Week 1 Day 2: Luke 1:26-38
Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”
The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she’s now in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.”
Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her. Luke 1:34-38 (NLT)
The angel announced to Mary that she had “found favor with God.” I’m not sure that Mary at this point thought that God was doing her any favors. This is an interesting phrase that we read again in Luke 2:52 referring to Jesus “finding favor with God and all the people.” The word favor, if you remember from the Living a Balanced Life study, is rooted in the word for “grace.” This may simply imply that she was in God’s good graces. But, I see something more.
God had chosen Mary for a mission that in all practical ways would wreck the course of her life. Her reputation, her betrothal to Joseph, and her future were at stake here. But, Mary had God’s favor. His grace helped her to accept this mission.
Mary’s biggest fear was rejection. Who would understand this circumstance? A young, pregnant, unmarried virgin – who would accept such a tale? God, in His grace, provided a companion to Mary in Elizabeth, who also received a miraculous pregnancy. Though not an immaculate one, it was certainly unexplainable apart from God. While everyone else might have regarded Mary with suspicion, Elizabeth could relate to the fact that “nothing is impossible with God.”
What rare experiences have you had? More likely than not there is someone who needs you to walk alongside them. That person needs your understanding. Even the painful or embarrassing parts of our lives can be used to comfort another. Ask God who you can serve, then pay attention to who crosses your path.
Copyright © 2009 by Allen White
All Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Sunday, November 29, 2009
First Week of Advent, Day One
Writer's Note: Advent begins on Sunday, November 29, 2009. Different traditions follow different Scripture reading schedules. Some advocate a once per week reading. Others advocate a daily reading. Still others schedule four Scripture readings per day. I'm taking a moderated approach by choosing five Advent passages per week, then basing the devotional on the passage of the day. Some of these passage are longer, so I have provided a link to biblegateway.com, so you may read the entire passage.
I hope that you are blessed this Christmas season.
God bless,
Allen White
Simpsonville, South Carolina
Week 1 Day 1: Isaiah 11:1-10
And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. He will delight in obeying the Lord. He will not judge by appearance nor make a decision based on hearsay. He will give justice to the poor and make fair decisions for the exploited. Isaiah 11:2-4 (NLT)
Here we catch a glimpse of the Savior’s coming nearly 2000 years ago and His soon return. Isaiah saw the whole thing all at once. We haven’t seen leopards napping with baby goats or lions sharing a meal of hay with cows. That day is yet to come.
Jesus ushered in the start of this new era. We still experience it today. Jesus showed us a new way to be human. He showed us what it means to have a life empowered by the Spirit.
Isaiah prophesied that “the Spirit of the Lord would rest upon Him.” Doesn’t it seem unusual that the “second” member of the Trinity would need to depend on the “third”? Jesus is fully God and fully man. Why would the Almighty Son of God who created the Universe need to depend on Someone else to do His work? Because He came to save us and to show us the life that God intended for His followers to live. A life empowered.
We read in Philippians 2 that Jesus humbled Himself in order to fulfill His mission on the earth. He didn’t act on His own. He only did the things that He saw the Father doing. And, He performed these acts through the power of the Spirit. Then, Jesus tells His disciples, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen” Matthew 21:21 (NLT).
What do you need to trust God for today? Maybe you have been exhausting yourself over solving a problem. Have you asked God what He can do? Men, have you found the great adventure that Perry talked about a few weeks ago? Ask God what adventure He has in store for you.
Copyright © 2009 by Allen White
All Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
I hope that you are blessed this Christmas season.
God bless,
Allen White
Simpsonville, South Carolina
Week 1 Day 1: Isaiah 11:1-10
And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. He will delight in obeying the Lord. He will not judge by appearance nor make a decision based on hearsay. He will give justice to the poor and make fair decisions for the exploited. Isaiah 11:2-4 (NLT)
Here we catch a glimpse of the Savior’s coming nearly 2000 years ago and His soon return. Isaiah saw the whole thing all at once. We haven’t seen leopards napping with baby goats or lions sharing a meal of hay with cows. That day is yet to come.
Jesus ushered in the start of this new era. We still experience it today. Jesus showed us a new way to be human. He showed us what it means to have a life empowered by the Spirit.
Isaiah prophesied that “the Spirit of the Lord would rest upon Him.” Doesn’t it seem unusual that the “second” member of the Trinity would need to depend on the “third”? Jesus is fully God and fully man. Why would the Almighty Son of God who created the Universe need to depend on Someone else to do His work? Because He came to save us and to show us the life that God intended for His followers to live. A life empowered.
We read in Philippians 2 that Jesus humbled Himself in order to fulfill His mission on the earth. He didn’t act on His own. He only did the things that He saw the Father doing. And, He performed these acts through the power of the Spirit. Then, Jesus tells His disciples, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen” Matthew 21:21 (NLT).
What do you need to trust God for today? Maybe you have been exhausting yourself over solving a problem. Have you asked God what He can do? Men, have you found the great adventure that Perry talked about a few weeks ago? Ask God what adventure He has in store for you.
