Religiholics Anonymous

By Allen White

Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh— though I myself have reasons for such confidence. Philippians 3:2-4 (NIV)

Traditions are hard to leave behind. There’s a certain comfort in depending on what is familiar. But what happens when those traditions get in the way of what God wants to do in our lives?

Circumcision presented a particular dilemma for the early church. God directed Abraham and his family to be circumcised as a sign of identification with God as His people (Genesis 17). Following Jesus’ death, however, identification with God’s Son superseded any outward sign. The Jewish believers weren’t willing to give that up. But, salvation comes by grace through faith, not from works. To require circumcision was to ask for more than God was asking.

Let’s make this personal. What are you depending on other than Jesus to have a right relationship with God? Is it looking a certain way or sounding religious? Are you more focused on serving than on the Son?

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Whatever Happens...

By Allen White

 Whatever happens, dear friends, be glad in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you this and it is good for you to hear it again and again. Philippians 3:1 (LB)

Paul tells the Philippians over and over to “be glad in the Lord.” Why? Because it’s very easy to become discouraged. It doesn’t take very long to look around and see all of the things that are not as we think they should be. It’s pretty easy to blow up the black balloons and host a full-on pity party for ourselves. We don’t need to be reminded to be discouraged. We don’t need encouragement to be critical or negative. Those things come naturally.

We need a reminder to “be glad in the Lord.” There’s a lot to be glad about. Think about it:

Jesus saved us.

God is on our side.

God loves us no matter what.

God is with us in everything we face.

God will never leave us and will never forsake us.

We have plenty of reasons to be glad. We just forget to be glad. So, whatever happens today, be glad in the Lord. It’s just a reminder.

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Why My Problems Seem Bigger Than Yours

By Allen White

For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (ESV)

When I am afflicted, it usually doesn’t feel light or momentary. Now, when someone else is afflicted, now that can seem light, momentary and possibly trivial. Why? You’re probably thinking “because he’s so callous.” That’s not so.

My problems seem larger than other people’s because my problems are personal. I have trouble gaining perspective when I’m in the hot seat. When other people are facing things, I can see the big picture more easily, because I’m not in the middle of it. I can also pray for them more effectively than I can pray for myself.

I face affliction best, when I have someone else by my side. Someone who will encourage me, pray for me, give me God’s perspective and challenge me not to feel sorry for myself. Who does that for you?

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Dog Update

Thank you for such a great response about our dog. We found a wonderful, loving home for our girl. It's interesting that the dad had promised his son they would get a dog after they returned from vacation. The son asked his dad last Thursday night when they were getting another dog. Then, on Friday morning bright and early, the dad read my blog post about our dog. It's a perfect fit. I love it when God puts a plan together!

For those of you looking for a dog, I would recommend the Greenville County Animal Shelter. Our dog was at the end of her days there when we adopted her.

God bless,
Allen

The Way God Wants You to Live

By Allen White

Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (MSG)

This is a hard thing to do. Sure we can pretend to be cheerful, but to actually be cheerful, that’s much more difficult.

Think about this: when are we the most appreciative of what we have? We appreciate our health when we’re sick. We appreciate a good night’s sleep, when we’re tossing and turning. We appreciate well-behaved children, when they’re pitching a fit in the middle of the grocery store. When things are going well, we tend to take everything for granted.

So, today, I have an ear infection. I’m not cheerful about the ear infection, but I am cheerful that my nose has cleared up. I am thankful for good doctors and antibiotics. I’m thankful for nice weather. I’m thankful for a quiet office where I can close the door and write.

For every bad thing that happens, we can probably come up with a hundred or maybe even a thousand things that we can be thankful for. Take a minute and count your blessings!

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A Key to Prosperity

By Allen White

People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy. Proverbs 28:13

Our fallen human nature leads us to shame rather than to grace. We resort to hiding rather than confessing. The result is more sin and shame rather than more grace and mercy.

The power of sin is in the secret. How do we break this power? We break the power of sin by telling the secret. “You can't whitewash your sins and get by with it; you find mercy by admitting and leaving them” (MSG). Then, we worry: “What will people think of me?” Honestly, what people will think is that we’re normal. We’re just like everybody else.

Imagine sitting in a small group. One person speaks of their strengths and their gifts. Another person speaks of their woundedness and their brokenness. Who do we gravitate toward? We are open to people who are open and admit their weaknesses.

We will connect with far more people by admitting our weaknesses than we ever will by touting our strengths.

What secret are you hiding today?

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Getting What We Deserve

By Allen White

Those hired at five o'clock came up and were each given a dollar. When those who were hired first saw that, they assumed they would get far more. But they got the same, each of them one dollar. Taking the dollar, they groused angrily to the manager, 'These last workers put in only one easy hour, and you just made them equal to us, who slaved all day under a scorching sun.' Matthew 20:9-12 (MSG)

Life isn’t fair, especially when it comes to grace. We can certainly be thankful for that. We don’t want fairness when it comes to sin, punishment and grace. We want grace. “Unmerited” or undeserved favor is the only thing that will pull us out of the ditch of sin and lostness.

