Good morning. This is a devotional for single adults from Parenting Solo, but the message also applies to single adults without children who may one day marry a single parent and be a step-parent. Feel Free to forward it to a friend.
Scripture: John 12:24-26a (The Message) (Jesus speaking:) “Listen Carefully: Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, dead to the world, it is never any more than a grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over. In the same way, anyone who holds on to life just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, you’ll have it forever, real and eternal.”If any of you wants to serve me, then follow me.”
Seeds must be planted in the ground in order for them to germinate and grow into a plant. In the ground, the seed receives the water and nutrients necessary to sprout out of a state of dormancy. Merriam Webster’s Dictionary s definition of germination is to “cause to sprout or develop.” Until that seed is planted, it cannot grow into something beautiful or edible. Otherwise, it just sits there, useless.
How do we apply this to our faith life? Remember, Jesus used parables to tell stories that were easily understood and discerned by the common people. Jesus was creating a new faith that was to be life-changing and not just rule-following and looking good on the outside. Jesus cares most about heart-change. That seed looks fine and dandy from the outside, but on the inside, it was made to sprout. If it isn’t planted and, essentially buried and dead, it can’t grow and develop into the plant it was designed to be.
We as people are the same way. If we followed the world’s ways or perhaps another religion that didn’t focus on love and grace (only Christianity), we have to first die to our old ways (buried in the ground) before we can receive God’s love and grace (water and nutrients from the soil). For many of us, that death was divorce. For me, it certainly was a wake-up call at age 35. I was at the height of my professional career, I was married, a home-owner and an active dad. I went to church on Sundays with my son, because that’s what good Baptists do. My life was miserable.
My faith life, however, was dormant. My divorce caused me to die to my old ways and look to God for new meaning and purpose for my life. My divorce was a wake-up call to who I could become through Christ Jesus. When I hit bottom, I chose to follow and serve Jesus. There I was, six feet under, lying in dark, cold, musty dirt. Things couldn’t have been worse. Suddenly, something started to happen. I started to grow! I found new meaning in my faith life, and it took leaving my old church to find a new church that would help me grow. My new church fed me in the ways of Jesus, and in time my branches reached out above the ground and started feeding others through my gifts of teaching and shepherding single parents. That new way of life could not have started had I not let go of my fears and let myself die to my old ways.
How does this apply to my life?
Today’s prayer: Lord, thank you for new growth. Thank you for the new life you have given me. Amen
Doug Mead
Parenting Solo
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Vol. 3, No. 171
This week’s reading plan can be found at http:/www.oneyearbibleonline.com/december.asp?version=51
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
A triumphant entry
Good morning. This is a devotional for single adults from Parenting Solo, but the message also applies to single adults without children who may one day marry a single parent and be a step-parent. Feel Free to forward it to a friend.
Scripture: John 12:12-15 (The Message) The next day the huge crowd that had arrived for the Feast heard that Jesus was entering Jerusalem. They broke off palm branches and went out to meet him. And they cheered: Hosanna!/Blessed is he who comes in God’s name!/Yes!/The King of Israel!/Jesus got a young donkey and rode it, just as the Scripture has it.
Jesus didn’t ride into Jerusalem on a strong, handsome steed, prancing about for all the people. He rode in on a simple donkey, which is used only for packing or riding. No self-respecting warrior would ever be caught dead riding a donkey into battle. When we think of a donkey, one word comes to mind: humility. That describes Jesus, and that is the way he wants it. He doesn’t want to be seen as the conquering hero, which is what the Jews were hoping and praying for.
Today, we use “hosanna” as an exclamation of praise, but in roughly 33 AD, it had meaning in both the Greek and Hebrew, meaning “save or deliver (us), we pray.” So when the people were shouting “Hosanna!” to Jesus, they weren’t praising him, they were pleading for deliverance. And Jesus delivered – in a mighty way. Just not the way the people were expecting. Jesus came to set hearts free, even if they were still shackled as slaves. Even the palm branches had meaning: triumph and victory.
Jesus’ final days were at hand, and he rode triumphantly into Jerusalem, just a few days before Passover. He had just left Bethany and the home of Lazarus, where his sister Mary had anointed Jesus’ feet with expensive perfume. There, Judas Iscariot was already plotting against Jesus. He made a big scene about using the money from the perfume to help the poor, but it was all a hoax, because he probably would have embezzled the funds. Mary’s use of the nard also was part of Jesus’ preparation for burial a week later.
Word had quickly spread. Jesus had healed Lazarus from the dead. Eyewitness accounts were growing. Even as the people were cheering for Jesus to save them, Judas was en route to sell his soul to the Pharisees for 30 pieces of silver. The people were clamoring for Jesus, and all the Pharisees saw was an out-of-control mob. This Jesus had to be stopped! The Pharisees must have looked on in contempt as Jesus rode in on a dirty pack donkey, for crying out loud. Triumph and victory would come a few days later in his death. The people just didn’t know that. We do.
How does this apply to my life?