Copyright © 2009 by Allen White
All Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Christmastime is Upon Us
I know that Thanksgiving is tomorrow, but Advent officially begins on Sunday. So starting Sunday, I will be posting the daily Advent reading along with a devotional based on the passage.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Allen White
Happy Thanksgiving.
Allen White
Friday, October 30, 2009
Blogcation
WRITER’S NOTE: Dear Reader, we just completed our sixth and final week of devotionals for Living a Balanced Life. Since the next series at Brookwood Church, Captivating the Wild Heart, is based on two books: Wild at Heart by John Eldredge and Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge, we will not be sending out e-devotionals in November. Now, if neither of those are of interest, I read a great book last summer by Doug Fields called Refuel. It's basically Brother Lawrence meets the 21st Century. It's a great resource for spiritual growth.
The daily e-devotionals will resume on Monday, November 30 with the Christmas series. In the meantime, I am taking a little blogcation. I may put up something now and then during the course of the next month. Between now and the Christmas series, Sam, our oldest, turns 8 years old. Then, there's Thanksgiving. Then, yours truly, the blogger, turns 45. How did that happen? There will be stories to tell...
The daily e-devotionals will resume on Monday, November 30 with the Christmas series. In the meantime, I am taking a little blogcation. I may put up something now and then during the course of the next month. Between now and the Christmas series, Sam, our oldest, turns 8 years old. Then, there's Thanksgiving. Then, yours truly, the blogger, turns 45. How did that happen? There will be stories to tell...
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Living a Balanced Life Week 6 Day 5
Philippians 1:6
And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. (NLT)
Self-help is over-rated. Seriously, how far can you take yourself? You already know everything that you know. What do you know that you can teach yourself? That’s just silly.
God is working on you. How does God work? He inspires with His creation (Romans 1). He speaks through your conscience (Romans 2). Every believer has God’s Spirit (Romans 8). He influences through other believers. He has given His book, the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16). God arranges circumstances to speak to you. He has planned your purposes and your steps. He even uses difficult people and circumstances to direct or redirect you.
How is God working in your life today? Maybe something that you assumed was an obstacle is really a lesson from Him. Maybe the person you would rather avoid is God’s chisel to craft you into His image.
Life is not separate from spiritual growth. It’s easy to think, “Well, when I get past this situation, then I can focus on my spiritual growth.” What you are facing is a key component in your spiritual growth. That may sound discouraging or even impossible, but God is always at work around us.
Notice how God is at work in your life today.
Copyright © 2009 by Allen White
All Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. (NLT)
Self-help is over-rated. Seriously, how far can you take yourself? You already know everything that you know. What do you know that you can teach yourself? That’s just silly.
God is working on you. How does God work? He inspires with His creation (Romans 1). He speaks through your conscience (Romans 2). Every believer has God’s Spirit (Romans 8). He influences through other believers. He has given His book, the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16). God arranges circumstances to speak to you. He has planned your purposes and your steps. He even uses difficult people and circumstances to direct or redirect you.
How is God working in your life today? Maybe something that you assumed was an obstacle is really a lesson from Him. Maybe the person you would rather avoid is God’s chisel to craft you into His image.
Life is not separate from spiritual growth. It’s easy to think, “Well, when I get past this situation, then I can focus on my spiritual growth.” What you are facing is a key component in your spiritual growth. That may sound discouraging or even impossible, but God is always at work around us.
Notice how God is at work in your life today.
Copyright © 2009 by Allen White
All Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Living a Balanced Life Week 6 Day 4
2 Timothy 1:7
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. (NLT)
Nobody likes change. Change makes us insecure. Change stresses us out.
My baby girl just figured out how to climb out of her crib. When the boys made this discovery, they were exhilarated. No longer would they be captive to the wooden bars. They were in control. But, my baby girl freaked out.
I took the front rail off of the crib so she could easily get in and out of bed. She couldn’t handle it. She didn’t know what to do. In fact, she begged me, “Daddy, put the gate back on my crib.” So, I did. Her newfound freedom brought about a great deal of insecurity. This was too much change all at once.
How about you and me? There are changes that we need to make. This Living a Balanced Life series has pointed out some areas that we need to focus on. It’s easier just to stay the same. But there are compelling spiritual or social or health reasons for us to make some changes.
What we understand clearly is that it is going to take more than just us to change. We need to find someone who will encourage us and pray for us. We don’t really need accountability per se. Accountability is, well, accounting. It’s “keeping a record of wrongs.” Love doesn’t do that (1 Corinthians 13:5). We really don’t need someone to keep track of how many times we’ve failed. We need someone to encourage us to move forward. But, we need more than another person to make lasting changes. We need God.
According to this verse, God gives us “power, love and self-discipline.” As we commit each day to depend on God’s power, love and self-discipline, He will give us those things. When we are tested, and we will be, He is right there to help us.
