Daily Devotional

Matthew 23:37

"Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing."

Isaiah 1:18-20

"Come now, let us settle the matter,"
says the Lord.
"Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool.

If you are willing and obedient,
you will eat the good things of the land;

but if you resist and rebel,
you will be devoured by the sword."
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

Isaiah 30:15

This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says:
"In repentance and rest is your salvation,
in quietness and trust is your strength,
but you would have none of it.

In today’s Scripture readings, take notice of the word “willing” and of the phrase “but you would have none of it.” One of the biggest obstacles to listening to God and obeying Him is unwillingness of spirit and a refusal to submit our own ways, knowledge, and control to God’s. Just as we began the week by solidifying the “givens” and “tools” needed to listen and obey, I thought we should end the week by remembering the necessity of being willing and [don’t shudder] submissive.

We must be willing to listen, and then we must be willing to obey. We must be willing to accept God’s authority in our lives over our own knowledge and our own ideas of how things should go. This is never more difficult then when circumstances in our lives are going the exact opposite of the way we want them to go!

God gives us promises in His word both of what to expect here on earth and what to expect in the future.  What we do with His words depends on whether we have an unwilling or willing spirit. In our culture we will describe people (grown or small) as strong-willed when they are hardheaded, stubborn, persistent, and at times, down right difficult. It sounds nicer to say strong-willed I suppose. The truth is, most adult Christians I know are strong-willed in how they related to God – even the most mild mannered of them! Why? Because most of us still want to hold on to some control of some part of our lives rather than fully submit all areas of our lives to God. We hold back love or compassion from those who are hard to love, we hold back trust from God because we’ve never been able to trust anyone, we hold back certain areas of our lives like our sexual purity or finances because they are “personal”. Part of being a Christ-follower is being submissive to the authority and therefore the voice of God. We must have a willing spirit to accept the word God offers and a submissive spirit that is willing to obey. Otherwise, the balance of power is skewed and peaceful relationship and interaction with God becomes much more difficult and tumultuous not at His doing, but because of our strong wills – because at times “[we will] have none of it.”

• Where do you find unwillingness in you to obey or in what areas do you find an unwillingness to surrender them to God?
• Does the word submission imply weakness to you? Ask God to help you redefine submission according to His purpose.
• What has God said that you need to obey this week?

Pray the following passage into your life to end this week:

From Ephesians 3:14-19

“For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

John 10:1-9

"Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice." Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.

Therefore Jesus said again, "Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.t They will come in and go out, and find pasture.

John 10:14-15

"I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.

Comparison to a flock of sheep seems a stretch for us in this present age. We don’t have a gigantic knowledge base [at least the majority of us] about shepherding or tending a flock. I am currently doing a study called “Discerning the Voice of God” by Priscilla Shirar and she did some research for her study by talking with a modern day shepherd familiar with customs of shepherding present in Jesus’ time. The shepherd told her that in Jesus’ day different shepherds would often put their sheep in the same gate for safekeeping in the night. When a shepherd came, he would enter the gate and do a specific call that only his sheep recognized. At that point, only his sheep would gather and follow him out of the pen.  Why? Because they knew their shepherd’s voice and his way of calling them. Because of this intimate knowing of the shepherd’s voice they wouldn’t follow anyone else.

Take a moment and think about the people you know and how you know their voices. I’ve often thought about this parable in terms of being in a crowded room with my back to the door. I would know my husband arrived before I ever laid eyes on him as soon as he said “Hey” to someone as he came in. Why? I know his voice. One step further; if he called for me and asked me to follow him, I would go even if I did not know what exactly we were doing or where we were going. I trust him, I know him and so I would follow him. On the contrary if a stranger called for me and asked me to follow him, I would not go. I would not trust him because I would not know him so I would not follow him. In the same way as we grow in our relationship with God we grow to trust Him as we know Him and so, we should follow Him [a.k.a. obey Him].

Do you interact with God enough that you know Him? Have you experienced His ways so that you trust Him?