Today’s prayer: Lord, thank you for your triumph over death, so that I could live eternally. Help me to be more humble like you. Amen
Doug Mead
Parenting Solo
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Vol. 3, No. 170
This week’s reading plan can be found at http:/www.oneyearbibleonline.com/december.asp?version=51
Scripture: John 12:12-15 (The Message) The next day the huge crowd that had arrived for the Feast heard that Jesus was entering Jerusalem. They broke off palm branches and went out to meet him. And they cheered: Hosanna!/Blessed is he who comes in God’s name!/Yes!/The King of Israel!/Jesus got a young donkey and rode it, just as the Scripture has it.
Jesus didn’t ride into Jerusalem on a strong, handsome steed, prancing about for all the people. He rode in on a simple donkey, which is used only for packing or riding. No self-respecting warrior would ever be caught dead riding a donkey into battle. When we think of a donkey, one word comes to mind: humility. That describes Jesus, and that is the way he wants it. He doesn’t want to be seen as the conquering hero, which is what the Jews were hoping and praying for.
Today, we use “hosanna” as an exclamation of praise, but in roughly 33 AD, it had meaning in both the Greek and Hebrew, meaning “save or deliver (us), we pray.” So when the people were shouting “Hosanna!” to Jesus, they weren’t praising him, they were pleading for deliverance. And Jesus delivered – in a mighty way. Just not the way the people were expecting. Jesus came to set hearts free, even if they were still shackled as slaves. Even the palm branches had meaning: triumph and victory.
Jesus’ final days were at hand, and he rode triumphantly into Jerusalem, just a few days before Passover. He had just left Bethany and the home of Lazarus, where his sister Mary had anointed Jesus’ feet with expensive perfume. There, Judas Iscariot was already plotting against Jesus. He made a big scene about using the money from the perfume to help the poor, but it was all a hoax, because he probably would have embezzled the funds. Mary’s use of the nard also was part of Jesus’ preparation for burial a week later.
Word had quickly spread. Jesus had healed Lazarus from the dead. Eyewitness accounts were growing. Even as the people were cheering for Jesus to save them, Judas was en route to sell his soul to the Pharisees for 30 pieces of silver. The people were clamoring for Jesus, and all the Pharisees saw was an out-of-control mob. This Jesus had to be stopped! The Pharisees must have looked on in contempt as Jesus rode in on a dirty pack donkey, for crying out loud. Triumph and victory would come a few days later in his death. The people just didn’t know that. We do.
How does this apply to my life?
Today’s prayer: Lord, thank you for your triumph over death, so that I could live eternally. Help me to be more humble like you. Amen
Doug Mead
Parenting Solo
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Vol. 3, No. 170
This week’s reading plan can be found at http:/www.oneyearbibleonline.com/december.asp?version=51
Monday, December 08, 2008
Be a part of God’s plan
Good morning. This is a devotional for single adults from Parenting Solo, but the message also applies to single adults without children who may one day marry a single parent and be a step-parent. Feel Free to forward it to a friend.
Scripture: John 11:45-48 (The Message) Then one of them – it was Caiaphas, the designated Chief Priest that year – spoke up, “Don’t you know anything? Can’t you see that it’s to our advantage that one man dies for the people rather than the whole nation be destroyed?” He didn’t say this of his own accord, but as Chief Priest that year he unwittingly prophesied that Jesus was about to die sacrificially for the nation, and not only for the nation but so that all God’s exile-scattered children might be gathered together into one people.
God can and will use anyone for his purposes. In this case, he uses the High Priest to prophesy that one man would die for the people. Jesus kept providing miracles and healings, and that upset the Pharisees. They plotted to kill him because of his claims of being God – blasphemy in their eyes. Consequently, Jesus had to hide out rather than go out in public in and around Jerusalem because it wasn’t quite his time.
Caiaphas become an unwitting bit actor in God’s plan. The Pharisees couldn’t catch Jesus giving any false teachings, so they had to concoct another story in order to kill him. Jesus was pulling believers away from the Jewish sect because of his powerful teaching about his Father. It wasn’t faith that led the Pharisees to want to kill Jesus; it was simple greed. The Pharisees had a good thing going financially, and their power base would be destroyed if Jesus continued to teach in the countryside and in the Temple. One man had to die for all as a sacrifice for the people. Even Caiaphas said so.
Though Jesus’ time on earth was drawing short, he didn’t stop teaching his disciples. The next thing we know, he has withdrawn from public eye to neighboring Ephraim, where he could be alone with his disciples (vs. 54). Passover was coming, which would be his time to die, so he used those last few days for last-minute preparation with the disciples. Their jobs would begin soon, and he knew they needed more development. God’s plan for them was to change the world.