Who are you looking to for help in making a change in your life? You need a connection with another person, and you need your connection with God. How is that going to look in your daily life?
Copyright © 2009 by Allen White
All Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. (NLT)
Nobody likes change. Change makes us insecure. Change stresses us out.
My baby girl just figured out how to climb out of her crib. When the boys made this discovery, they were exhilarated. No longer would they be captive to the wooden bars. They were in control. But, my baby girl freaked out.
I took the front rail off of the crib so she could easily get in and out of bed. She couldn’t handle it. She didn’t know what to do. In fact, she begged me, “Daddy, put the gate back on my crib.” So, I did. Her newfound freedom brought about a great deal of insecurity. This was too much change all at once.
How about you and me? There are changes that we need to make. This Living a Balanced Life series has pointed out some areas that we need to focus on. It’s easier just to stay the same. But there are compelling spiritual or social or health reasons for us to make some changes.
What we understand clearly is that it is going to take more than just us to change. We need to find someone who will encourage us and pray for us. We don’t really need accountability per se. Accountability is, well, accounting. It’s “keeping a record of wrongs.” Love doesn’t do that (1 Corinthians 13:5). We really don’t need someone to keep track of how many times we’ve failed. We need someone to encourage us to move forward. But, we need more than another person to make lasting changes. We need God.
According to this verse, God gives us “power, love and self-discipline.” As we commit each day to depend on God’s power, love and self-discipline, He will give us those things. When we are tested, and we will be, He is right there to help us.
Who are you looking to for help in making a change in your life? You need a connection with another person, and you need your connection with God. How is that going to look in your daily life?
Copyright © 2009 by Allen White
All Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Living a Balanced Life Week 6 Day 3
Romans 6:19
Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy. (NLT)
Voluntary slavery is certainly an oxymoron. It’s right up there with a “necessary evil.” It seems that Paul could use a different analogy here. Yet, consider where he starts, “Because of the weakness of your human nature.” Human beings are designed to be loyal, to be committed to something or someone, even if it’s harmful to us, i.e. an over-referenced Bob Dylan song.
There are instances in Scripture where people did volunteer to enslave themselves to another (Exodus 21:5-6). After six years of service, a Hebrew slave had the opportunity to go free, yet could choose to remain as a slave. He would then become a slave for life. It’s very difficult to understand that circumstance. Why would someone choose to remain the possession of another when freedom is at hand? We’re not so different.
Paul writes that we are “slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which [lead] ever deeper into sin.” While these terms seem to be extreme, disobedience to God is, in fact, “lawlessness.” When we go against God’s way or find a substitute for God, we are practicing lawlessness. Pursuing our own way and depending on something or someone else for our security and well-being are indeed lawlessness, if not idolatry.
Impurity can mean immorality, but it can also indicate choosing against being set apart or holy for God. While God wants us to enjoy the lives He has given us, He never intended for us to live these lives solely to please ourselves. These behaviors enslave us.
Righteous living sounds like such an uptight term. It seems to imply staying on our guard so that others will think well of us. But, our righteousness is from Christ. Righteous living is life in Christ. Rather than focusing solely on our wants and needs, we focus on what it is that Christ is calling us to do. We allow Him to live His life through us.
What is getting in your way right now? What thoughts, desires or behaviors are keeping you from living the life that God intends? What step can you take today to do something about it?
Copyright © 2009 by Allen White
All Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy. (NLT)
Voluntary slavery is certainly an oxymoron. It’s right up there with a “necessary evil.” It seems that Paul could use a different analogy here. Yet, consider where he starts, “Because of the weakness of your human nature.” Human beings are designed to be loyal, to be committed to something or someone, even if it’s harmful to us, i.e. an over-referenced Bob Dylan song.
There are instances in Scripture where people did volunteer to enslave themselves to another (Exodus 21:5-6). After six years of service, a Hebrew slave had the opportunity to go free, yet could choose to remain as a slave. He would then become a slave for life. It’s very difficult to understand that circumstance. Why would someone choose to remain the possession of another when freedom is at hand? We’re not so different.
Paul writes that we are “slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which [lead] ever deeper into sin.” While these terms seem to be extreme, disobedience to God is, in fact, “lawlessness.” When we go against God’s way or find a substitute for God, we are practicing lawlessness. Pursuing our own way and depending on something or someone else for our security and well-being are indeed lawlessness, if not idolatry.
Impurity can mean immorality, but it can also indicate choosing against being set apart or holy for God. While God wants us to enjoy the lives He has given us, He never intended for us to live these lives solely to please ourselves. These behaviors enslave us.
Righteous living sounds like such an uptight term. It seems to imply staying on our guard so that others will think well of us. But, our righteousness is from Christ. Righteous living is life in Christ. Rather than focusing solely on our wants and needs, we focus on what it is that Christ is calling us to do. We allow Him to live His life through us.
What is getting in your way right now? What thoughts, desires or behaviors are keeping you from living the life that God intends? What step can you take today to do something about it?
Copyright © 2009 by Allen White
All Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
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