Would you know His voice if He called for you and would you follow Him even if you did not know where you are going? Consider Abraham and God’s call to him in Genesis 12:1 “The LORD had said to Abram, ‘Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.’ ” God goes on to make some promises to Abram about his future while still not revealing exactly where they were headed. By verse 4, Abram has a simple response. It says, “So Abram left, as the LORD had told him.”

• Fill in the blanks with your name and your circumstances: The Lord said to (name), “(circumstance or command).” So(name) (your response).

John 14:22-24

Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, "But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?"

Jesus replied, "Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

1 John 2:4-6

Whoever says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.

A connection exists between love and obedience. Jesus very clearly states that anyone who loves Him will obey His teaching. Jesus did not say “might obey, or should obey, or could obey.” He confidently implied that a natural consequence of loving Jesus is obeying Him.

Have you noticed how often passages about listening and obeying also reference the roles of the triune God? In the John 14 passage, for example, we see Jesus referring to the Father joining Him to make their home with the person who obeys. He also references that He is not speaking His own words, but the words that belong to the Father who sent Him. Then in verse 25-26, we see Jesus set up the Holy Spirit again by saying, “All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father [there He is again] will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” Jesus is passing the teaching baton to the Spirit and stating that once He leaves, the Father will yet again send just what His people need in the Spirit. We see them all working together and we see them listening to each other and complying with the Father. Jesus and the Holy Spirit are perfect models of how we should love God the Father by listening to Him and obeying His teachings.

As I have become a parent, God has instructed me on how to parent my children by asking me through His word and in my heart, “How do I parent you?” It changes how and why I discipline when I remember how and why God disciplines me. It changes how I discuss wrong choices when I remember how God deals with my wrong choices and addresses them in Scripture. You get the idea. The love and obedience package also makes an appearance in my home as I often tell my children that one way they can show love to mommy and daddy is by obeying us, by doing what we ask right when we ask.  When viewed as a way of loving us, obedience becomes less about the rules and more about the relationship. They don’t understand this fully, yet, but we can as we interact with God.

God is more trustworthy than any parent and we can obey Him as an act of love more to maintain our relationship with Him than to simply appease or satisfy Him. Obedience keeps things good between God and us and keeps our feet from stumbling down paths they were never meant to travel. Embracing the dynamic duo of love and obedience is a win, win. 

• What type of relationship do you truly desire to have with God?
• Are there past hurts from a parent/guardian that keep you from trusting God and therefore from obeying Him?
• How can you love God more deeply today by taking a step of obedience?

Deuteronomy 5:22-32

These are the commandments the Lord proclaimed in a loud voice to your whole assembly there on the mountain from out of the fire, the cloud and the deep darkness; and he added nothing more. Then he wrote them on two stone tablets and gave them to me.

When you heard the voice out of the darkness, while the mountain was ablaze with fire, all the leaders of your tribes and your elders came to me. And you said, "The Lord our God has shown us his glory and his majesty, and we have heard his voice from the fire. Today we have seen that a person can live even if God speaks with them. But now, why should we die? This great fire will consume us, and we will die if we hear the voice of the Lord our God any longer. For what mortal has ever heard the voice of the living God speaking out of fire, as we have, and survived? Go near and listen to all that the Lord our God says. Then tell us whatever the Lord our God tells you. We will listen and obey."

The Lord heard you when you spoke to me, and the Lord said to me, "I have heard what this people said to you. Everything they said was good. Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever!

"Go, tell them to return to their tents. But you stay here with me so that I may give you all the commands, decrees and laws you are to teach them to follow in the land I am giving them to possess."

So be careful to do what the Lord your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.

While God desires to speak to us and gives us the Holy Spirit as a messenger, imparter and advocate of His word, we must remember we are dealing with Almighty God. Today’s daily reading reminds me of how great God is and at the same time reminds me His heart is that of a Father – someone who wants a good relationship with us and who wants what’s best for us.  

This side of the cross, sometimes we forget the absolute holiness, majesty and power of God because we spend so much time relating to Christ as our brother, friend, and Savior. Neither perspective of God is wrong, it’s just that one without the other is lacking. God is most certainly on His throne and can speak or not speak as He wishes. What peeks my interest in today’s passage, is both God’s desire to speak and the great desire of the people to hear from Him so they can obey Him even as they act completely shocked that they survived the hearing of His voice.