Jesus never seems to take a break from teaching the disciples. Throughout his 3-3 ½ year ministry, we constantly see him go off and seclude himself from the disciples to pray and seek God’s guidance. At other times when he isn’t teaching the masses, he secludes himself with the disciples, giving them all the God-wisdom he has. Though Jesus spent many evenings just eating and hanging out with his buddies, he didn’t waste any time. He was always building relationships. That is one of the central themes of Christianity, then, now and always. God wants to use us for his purposes in one way, every day – to build up the faith of our family, friends and neighbors. That’s our purpose.
How does this apply to my life?
Today’s prayer: Lord, help me to be there for people you put in my path. Help me to see those who need ministering to. Amen
Doug Mead
Parenting Solo
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Vol. 3, No. 169
This week’s reading plan can be found at http:/www.oneyearbibleonline.com/december.asp?version=51
Scripture: John 11:45-48 (The Message) Then one of them – it was Caiaphas, the designated Chief Priest that year – spoke up, “Don’t you know anything? Can’t you see that it’s to our advantage that one man dies for the people rather than the whole nation be destroyed?” He didn’t say this of his own accord, but as Chief Priest that year he unwittingly prophesied that Jesus was about to die sacrificially for the nation, and not only for the nation but so that all God’s exile-scattered children might be gathered together into one people.
God can and will use anyone for his purposes. In this case, he uses the High Priest to prophesy that one man would die for the people. Jesus kept providing miracles and healings, and that upset the Pharisees. They plotted to kill him because of his claims of being God – blasphemy in their eyes. Consequently, Jesus had to hide out rather than go out in public in and around Jerusalem because it wasn’t quite his time.
Caiaphas become an unwitting bit actor in God’s plan. The Pharisees couldn’t catch Jesus giving any false teachings, so they had to concoct another story in order to kill him. Jesus was pulling believers away from the Jewish sect because of his powerful teaching about his Father. It wasn’t faith that led the Pharisees to want to kill Jesus; it was simple greed. The Pharisees had a good thing going financially, and their power base would be destroyed if Jesus continued to teach in the countryside and in the Temple. One man had to die for all as a sacrifice for the people. Even Caiaphas said so.
Though Jesus’ time on earth was drawing short, he didn’t stop teaching his disciples. The next thing we know, he has withdrawn from public eye to neighboring Ephraim, where he could be alone with his disciples (vs. 54). Passover was coming, which would be his time to die, so he used those last few days for last-minute preparation with the disciples. Their jobs would begin soon, and he knew they needed more development. God’s plan for them was to change the world.
Jesus never seems to take a break from teaching the disciples. Throughout his 3-3 ½ year ministry, we constantly see him go off and seclude himself from the disciples to pray and seek God’s guidance. At other times when he isn’t teaching the masses, he secludes himself with the disciples, giving them all the God-wisdom he has. Though Jesus spent many evenings just eating and hanging out with his buddies, he didn’t waste any time. He was always building relationships. That is one of the central themes of Christianity, then, now and always. God wants to use us for his purposes in one way, every day – to build up the faith of our family, friends and neighbors. That’s our purpose.
How does this apply to my life?
Today’s prayer: Lord, help me to be there for people you put in my path. Help me to see those who need ministering to. Amen
Doug Mead
Parenting Solo
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Vol. 3, No. 169
This week’s reading plan can be found at http:/www.oneyearbibleonline.com/december.asp?version=51
Friday, December 05, 2008
A credible message
Good morning. This is a devotional for single adults from Parenting Solo, but the message also applies to single adults without children who may one day marry a single parent and be a step-parent. Feel Free to forward it to a friend.
Scripture: John 10:31-33 (The Message) Again the Jews picked up rocks to throw at him. Jesus said, “I have made a present to you from the Father of the great many good actions. For which of these acts do you stone me?” The Jews said, “We’re not stoning you for anything good you did, but for what you said – blasphemy of calling yourself God.”
Abraham didn’t call himself God. Mohammad did not call himself God. Siddharta Gautama (the “Buddha”) did not call himself God. Joseph Smith believed he would become a god and that he was a prophet of God. Others, such as Nation of Islam founder Wallace D. Fard, were deified as God, but there was no credibility to their claims. Jesus’ life backed up his claims of being God. His life was without sin. He healed people of sicknesses, he brought people back from death, he rose from the dead, and his teachings are renowned in other religions.
Though his teachings are used in Islam, Mormonism, Hindu and other religions, those factions believed him only to be a wise man and prophet. Mormonism founder Joseph Smith claimed to be the equal of Jesus. What is the difference between other would-be gods and Jesus himself? Jesus’ claims had validity, and the others cannot hold up to any kind of academic study. Archaeology disclaims the foundation of Mormonism. The Quran, Islam’s holy scriptures, are filled with discrepancies, as are the Book of Mormon and other Mormon texts. Yet, the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ life are remarkably accurate and consistent, as are other New Testament texts. Nearly a thousand people witnessed his life after death experience after dying on Calvary.