But, what about those who are saved later in life? What about those who claim to be saved, but continue sinning? Should they receive the same favor as those who never stray?

When we take our eyes off of serving God, we begin to feel that we are deserving of what God gives us. This is trite, but it’s true: deserving is de-serving. Our heart and our motivation are in the wrong place. We should be thankful for every life that is turned around and every bit of grace that God gives.

When have you felt like God’s work has been unfair? Take a minute right now to thank God for His grace and thank Him for being unfair. After all, He gave every believer a huge break.

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Stop Complaining

By Allen White

Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Philippians 2:14-15

“Do everything without complaining and arguing.” Really? Everything?

Faith is an all or nothing proposition. It doesn’t take hold of us all at once or all of the way through, but it does work its way through over time.

Why do we complain? For some it’s just a bad habit. I’ve even heard of people wearing rubber bands around their wrists so that every time they complain, they snap themselves. For some this could cause a serious medical condition!

Often we complain because life doesn’t measure up to our expectations. Let’s resolve this. Say it out loud: Life will never measure up to my expectations, but God is good.

Complaining betrays a lack of confidence in God. He has your best at heart. Often, the hard things we face are molding us into His image.

What things have you found yourself complaining about lately? What can you do about it? Whether you can take action or pray, do that and trust in God for the rest.

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I need your help -- Allen

Ok, I know this is an unusual request on this devotional blog. I hope you're enjoying the devotions, and I do promise not to send out another request like this again.

Our family needs to re-home a dog we rescued a few months ago. She's a 1 1/2 year old black lab mix. She is a sweet dog, but our rambunctious family is a little too much for her.

We don't want to return her to the animal shelter, because she will be put to sleep, but she can't stay with us any longer. If you know of anyone who would love this dog, please reply to this email. Thanks!

Making Short Connections with God

By Allen White

Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:4-5

I am a driven, motivated sort of guy. At times I have been called a “human doing” rather than a human being. That’s why passages like this one are a challenge to me. What’s the verb, the “action word,” here? It’s “remain.” What kind of action word is that? It’s more like an inaction word. But, to produce much fruit, I am called to remain. Otherwise, “apart from me you can do nothing.” Are you challenged by this verse yet?

The intimacy of my relationship with God is what produces fruit in my life. You cannot develop intimacy in a hurry. The problem is that I’m usually in a hurry. I don’t have time to slow down. But, here’s the deal: how much do I actually need to slow down? I don’t need to bring things to a complete halt to connect with God. I just need to slow down enough to connect with Him before I act. Maybe it’s just five minutes.

Why not make that connection with God right now?

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In Your Life, the Fruit Comes from the Root

By Allen White

“As the Spirit works within us, we become more and more like Him.” 2 Corinthians 3:18 (LB)

California is known as the land of fruits and nuts. Where we lived in the Central Valley for 15 years, we experienced the agricultural variety. Every town is the capital of some form of produce and holds a festival. Patterson, CA is the Apricot Capital of the World. Stockton, CA is the Asparagus Capital. Castroville, CA is the Artichoke Capital. And, where we lived, Turlock, CA, well, it’s the Turkey Capital. (Keep the jokes to yourself please.)

It never failed that apricot trees produced apricots. Almond trees (pronounced a-mond) produced almonds. Tomato vines grew tomatoes. And, turkeys produced turkeys.

The fruit of a believer’s life is largely determined by our openness to the Holy Spirit. If we insist on calling the shots and doing the work, then we produce fruit that looks like us. It’s not all good, and we certainly wouldn’t want a festival for it. As we open ourselves to the Holy Spirit through simple things like pausing to pray seconds before we act or thinking about a Scripture verse taped to our dashboard, our fruit begins to look more like God’s produce. Now, that’s worth celebrating!

What kind of fruit is your life producing? What results are you seeing? Does it look like Jesus or someone else?

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Just Because I Really Want It, Does God Want Me to Have It?

By Allen White

There's nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God's way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us. 2 Timothy 3:15-17 (MSG)

How do we know if our desires line up with what pleases God? God’s Word is a great place to start. God will never direct you to do anything that contradicts any part of His Word. The more we know and understand God’s Word; we will have better discernment about God’s direction in our lives. If we’ve read the Bible many times, then it might be the time to take a Hermeneutics class and dig a little deeper.

God’s Word works this way in our lives: It teaches, rebukes, corrects and trains in righteousness. It tells us where the path is (teaches). The Bible tells us where we’ve strayed from the path (rebukes). It shows us the way back to the path (corrects). And, God’s Word directs us how to stay on the path (trains). The more time we spend with God’s Word, the more He will rub off on us.