As I read the passage I thought about how much easier it is to obey someone who you know has the authority to tell you what to do. After experiencing listening to His voice, obedience seemed the natural result for the people and the expectation from God. I don’t believe the heart of God is to promote Himself or to just be in charge. Notice his heart in verse 32, “so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.” Cliff’s Notes version: so that you do not miss out on the fullness of the blessing and provision I have in store for you. While ours may not be in the form of a promised land, we do have the promise of heaven and of abundant life until then if we will simply walk with God. He wants us to listen and obey so that we experience the fullness of God and His blessings.

• When was the last time you meditated on the greatness of God?
• Read Psalm 29 and reflect on the greatness and power of His voice. Let that motivate you to listen and to obey.

John 16:7-15

But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

"I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you."

Colossians 2:2-3

My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge

In order for us to talk about listening and obeying God, there are a couple of “givens” that must exist in our belief system. First, we must believe God speaks to us. We can’t just believe He spoke to people long ago; we must also believe He speaks to us today. We are affirmed in that belief through New Testament Scripture regarding the Holy Spirit that explain he only speaks what he hears from the father and that he leads us into all truth (John 16:13). Since the Spirit was the Advocate Jesus needed to come after Him who would speak on His behalf (John 16:7; 14-15), then the Spirit is evidence God still has things to say to us.

Second, we need to believe God is worth following. This should be settled for us the moment we decide to receive Christ. The fact that God’s Word and words through His Spirit are worth obeying (and are the only true wisdom) must be a given in our lives in order for us to actually be motivated to take the time to listen and then to have the courage and perseverance to obey.

Listening and obeying also require some “tools of the trade.” These tools include time, transparency, trust, and tenacity. It takes time to listen in general, and we must be willing to take the time to hear from God. It takes transparency before God of all our doubts and of all our shortcomings so nothing clogs the line of communication between us. It takes trust in God to follow and obey Him even if we don’t completely understand the direction He’s leading. Finally, it takes tenacity, because following God requires being willing to persevere in obedience even when it’s not easy, or comfortable, or convenient.

So before we move forward into this week I have a few questions for you:

• Do you believe God speaks?
• Do you believe God holds all wisdom and He is worth following?
• What tools do you still need in order to be a better listener to or follower of God?

Hebrews 4:1-2

Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed.

Matthew 11:28-29

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."

There is a promised rest for God’s people. While we learned yesterday that a rhythm, in this life, of work and rest is essential for our well being, God has instituted an eternal rest he calls his people to.

We’re not talking about death here. Many people believe death is an eternal sleep (hence the R.I.P – rest in peace – on tombstones), and that our toils in this life are rewarded by a very long nap when we finish. This is not true. The people of God will live forever, and the rest that God is calling his people to is different than some eternal vacation.

It is resting from our works, resting from our need and desire to earn love and salvation, resting from the trials and tribulations this current world is overwhelmed with. God is calling his people to rest in the finished work of his Son, Jesus – to work in this life out of that refreshment – and he is promising his people a future rest where we won’t need to toil, sweat, bleed, and moan anymore.

That is the good news Jesus proclaims in Matthew 11:28-29. We can come to him if we are weary and burdened under the yoke of this world. If we are weighed down by the pressures of this world, hauling the plow to a weed-ridden ground, we can flee to Jesus and he will gently and humbly teach us his way to live. Remember our truth from yesterday: Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath, so he more than anyone in the world has the ability to remove burdens and give peace.

You already know that, as a Christian, you will work hard in this life – we saw that at the beginning of this week. The rest Jesus promises is not a removal of the expectation to live faithfully in our role as ambassadors and forth-tellers of the Kingdom.

But, in the midst of this difficult work, we can always turn to Jesus and receive, in Him, a Sabbath rest.

I pray that you will take time this day, or this week, to turn to Jesus. Will you let him remove the world’s yoke and place his upon you? Will you rest from your troubles and strivings and receive from him forgiveness? You need not spend another moment without rest – Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath, and the Sabbath was made for you.

Mark 2:27-28

Then he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath."