Jesus’ claims can hold up through scientific, archaeological and academic scrutiny. We can believe Jesus when he says he is the Son of God because there are nearly 50 Old Testament prophecies pointing to him being the Messiah foretold in the Old Testament. The odds of him not being the Messiah of the Old Testament is astronomical, something like 1 in 17 trillion. Just write down 17 and zeroes for about 10 seconds, and you have it the odds. If you don’t believe it, study the Bible with an open heart and put Jesus to the test. He will pass – with flying colors.
Another words, he’s God. The question is, are you going to believe it, or are you going to be like the Jews and question his claim. After all, they wanted a messiah who would come and conquer Rome with a sword and set them free. Jesus came to set our hearts free instead. Unlike other holy scriptures, Jesus’ teachings give us peace and fulfillment in life, not shame and guilt. They teach us how to love the unlovable in horrific circumstances. He gave people the choice to follow him, and he doesn’t pull out his sword and kill anyone who doesn’t follow him. Jesus was all about love, and forcing someone to follow him is not love. We can bank on Jesus being God because he is credible. He lived the perfect life as a sacrifice for our poor, miserable lives and rose from the dead to prove it. He lives today.
How does this apply to my life?
Today’s prayer: Lord, thank you for being credible. You make believing easy. Amen
Doug Mead
Parenting Solo
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Vol. 3, No. 168
This week’s reading plan can be found at http:/www.oneyearbibleonline.com/december.asp?version=51
Scripture: John 10:31-33 (The Message) Again the Jews picked up rocks to throw at him. Jesus said, “I have made a present to you from the Father of the great many good actions. For which of these acts do you stone me?” The Jews said, “We’re not stoning you for anything good you did, but for what you said – blasphemy of calling yourself God.”
Abraham didn’t call himself God. Mohammad did not call himself God. Siddharta Gautama (the “Buddha”) did not call himself God. Joseph Smith believed he would become a god and that he was a prophet of God. Others, such as Nation of Islam founder Wallace D. Fard, were deified as God, but there was no credibility to their claims. Jesus’ life backed up his claims of being God. His life was without sin. He healed people of sicknesses, he brought people back from death, he rose from the dead, and his teachings are renowned in other religions.
Though his teachings are used in Islam, Mormonism, Hindu and other religions, those factions believed him only to be a wise man and prophet. Mormonism founder Joseph Smith claimed to be the equal of Jesus. What is the difference between other would-be gods and Jesus himself? Jesus’ claims had validity, and the others cannot hold up to any kind of academic study. Archaeology disclaims the foundation of Mormonism. The Quran, Islam’s holy scriptures, are filled with discrepancies, as are the Book of Mormon and other Mormon texts. Yet, the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ life are remarkably accurate and consistent, as are other New Testament texts. Nearly a thousand people witnessed his life after death experience after dying on Calvary.
Jesus’ claims can hold up through scientific, archaeological and academic scrutiny. We can believe Jesus when he says he is the Son of God because there are nearly 50 Old Testament prophecies pointing to him being the Messiah foretold in the Old Testament. The odds of him not being the Messiah of the Old Testament is astronomical, something like 1 in 17 trillion. Just write down 17 and zeroes for about 10 seconds, and you have it the odds. If you don’t believe it, study the Bible with an open heart and put Jesus to the test. He will pass – with flying colors.
Another words, he’s God. The question is, are you going to believe it, or are you going to be like the Jews and question his claim. After all, they wanted a messiah who would come and conquer Rome with a sword and set them free. Jesus came to set our hearts free instead. Unlike other holy scriptures, Jesus’ teachings give us peace and fulfillment in life, not shame and guilt. They teach us how to love the unlovable in horrific circumstances. He gave people the choice to follow him, and he doesn’t pull out his sword and kill anyone who doesn’t follow him. Jesus was all about love, and forcing someone to follow him is not love. We can bank on Jesus being God because he is credible. He lived the perfect life as a sacrifice for our poor, miserable lives and rose from the dead to prove it. He lives today.
How does this apply to my life?
Today’s prayer: Lord, thank you for being credible. You make believing easy. Amen
Doug Mead
Parenting Solo
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Vol. 3, No. 168
This week’s reading plan can be found at http:/www.oneyearbibleonline.com/december.asp?version=51
Thursday, December 04, 2008
The master gatekeeper
Good morning. This is a devotional for single adults from Parenting Solo, but the message also applies to single adults without children who may one day marry a single parent and be a step-parent. Feel Free to forward it to a friend.
Scripture: John 10:3-4 (The Message) The gatekeeper opens the gate to (the shepherd) and the sheep recognize his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he gets them all out, he leads them and they follow because they are familiar with his voice.
As children, the first voices we recognize are our parents. We hear their voices from inside our mothers’ tummies, we hear the joy of their voices the minute we pop out of the womb. When we couldn’t sleep as infants, they rocked us to sleep by singing a soft lullaby. “Hush, little baby, don’t you cry …” Virtually every day of our young lives, we hear their voices. Even when we are away from them, we can picture their voices in our minds’ eyes. Our parents’ voices are soothing and comforting in times of troubles.