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Working for Our Salvation?

By Allen White

For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. Philippians 2:13

Christians debate whether God’s initiative or a person’s initiative causes them to be saved. It’s really two sides of the same coin. Philippians points out that we work (2:12) and God works (2:13). If there is no cooperation between a person and God, salvation is not going to happen.

How do we know what to “work out”? According to this verse, God gives us two things: the desire and the power. Do you have a desire to do what pleases God? If you don’t, then you need to consider whether you truly belong to God. Please understand, I am not saying this to be harsh. If I didn’t care about you, I wouldn’t have brought this up. If there is no desire to please God, then you should carefully examine where you are with Him.

You can’t manufacture that desire, but you can ask God for it. When God gives you the desire, He will also give you the power. So many people run out of steam in trying to please God. But, who said you need to provide the steam? God gives us the power to accomplish what pleases Him. Ask and you will receive.

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One of My Greatest Fears

By Allen White

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 Philippians 2:12 (NIV)

I am terrified of snow skiing. Terrified. I grew up in Kansas. There are no mountains in Kansas. So, it must be my parents’ fault, right? Here’s why I’m afraid of skiing: when I try to ski, I have to submit to a powerful force that is beyond my control, namely, gravity. To successfully ski, I have to lean into the force. It causes me to become out of control. It just freaks me out. Too much fear and trembling for sure.

This passage might give the impression that somehow we work for our salvation. That is simply not true. We are saved by grace (Ephesians 2:8-9). We don’t work for our salvation; we “work out” our salvation. The difference is that now that we belong to Christ, we are no longer in charge of our lives. For this to work, we must truly give up control in every area of our lives and allow Christ’s powerful force to empower and guide our lives. Unlike falling off of a mountain, God’s interest is in our good and His Glory.

How much is your life in sync with God’s power and direction? What areas of your life feel like you’re trying to ski uphill?

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One Common Goal

By Allen White

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2 (NIV)

As runners in a race, the author of Hebrews challenges us to look at the stories of other great runners (Hebrews 11). Their stories of hardship and sacrifice that ultimately led to victory are our inspiration. Our ability to run is greatly enhanced by throwing off anything that will slow down our pace, particularly sin that will trip us up.

The goal of our running is not to run away from Hell, sin or self. The goal is Jesus. As we intently concentrate on the outcome of the race, we have the perspective and motivation to run. Jesus is the author, the initiator, of the race. He is also the perfecter. Now, that doesn’t mean that Jesus will necessarily make us perfect in this life. The word perfect here means “complete” or “finished.” Jesus, who fired the starting gun, will be right there to wave the flag at the end of the race. He’ll make sure that we cross that finish line.

How do we know that our race will turn out so well? Because Jesus endured far more than any of us. Now, He wears the victor’s crown. So will we who believe in Him.

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Refining Takes Fire

By Allen White

Friends, when life gets really difficult, don't jump to the conclusion that God isn't on the job. Instead, be glad that you are in the very thick of what Christ experienced. This is a spiritual refining process, with glory just around the corner. 1 Peter 4:12-13 (MSG)

A ladies Bible study was discussing Malachi 3:3, “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.” After much discussion, one lady proposed visiting a silversmith.

She went and asked about the process of refining silver, which he fully described to her. "But Sir," she said, "do you sit while the work of refining is going on?"

"Oh, yes, madam," replied the silversmith; "I must sit with my eye steadily fixed on the furnace, for if the time necessary for refining be exceeded in the slightest degree, the silver will be injured."

As the lady was leaving the shop, the silversmith called her back, and said he had forgotten to mention that the only way that he knows when the process of purifying is complete, is when he sees his own image reflected in the silver. – Unknown

The refining process is not the most enjoyable part of our relationship with God, but it is a necessary process.

How is God refining you today? What is being taken away? What hurts? Remember, “glory is just around the corner.”

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Have You Been Tempted Like Jesus?

By Allen White

We don't have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He's been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin Hebrews 4:15 (MSG).

Three areas of temptation are common to everybody: pleasure, possessions, and prestige (1 John 2:16). The Bible refers to these as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life (1 John 2:16, KJV). Whatever we are tempted with really comes down to one of these three categories.

At the end of a 40-day fast, Jesus was tempted just as we are (Matthew 4:1-11). The devil took advantage of Jesus’ physical condition by tempting him to turn stones into bread. Jesus was tempted with pleasure.

Then, the devil turns to prestige. He even uses Scripture to challenge Jesus’ authority and ability by tempting Him to jump off the highest point of the temple and let the angels rescue Him (Matthew 4:5-6).

Finally, the devil offers possessions by taking Jesus up to a very high mountain and making an offer: “All of this I will give you…if you will bow down and worship me” (Matthew 4:9, NIV).

Jesus faced what we face. He understands. How can Jesus help you today?

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