Today is a good day for those who have “run-run-run” for the past three days. We’re going to talk about rest. Why? Because the Christian life isn’t just about training and running – it’s also very much about rest.

Jesus reveals two very important truths in today’s verses: he is Lord even of the Sabbath, and the Sabbath was made for man.

First, we must see that Jesus is Lord over all. In Matthew, Jesus’ final message to the disciples is that all authority, in heaven and on Earth, has been given to him. Why is this such an important fact? Because it means Jesus can not only command us to run, but also to rest – He has the authority over our lives to guide us in the best possible way, whether that be through working and striving or resting and replenishing.

Have you ever felt as if the Christian life was one of constant movement, constant growth, constant change, constant work? If so, I believe it is God’s word for you today that rest is an integral part of your life.

In the Old Testament, God commanded rest for his people and the land they inhabited. If you know anything about agriculture, you know it is imperative the ground have time to rest. If you over-cultivate, you can destroy the ground’s ability to produce. The same is true for you: if all you ever do is dig and work and try to pull the harvest of righteousness out of your life, without taking time to refresh the soil of your soul, your heart could be ruined.

Jesus says the Sabbath was made for man – meaning God instituted rest as a part of life and law. God understands the rhythm of work and rest that is essential for endurance, and he commands us to adhere to it. Every person needs to find time for rest.

• Do you have trouble finding rest? What things could you do to institute that rhythm into your life?

Philippians 2:12-13

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

Running a race is difficult. My wife and I ran a 10K last year and I had trouble keeping up with the training, let alone pushing through on race day. I didn’t want to give up my time at night or on the weekends to run, my knees were giving me trouble, and it was (slightly) embarrassing to watch my wife outpace me all the time.

There are going to be countless times in our lives where we are exerting ourselves as Christians and want to grumble, we’re going to want to quit. It happened to Israel in the desert, it’s going to happen to us.

But Paul admonishes us and encourages us.

First the correction: don’t grumble. Why not? Because grumbling and arguing reveals the truth about our hearts. This isn’t about behavior modification – Christianity isn’t a race of rules and regulations – it’s a race to test our heart, our devotion, our endurance. And when we argue with each other or grumble about our circumstances, we reveal how ungrateful and selfish we really are. My time is more important than training, running, and finishing. The truth is: my time is not my time. I have sworn allegiance to Jesus and I now run this race for Him.

Now to balm that little sting: it is God who works in you to will and to act to fulfill his good purpose.

Translation? If you are a Christian, God Himself leverages his power inside of you to do the things he commands.

That doesn’t get us off the hook of accountability. God is responsible insomuch as he remains faithful to his word to send his Holy Spirit to empower us. But we are accountable to “partner” with the Spirit to, as Paul says, work out our salvation.

• What part of the race are you trying to run on your own power? Where do you need to allow God to work and will in your life?
• What part of the race are you grumbling and arguing with God about? Where do you need to “push through” and work out your salvation?

Hebrews 12:1-3

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us

I hope you didn’t lose hope after Monday’s devotion, because the aim of today’s message is to encourage you to continue fighting the good fight and running the race set out before you.

The truth still stands – running the Christian “race” is going to require sacrifice and endurance. However, today’s verses give us a wonderful hope: we don’t run the race alone!

My hope is that you see yourself as part of Christ’s Church – not just a local body like Southland, but part of a group of people who have run the same race before you, and others all over the world currently running with you. The Christian life is not solitary – Scripture teaches we are inextricably connected to Christians past, present, and future who put their trust in Jesus and bring Him glory by running the race set before them.

I hope you have Christians in your life right now that you can spend time with to share your “training regimen” as well as discuss the obstacles and difficulties you face. There is a great blessing in having like-minded people who will not only support you, but stand (and run) beside you cheering you on.

If you, for whatever reason, find yourself without such encouragement right now, I want to take this time to be your support (and I pray God will soon bring people into your life for such a purpose):

Take heart, friend! The troubles you undergo in your life are no different than what your brothers and sisters in Christ face all around the world – and they are not even worth comparing to the glory of being with Jesus in eternity. You have placed your trust in Jesus – so know that he has begun a good work in your life and he is faithful to complete it! He is Truth, and his words are true – and he has promised to dwell with you, teach you, train you, support you, and enable you to run the race he’s given you. Do not lost heart or grow weary, for you will reap a harvest if you remain faithful!