God’s voice should be soothing and comforting to us, as well. Some of us hear God’s voice every day, and we know it. It also is soothing and comforting. In the boisterous, hustle and bustle of this world, we can hear God’s soft voice whispering in our ears. Some people may not hear God’s voice because they don’t seek it out. We hear his voice most often in our prayers and in the reading of his word. If we aren’t praying and reading daily, how can we know his voice?
The gatekeeper is us, either opening our hearts to Jesus or closing it down tight. The choice is ours. We may choose to keep our gates closed at various times of our lives. Still, Jesus comes to the gate daily to see if we are ready to open our gate to him. He is patient and persistent. He waits at the gate for us all day. If we are followers of Jesus, we allow him to be the gatekeeper, which allows Jesus to protect our hearts from the outside. It is a wonderful feeling to know that he is protecting us 24/7.
I love that Jesus calls each one of his sheep by name. He knows all of our names. That shows how important each one of us are to him. As a teacher, I have 120 students, and it took me three weeks to memorize everyone’s names. Imagining knowing billions of names! Jesus voice is there for us to follow – if we choose to obey. Some of us will listen to a stranger’s voice and follow it, straight to trouble. Indeed, there are many sheep rustlers out there, seeking to sway our hearts. Every day, we need to call upon our shepherd for protection and direction. He is waiting to hear our voices call him.
How does this apply to my life?
Today’s prayer: Lord, protect me today. Keep my heart pure for you. Help me to hear your voice and follow it. Help me to discern when rustlers call out. Amen
Doug Mead
Parenting Solo
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Vol. 3, No. 167
This week’s reading plan can be found at http:/www.oneyearbibleonline.com/november.asp?version=51
Scripture: John 10:3-4 (The Message) The gatekeeper opens the gate to (the shepherd) and the sheep recognize his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he gets them all out, he leads them and they follow because they are familiar with his voice.
As children, the first voices we recognize are our parents. We hear their voices from inside our mothers’ tummies, we hear the joy of their voices the minute we pop out of the womb. When we couldn’t sleep as infants, they rocked us to sleep by singing a soft lullaby. “Hush, little baby, don’t you cry …” Virtually every day of our young lives, we hear their voices. Even when we are away from them, we can picture their voices in our minds’ eyes. Our parents’ voices are soothing and comforting in times of troubles.
God’s voice should be soothing and comforting to us, as well. Some of us hear God’s voice every day, and we know it. It also is soothing and comforting. In the boisterous, hustle and bustle of this world, we can hear God’s soft voice whispering in our ears. Some people may not hear God’s voice because they don’t seek it out. We hear his voice most often in our prayers and in the reading of his word. If we aren’t praying and reading daily, how can we know his voice?
The gatekeeper is us, either opening our hearts to Jesus or closing it down tight. The choice is ours. We may choose to keep our gates closed at various times of our lives. Still, Jesus comes to the gate daily to see if we are ready to open our gate to him. He is patient and persistent. He waits at the gate for us all day. If we are followers of Jesus, we allow him to be the gatekeeper, which allows Jesus to protect our hearts from the outside. It is a wonderful feeling to know that he is protecting us 24/7.
I love that Jesus calls each one of his sheep by name. He knows all of our names. That shows how important each one of us are to him. As a teacher, I have 120 students, and it took me three weeks to memorize everyone’s names. Imagining knowing billions of names! Jesus voice is there for us to follow – if we choose to obey. Some of us will listen to a stranger’s voice and follow it, straight to trouble. Indeed, there are many sheep rustlers out there, seeking to sway our hearts. Every day, we need to call upon our shepherd for protection and direction. He is waiting to hear our voices call him.
How does this apply to my life?
Today’s prayer: Lord, protect me today. Keep my heart pure for you. Help me to hear your voice and follow it. Help me to discern when rustlers call out. Amen
Doug Mead
Parenting Solo
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Vol. 3, No. 167
This week’s reading plan can be found at http:/www.oneyearbibleonline.com/november.asp?version=51
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
Seeing through Jesus’ eyes
Good morning. This is a devotional for single adults from Parenting Solo, but the message also applies to single adults without children who may one day marry a single parent and be a step-parent. Feel Free to forward it to a friend.
Scripture: John 9:30-33 (The Message) The man replied, “This is amazing! You claim to know nothing about him, but the fact is, he opened my eyes. It’s well known that God isn’t at the beck and call of sinners, but listens carefully to anyone who lives in reverence and does his will. That someone opened the eyes of a man born blind has never been heard of – ever. If this man didn’t come from God, he wouldn’t be able to do anything.”
I can’t imagine being blind from birth and never knowing the beauty of this earth. I would never see the crashing of the waves on the ocean, the crystal blue waters of Lake Tahoe, the splendor of Yosemite National Park, the majesty of fishing on the Taylor River in Colorado, the exhilaration of hitting a golf ball on Spyglass Hill in Pebble Beach, the pretty face of my wife. If I were blind from birth, I would have to guess what all those things look like, because I wouldn’t know. By the grace of God, I have witnessed all those things and found joy in them.
