for me. I give You an offering of my actions, my time, and my finances. Let them be pleasing to You.

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Read: Jeremiah 42:1-44:23, 2 Timothy 2:1-21, Psalm 92:1-93:5, Proverbs 26:3-5

Whether we like it or not, we will obey the Lord our God to whom we are sending you with our plea. For if we obey him, everything will turn out well for us. (Jeremiah 42:6)

Relate: There was a really catchy song playing nonstop on the radio way back when I was in high school. You might have heard it:

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“It’s like rain on your wedding day. It’s a free ride when you’ve already paid. It’s the good advice, that you just didn’t take…” sing that line again. “Its the good advice, that you just didn’t take.” Ever been there? Ever asked someone for their opinion or their advice and then didn’t take it because it didn’t line up with what you had already decided to do? What if you were asking that advice of God?

React: There’s another song that was also very popular but much more recently:

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“Jesus take the wheel. Take it from my hands. Cause I can’t do this on my own. I’m letting go. So give me one more chance. To save me from this road I’m on.” Wouldn’t it have been awesome if the Israelites, after asking God which way they should go actually followed the advice God gave them. Wouldn’t it have been awesome if they sang the latter song when asking rather the first one decades later. Not one of those who disobeyed God that day ever made it back home. Not one. Who would have thought… it figures.

Respond: God help me to be obedient to You. You have shown me which way to go. You’ve given me 66 books worth of instructions and have placed Your Spirit in me to lead and guide me. There is no lack of advice. But all too often there is not nearly enough obedience. For that, I’m sorry. Help me to better follow through.

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Scripture: Jeremiah 35:1-36:32, 1 Timothy 5:1-25, Psalm 89:14-37, Proverbs 25:25-27

Remember, the sins of some people are obvious, leading them to certain judgment. But there are others whose sins will not be revealed until later. In the same way, the good deeds of some people are obvious. And the good deeds done in secret will someday come to light. (1 Timothy 5:24-25)

Observation: We live in a very public world. Everything is on display. For  politician running for office, the picture from a party thirty years ago could cost him enough votes to lose the election. Actors and athletes and royalty have paparazzi following their every move. I’ve wondered, how easy would it be for me to have dozens of people, cameras at the ready watching my every move? How quickly would they be able to catch me doing something wrong? How long could I go before I snap and end up throwing some poor guy’s camera (or cell phone) into the river? Would that end up getting me labeled by the media as a “rebel” or “antisocial”? We can read about the coming and goings of certain people’s lives, but does that mean we are any closer to truly knowing who they are? We’ve got our hot button issues of what is right and what is wrong, but does that really make us any closer to leading people towards true godliness?

Application: Peter was a very public person. We all applaud him when he says “you are the Christ, son of the living God” then just a few seconds later we are all castigating him as Christ says, “Get behind me, Satan.” Peter lived a very public life and he gets to be our model and our scapegoat. But what about Andrew? Without Andrew, there would be no Peter. He brought Peter to Jesus and just about every time we read about Andrew he isn’t saying or doing much… except bringing people to Jesus.

Each of us lives in the limelight and the shadow. We have a public and a private life. The good things in my private life, I am always wishing more people would notice. The bad things in my private life, I pray they never do, at least until God has cleaned house and it is part of my past. But what about when something private in another becomes public? When they get the praise, do I get jealous? When they take the shame do I gloat? Do I kick them when they’re down? How I speak or react to the public lives of another says a lot more about me than it does about them.

Prayer: God, I know You are just. You are good. Sometimes I wish that the scales between private life and public justice were more balanced, but only when it would be in my favor. Help me to gain victory over the private weakness in my own life before I speak down on others whose sin is public. Help me to rejoice with those who gain public favor now while waiting, trusting You to make all things right. In Your time.

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Scripture: Jeremiah 33:1-34:22, 1 Timothy 4:1-16, Psalm 89:1-13, Proverbs 25:23-24

Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right for the sake of your own salvation and the salvation of those who hear you. (1 Timothy 4:16)

Observation: What to Winston Churchill, John Wesley, Thomas Jefferson, Soren Kierkegaard, Ben Franklin, Teddy Roosevelt, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Christopher Colombus, Ronald Reagan, Thomas Merton, Henry David Thoreau, and Anne Frank have in common? The last one probably gives it away. They all kept a journal.

Application: I could talk about some of the many reasons why it is important to keep a journal. I could show how it is a great vent for stress and greatly reduces the odds of getting stress related illnesses. I could talk about how it improves your organizational and relational skills. I could show how it improves both short term and long term memory. I could talk about how it helps maintain a better focus and purpose in your life. Actually, I will stop there. Because that is what Paul is commanding Timothy here. Keep close watch on your lifestyle and teaching. Stay true to what is right. Keeping a journal is the best and most efficient way to be obedient to that command.

What are some of the meaningful conversations you had yesterday? What did you do right? What did you do wrong? How has the way you think and act and speak changed over the course of the past year? How are you moving forward in the long term goals in your life? Not only does keeping a journal help you ask and answer questions like these, but it is also a great way to see how your answers have changed over time. It helps you step back and listen (then record) what God might be saying to you regarding your faith and conduct. A lot of emphasis has been put on the importance of having a mentor (or life coach) in the past few years and I think it is important to have one, but keeping a journal is like having yourself as a mentor with more frequency and honesty in the discussion.

Prayer: Instead of just saying a prayer or reading mine, why not grab a pen and paper and write out your own prayer to God?

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Scripture: Jeremiah 31:27-32:44, 1 Timothy 3:1-16, Psalm 88:1-18, Proverbs 25:20-22

If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat.
    If they are thirsty, give them water to drink. (Proverbs 25:21)

Observation: There’s a story of a soldier during Vietnam. He and his battalion had just gone into a small village that was suspected of harboring Viet Cong. They tore the place up. With weeing women, old men and small children looking on, they ransacked that place as thoroughly as possible but found nothing. Finally they moved on.

Just up the trail a bit the battalion was ambushed. The soldier was hit and blacked out. He remembered waking up briefly, still on that trail, to see an old woman leaning over him.This was a woman he remembered seeing in that village and before blacking out again, he thought he was going to die. The next thing he knew, he was back in that village, the wound in his side had been cleaned and bandaged and a different villager offered him a cup of tea. A short time later the sound of an approaching helicopter was heard and all those from the village melted away to the woods. Army medics picked him up and this soldier, who should have died but for the kindness of his enemies, was carried away.

Application: A guy that I had been witnessing to once told me, “One thing I like about you, BJ, is that you never get mad.” As I started to get proud of myself he continued: “Nope, you don’t get mad. You just smile and then get even.” I opened my mouth to argue the point, and then shut it again. It was true. God help me, but it is true. Loving my enemies is such a nice thing to talk about or think about, but its such a hard thing to actually do.

Prayer: Dear God, I fall so short in this. You have provided such a beautiful example for me, but I have so much trouble following it. Please help me. Help me to love others just as You loved me when was still an enemy of the cross. Help me to forgive them, not just with my intellect because I know I have to, but also with my heart. With the core of my being. Thank You for lovng me. Help me to love others.

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