Additional reading:

• 1 Peter 5:9
• Romans 8:18
• Philippians 1:6
• Psalm 119:160
• Ezekiel 37:27
• John 14:26
• Galatians 6:9

1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

Malcolm Gladwell, a best-selling author of numerous books related to social science and psychology, posited the “10,000 hour rule” in his book *Outliers*. He suggests greatness requires a massive investment of time and practice, not just talent. His research shows many of the most influential and successful people in the world honed their crafts through rigorous exercise.

Paul uses an athletic metaphor to bring home the same point: if you want to not only run the race, but finish -- and finish well -- you must endure strict training. Many of the world’s top athletes sacrifice time, comfort, and resources to build their bodies and their talents to elite levels. The “race” of faith requires the same level of discipline.

You might not be an athlete, or into athletics, but don’t toss aside the teaching just because of the imagery. The race Paul talks about is our life, and the prize for successful completion is eternal life and communion with God. Every person who lives is experiencing training and obstacles and fighting to endure, so Paul isn’t just speaking to people into running or biking.

When a person trains for an event, it often requires sacrifice: changing diet, adjusting schedules, maintaining focus and drive. Paul’s last line is vitally important: he is out to make his body his tool to complete the race, so that after all the hardship and training he’s had to endure, he will finish well and receive the reward.

• How do you think you are doing in the Christian “race?” Are you tired? Have you fallen behind? Or has your sacrifice to train helped you endure?
• What things could you invest 10,000 hours in that would benefit your Christian life and set you up to finish the race well?

Genesis 12:1

The Lord had said to Abram, "Go from your country, your people and your father's household to the land I will show you.

Hebrews 11:8

By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.

Go. Last time, we talked about how the call to go might  be a call to reach deeper into your own community. This might have been an uncomfortable idea for some, but others might use that idea as a cop out (because they really are called to leave their home and go far away).   Sometimes the call to go doesn’t mean your neighborhood, your workplace, your community. Sometimes the call to go means go elsewhere.

Abraham’s call was this sort of call. God called him to leave his home, his family, and his inheritance. And it wasn’t just Abraham that was affected by this call. His family lost a son, his wife was uprooted, his servants and flocks and everything he owned had to come with him, too. This was probably not a comfortable idea. This call to go probably wasn’t Abraham’s first choice.

But it was the one God called him to. Abraham wasn’t even told the final location, and he certainly wasn’t told what the journey would entail. And he stepped out in faith—he went trusting God. Because of Abraham’s faithfulness to the call, God blessed him, more than he could have ever imagined. His wife bore a son, when she should have been unable, his descendants because too numerous to count, and his bloodlines can be traced right down to Jesus of Nazareth.

• Is God calling you to go? Is the calling making you uncomfortable, thinking about all that you would have to give up? You are in good company. If God is placing the “go” call on your life, He will not make you go alone. If you step out and follow Him, He will bless you. Maybe not in children or land or inheritance, like Abraham. But certainly in a deeper knowledge of Him, in a fuller understanding of His faithfulness, and richer picture of His love for you and for the world.

Matthew 28:18-20

As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will send you out to fish for people." At once they left their nets and followed him.

Jesus called his disciples to come into His presence so that they could learn how to go into the world. Like the disciples, we were called into Jesus’ presence so that we could be prepared to go. It was never Jesus’ intention to stay with these men forever, but He taught them what they needed to know (whether or not they knew this was the case). Likewise, it is not Jesus’ intention (nor the Church’s function) to pour into someone’s life with no return.

The Great Commission is a topic very often covered. It is used for missionaries, for ministers, and for those with a strong sense of a vocation. What we forget is that it is a calling for ordinary people, too. You and me. We are included in this call to go.

This “go” might not mean Africa, South America, Asia. This “go” might mean your office, your gym, your home. After having been in the presence of God, we are called to bring this presence (and the knowledge gathered while in it) to the world. It doesn't have to be a remote island, in can be in the cubicle next to yours. 