This man wouldn’t have known what Jerusalem looked like, or the Judean Hills, or the shores of Galilee. Who knows what visuals God gives the blind from birth in their minds’ eyes. Many in the Jewish culture believed the man was blind because of his or his parents’ sins. Coming from the perspective of the blind man, that was a harsh reality. He couldn’t see people shunning him, but surely he felt it. People stayed away from him because of his perceived sins. He would have led a lonely life. He was forced to beg for his life.
Then one day, the Nazarene Jesus mixed clay and water to form a paste and rubbed it on the man’s eyes. Jesus told him to go and rinse his face with water. Suddenly, the blind man could see. Yet, instead of celebrating joyously at the miracle, the Pharisees condemned the man and Jesus because the healing took place on the Sabbath. Isn’t that how some people are? They witness a major healing before their very eyes, and all they can do is find fault in the way the person found peace. You know, the kind of healing that a single mom goes through after a painful divorce. She loses her home, her way of life and is forced to go back to work to support her family. One day she is mired in a deep depression with no friends or life. A few years later, she has her life back on track and is smiling joyfully and her kids are happy and respectful of others.
Only Jesus can open the eyes of the blind and make them see the reality of life. Just as that man suddenly was able to see the world, so can you. But only if you open your eyes to the glory of what Christ can do in your life. You have to want to see every nook and cranny of your sins and be willing to expose them to the world. That kind of humbling makes us realize that we can’t live life without the Father and the Son. Without them, we are blind as bats trying to see through the muck and the mire of this filthy world. Come, see the world through the eyes of Jesus. It’s the only way to really see the real world.
How does this apply to my life?
Today’s prayer: Lord, help me to see the world through your eyes. Help me to see my students through your eyes, so that I can know what their lives are like away from me. Help me to see their needs, so that I can minister to them through you. Amen
Doug Mead
Parenting Solo
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Vol. 3, No. 166
This week’s reading plan can be found at http:/www.oneyearbibleonline.com/december.asp?version=51
Scripture: John 9:30-33 (The Message) The man replied, “This is amazing! You claim to know nothing about him, but the fact is, he opened my eyes. It’s well known that God isn’t at the beck and call of sinners, but listens carefully to anyone who lives in reverence and does his will. That someone opened the eyes of a man born blind has never been heard of – ever. If this man didn’t come from God, he wouldn’t be able to do anything.”
I can’t imagine being blind from birth and never knowing the beauty of this earth. I would never see the crashing of the waves on the ocean, the crystal blue waters of Lake Tahoe, the splendor of Yosemite National Park, the majesty of fishing on the Taylor River in Colorado, the exhilaration of hitting a golf ball on Spyglass Hill in Pebble Beach, the pretty face of my wife. If I were blind from birth, I would have to guess what all those things look like, because I wouldn’t know. By the grace of God, I have witnessed all those things and found joy in them.
This man wouldn’t have known what Jerusalem looked like, or the Judean Hills, or the shores of Galilee. Who knows what visuals God gives the blind from birth in their minds’ eyes. Many in the Jewish culture believed the man was blind because of his or his parents’ sins. Coming from the perspective of the blind man, that was a harsh reality. He couldn’t see people shunning him, but surely he felt it. People stayed away from him because of his perceived sins. He would have led a lonely life. He was forced to beg for his life.
Then one day, the Nazarene Jesus mixed clay and water to form a paste and rubbed it on the man’s eyes. Jesus told him to go and rinse his face with water. Suddenly, the blind man could see. Yet, instead of celebrating joyously at the miracle, the Pharisees condemned the man and Jesus because the healing took place on the Sabbath. Isn’t that how some people are? They witness a major healing before their very eyes, and all they can do is find fault in the way the person found peace. You know, the kind of healing that a single mom goes through after a painful divorce. She loses her home, her way of life and is forced to go back to work to support her family. One day she is mired in a deep depression with no friends or life. A few years later, she has her life back on track and is smiling joyfully and her kids are happy and respectful of others.
Only Jesus can open the eyes of the blind and make them see the reality of life. Just as that man suddenly was able to see the world, so can you. But only if you open your eyes to the glory of what Christ can do in your life. You have to want to see every nook and cranny of your sins and be willing to expose them to the world. That kind of humbling makes us realize that we can’t live life without the Father and the Son. Without them, we are blind as bats trying to see through the muck and the mire of this filthy world. Come, see the world through the eyes of Jesus. It’s the only way to really see the real world.
How does this apply to my life?
Today’s prayer: Lord, help me to see the world through your eyes. Help me to see my students through your eyes, so that I can know what their lives are like away from me. Help me to see their needs, so that I can minister to them through you. Amen
Doug Mead
Parenting Solo
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Vol. 3, No. 166
This week’s reading plan can be found at http:/www.oneyearbibleonline.com/december.asp?version=51
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
Helping the blind and crippled
Good morning. This is a devotional for single adults from Parenting Solo, but the message also applies to single adults without children who may one day marry a single parent and be a step-parent. Feel Free to forward it to a friend.
Scripture: John 9:1-4 (The Message) Walking down the street Jesus saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked, “Rabbi, who sinned: this man or his parents, causing him to be born blind?” Jesus said, “You’re asking the wrong question. You’re looking for someone to blame. There is no such cause-effect here. Look instead for what God can do. We need to be energetically at work for the One who sent me here, working while the sun shines.”
We have become a society of blame and not one of taking responsibility. When we play the blame game, we are abdicating the consequences for our actions. The blame game is an escapist attitude. “If my ex weren’t such a jerk, I wouldn’t be in this mess.” What God wants us to do is look ourselves squarely in the mirror and be truthful with ourselves. “What is my part in this scene?” That attitude forces us to learn from our mistakes, which is what God wants us to do. That is what freedom means as a Christian.
Now, the disciples were simply asking a question that they had been taught while growing up in the Jewish culture. The Jews believed that one’s sins caused physical and mental handicaps. That means that being blind or crippled was because of one’s sins – or one’s parents. So looking at this man, the disciples naturally wanted to know whose fault it was. Jesus quickly turned the tables on them, telling them there is “no cause-effect here.” Jesus tells them to stop looking to lay the blame on someone.
Instead, Jesus wants them to see how God can be at work in the blind man’s life. Jesus wants the disciples to know that there is still work to be done with this man and not to give up on him. Jesus was telling them that there are things they could do for this man to bring salvation to his life. He wants his disciples to “energetically” be at work for the Father, showing the blind man who God is. In the next verse, Jesus reminds the disciples that his light needs to be shined on this man’s life.
What is our part in shining Jesus’ light on the world? It may be to shine his light on the spiritually blind and cripples of this world, or it may be helping the physically blind and cripples that are around us. If our gift is teaching or discipling, maybe it is studying the Bible and sharing God’s love with someone who needs it? If our gift is hospitality or service, perhaps we can drive a blind person to the supermarket once a week or maybe take them to church on Sundays. Look around you. There may be someone God wants to shine his light on this week.
How does this apply to my life?
Today’s prayer: Lord, help me to see those you want me to share your love with today. Help me not to be blinded by my own blindness. Amen
Doug Mead
Parenting Solo
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Vol. 3, No. 165
This week’s reading plan can be found at http:/www.oneyearbibleonline.com/december.asp?version=51
Scripture: John 9:1-4 (The Message) Walking down the street Jesus saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked, “Rabbi, who sinned: this man or his parents, causing him to be born blind?” Jesus said, “You’re asking the wrong question. You’re looking for someone to blame. There is no such cause-effect here. Look instead for what God can do. We need to be energetically at work for the One who sent me here, working while the sun shines.”
We have become a society of blame and not one of taking responsibility. When we play the blame game, we are abdicating the consequences for our actions. The blame game is an escapist attitude. “If my ex weren’t such a jerk, I wouldn’t be in this mess.” What God wants us to do is look ourselves squarely in the mirror and be truthful with ourselves. “What is my part in this scene?” That attitude forces us to learn from our mistakes, which is what God wants us to do. That is what freedom means as a Christian.
Now, the disciples were simply asking a question that they had been taught while growing up in the Jewish culture. The Jews believed that one’s sins caused physical and mental handicaps. That means that being blind or crippled was because of one’s sins – or one’s parents. So looking at this man, the disciples naturally wanted to know whose fault it was. Jesus quickly turned the tables on them, telling them there is “no cause-effect here.” Jesus tells them to stop looking to lay the blame on someone.
Instead, Jesus wants them to see how God can be at work in the blind man’s life. Jesus wants the disciples to know that there is still work to be done with this man and not to give up on him. Jesus was telling them that there are things they could do for this man to bring salvation to his life. He wants his disciples to “energetically” be at work for the Father, showing the blind man who God is. In the next verse, Jesus reminds the disciples that his light needs to be shined on this man’s life.
What is our part in shining Jesus’ light on the world? It may be to shine his light on the spiritually blind and cripples of this world, or it may be helping the physically blind and cripples that are around us. If our gift is teaching or discipling, maybe it is studying the Bible and sharing God’s love with someone who needs it? If our gift is hospitality or service, perhaps we can drive a blind person to the supermarket once a week or maybe take them to church on Sundays. Look around you. There may be someone God wants to shine his light on this week.
How does this apply to my life?
Today’s prayer: Lord, help me to see those you want me to share your love with today. Help me not to be blinded by my own blindness. Amen
Doug Mead
Parenting Solo
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Vol. 3, No. 165
This week’s reading plan can be found at http:/www.oneyearbibleonline.com/december.asp?version=51
Monday, December 01, 2008
We can depend on God’s word
Good morning. This is a devotional for single adults from Parenting Solo, but the message also applies to single adults without children who may one day marry a single parent and be a step-parent. Feel Free to forward it to a friend.