• Go share with others about your understanding of who Jesus is—not for your glory or spirituality, but because God desires them to know it, too. They cannot hear the call to come into His presence unless someone goes to tell them of this call (Read Romans 10:14-17!).
• Go reach out. Go teach. Go disciple. Go love. And go knowing God is with you in the endeavor.

Matthew 4:18-20

As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will send you out to fish for people." At once they left their nets and followed him.

When Jesus chose his disciples, he didn’t go to the scholars or the wealthy, he went to the common working-class. And these men obeyed his call to come with him—Matthew tells us they left their nets “at once.” They didn’t hesitate, they didn’t stop to clean up their lives (or livelihoods) first—they just came. They were able to do this because they knew who He was, and they knew He would teach them many things.

When Jesus called you to come to Him, He didn’t seek you out for your abilities. He didn’t seek you out for your talents or your wealth or your possessions or your strengths. He sought you out because He saw in you the willingness to come to Him. He sought you out because He saw the potential in you to build His Church.

Jesus called His disciples to come with him in order to teach them about Himself and in order to teach them how to reach others. This is the same reason that He calls you to Himself. He wants you to learn about who He is and how to share Him with others. “Come” is a call for Christians, not for the world—we are called to go into the world to bring Christ to them, just as Jesus taught His disciples to do.

• Jesus didn’t just call you once then leave you to your own devices—He is constantly calling you to “come.” Coming into his presence usually results in our going into the world.
• Come and follow, come and learn, come and be discipled, come and be led into the world, where He can use you to reach others.

Psalm 100

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.

Worship the Lord with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.

Know that the Lord is God.
It is he who made us, and we are hist;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.

For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.

The Lord is good. His love is steadfast. He is faithful. These words from the psalmist alone should be enough to get you singing! But too often, we don’t sing. I don’t mean in a I-don’t-have-a-good-singing-voice type of way; sometimes we just lack the joyfulness it takes to sing.

We live in a world that promotes negativity. We whine about things and call it venting. We make fun of people and call it humor.   We’re quick to point out the bad before even looking for the good. We love picking things apart and examining all the things wrong with it. Our news, our television shows, our magazines—they’re all full of negativity!

That’s the secular world we live in. But as Christians, we often inhabit this negative frame of mind as well. Have you ever seen a Christian website when a controversial subject is brought up, when a leader is exposed in sin, or when someone’s toes feel a little stepped on?

What happened to “coming into his presence with singing”? We’ve traded in our joyfulness for the idea that it’s cool to be negative. But it’s not. And we have the key to avoiding this mentality—we have a reason for joy. Not happy feelings, not constant mountain-top elation, but joy—pervasive, enduring joy.

• Make a list today of all the things God has done in your life that bring you joy.
• Maybe you will feel a little more like singing after that – remember, we have a God who not only allows but invites us to come into His presence. And he doesn’t mind our singing voices.

Matthew 11:28

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

Who’s the first person you go to when you’ve had a bad day? A spouse? A best friend? Whoever it is—it’s someone you trust, someone reliable.  If you have such a person, you probably feel better after talking to them and letting off some steam. But, other than offering advice, there’s not much this person can do to change your circumstances or your perspective.

But there is one who can. And he wants to be the one you run to—with everything. Jesus calls those who are weary, those who are burdened, those who just need someone to turn to. He promises rest for those who do come to him—something that even the greatest of friends cannot do.  If you’re carrying a heavy load and feel there’s no one to help shoulder the burden, you are wrong. God wants you to run to him with that burden.  He wants you to lay it at his feet, and he wants you hand over the responsibility of carrying it to him.

The size of your burden doesn’t matter—it may be massive and painful, but it can also be a small thing -- like a bad day or a disappointment. Nothing is too big or too small for Jesus to care about; nothing is too big or too small for Jesus to carry.

• Enter into His rest today—let go of your burdens and your weariness. Allow him to lift the weight off your shoulders and put it on his own. He already knows the things you are dealing with, He just wants you to bring it to him and admit that you need help with the weight.