Scripture: John 8:14-17 (The Message) Jesus replied, “You’re right that you only have my word. But you can depend on it being true. I know where I’ve come from and where I go next. You don’t know where I’m from or where I’m headed. You decide according to what you can see and touch. I don’t make judgments like that. But even if I did, my judgment would be true because I wouldn’t make it out of the narrowness of my experience but in the largeness of the One who sent me, the Father.”
It is easy to get caught up in the “I feel game.” The trouble is, our feelings let us down. Ever put your trust in someone of the opposite sex and been wrong? We all have. It is human nature. So where do we go for answers? To the lips of Jesus Christ. As the scripture says, we can depend on his word being true. His word will guide us down the straight and narrow path that guides us through life. If we base our choices on our experiences, our choices have dwindled.
We all want to be strong and make our own decisions, from rebellious teenagers to middle-aged single adults on their own again for the first time, after perhaps 10-20 years of marriage. Decisions are easier when two are discussing the potential pitfalls. Two heads think better than one. The Bible is meant to be more than just good reading of history, poetry, prophecy and parables. God’s word is meant to direct us through the winding roads of life. The Bible’s myriad of stories show us the consequences of poor choices.
Bad judgment can lead to serious consequences. We teachers tell our teenage students that all the time. “Think before you speak.” That alone will get us through many difficulties. Who we listen to for wise counsel matters, too. If all teenagers do is listen to other teenagers, where are they getting their wisdom? If a single mom listens only to those in her divorce recovery group, where does the knowledge come from? We must spread our wings and build relationships, so that we have options when we need advice.
Rehoboam, Solomon’s son and heir to the throne of Israel and Judah, got an earful after he returned from asylum in Egypt to lead the people. His father’s advisers told him to lighten up on the people’s workload (2 Chronicles 10:3-4), but Rehoboam, instead, followed the advice of his young turk buddies, who told him to work the people even harder (vs. 10). The people rebelled, and the king was forced to flee to safety in Jerusalem. He wouldn’t listen and lost half his kingdom. Note, also, that Rehoboam failed to seek God’s wisdom when faced with a tough decision. God wants to hear from us when we need wisdom. We must first ask for his advice. God speaks to us through his Word more than any other medium. First, we must open it to gain its wisdom.
How does this apply to my life?
Today’s prayer: Amen
Doug Mead
Parenting Solo
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Vol. 3, No. 164
This week’s reading plan can be found at http:/www.oneyearbibleonline.com/december.asp?version=51
Scripture: John 8:14-17 (The Message) Jesus replied, “You’re right that you only have my word. But you can depend on it being true. I know where I’ve come from and where I go next. You don’t know where I’m from or where I’m headed. You decide according to what you can see and touch. I don’t make judgments like that. But even if I did, my judgment would be true because I wouldn’t make it out of the narrowness of my experience but in the largeness of the One who sent me, the Father.”
It is easy to get caught up in the “I feel game.” The trouble is, our feelings let us down. Ever put your trust in someone of the opposite sex and been wrong? We all have. It is human nature. So where do we go for answers? To the lips of Jesus Christ. As the scripture says, we can depend on his word being true. His word will guide us down the straight and narrow path that guides us through life. If we base our choices on our experiences, our choices have dwindled.
We all want to be strong and make our own decisions, from rebellious teenagers to middle-aged single adults on their own again for the first time, after perhaps 10-20 years of marriage. Decisions are easier when two are discussing the potential pitfalls. Two heads think better than one. The Bible is meant to be more than just good reading of history, poetry, prophecy and parables. God’s word is meant to direct us through the winding roads of life. The Bible’s myriad of stories show us the consequences of poor choices.
Bad judgment can lead to serious consequences. We teachers tell our teenage students that all the time. “Think before you speak.” That alone will get us through many difficulties. Who we listen to for wise counsel matters, too. If all teenagers do is listen to other teenagers, where are they getting their wisdom? If a single mom listens only to those in her divorce recovery group, where does the knowledge come from? We must spread our wings and build relationships, so that we have options when we need advice.
Rehoboam, Solomon’s son and heir to the throne of Israel and Judah, got an earful after he returned from asylum in Egypt to lead the people. His father’s advisers told him to lighten up on the people’s workload (2 Chronicles 10:3-4), but Rehoboam, instead, followed the advice of his young turk buddies, who told him to work the people even harder (vs. 10). The people rebelled, and the king was forced to flee to safety in Jerusalem. He wouldn’t listen and lost half his kingdom. Note, also, that Rehoboam failed to seek God’s wisdom when faced with a tough decision. God wants to hear from us when we need wisdom. We must first ask for his advice. God speaks to us through his Word more than any other medium. First, we must open it to gain its wisdom.
How does this apply to my life?
Today’s prayer: Amen
Doug Mead
Parenting Solo
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Vol. 3, No. 164
This week’s reading plan can be found at http:/www.oneyearbibleonline.com/december.asp?version=51
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