Comeuppance?

Micah 2:1-5

God’s plans will override those of the swindlers Micah describes. And that sounds only fair, doesn’t it? In fact, we get a certain sense of satisfaction when we read about the just deserts coming to these terrible individuals. It goes without saying that we can identify with the swindled, or at least that we stand with them in our righteous disgust over the injustice they are experiencing.

Pastor and author Bill Hybels points out in a sermon that each of us is born with closed fingers. He goes on to describe ways in which that grasping response stays with us until finally, in death, we relax our grip. That sounds pretty consistent with Micah’s oppressors. But Hybels is talking about you and me.

When we get to the Gospels, we see Jesus responding to peoples’ greed and oppression in a different manner than the judgment described in Micah 2:1–5. Hybels envisions a scene between Jesus and a certain swindler named Zacchaeus (see Luke 19:1-10):

Zacchaeus was a clutcher… until he had dinner with Jesus…

Here is what I imagine Jesus might have said over dinner: “Hey, Zacchaeus. What your heart yearns for will never be satisfied by that which you are hanging on to so tightly. Your heart was meant to be in deep communion with God and in loving community with other people in the Family of God. You have walked away from that kind of communion and are settling for something far less. You are settling for trying to meet the needs of your heart by clutching stuff.”

I think Jesus might have gone on, “You know what I am going to do for you? In the not too distant future, I am going to open up my hands and they are going to receive steel spikes so that guys like you with hands like yours can be changed. I am going to be so generous to you, Zacchaeus. I am going to take your sin and greed and lack of love and I am going to pay for it on the cross and present salvation to you as a gift.

“And I won’t stop there. I am going to adopt you into my family. I am going to answer your prayers. I am going to give you strength through the storms of life. And I am going to give you heaven on top of all.”

At a certain point in the conversation, I think the enormity of Jesus’ generosity melted Zacchaeus and something changed on the inside. Zacchaeus emerges with his voice trembling with excitement and newfound conviction …

When your heart gets transformed by generous grace, your hands have a way of opening up.

Maybe it isn’t so hard after all to see ourselves on the negative side of justice, at least some of the time. None of us looks forward to comeuppance, but “Come to me, … and I will give you rest” (Mt 11:28) sounds inviting.

Think About It

•What weighs most heavily on you?

•Are you ready to let it go?

•Are you willing, like Zacchaeus, to allow your life to be transformed?

Pray About It

Lord, transform my life by your power and presence. Help me to fully realize the extent of Jesus’ gifts to me.

It Is Finished

Mark 15:33-39

And with Jesus’ last cry, redemptive history reached a watershed. The apostle John added that Jesus said, “It is finished” (Jn 19:30). Jesus had fulfilled God’s plan that the Father had “purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ” (Eph 1:9–10). Stewardship theologian A. C. Conrad comments:

When, in the far reaches of the past, God planned the creation of the world and man, he did so in connection with his Son, the revealed oikonomos, or steward … It is evident in this passage [in Eph 1:9–10] and others that the entire plan of the ages and scheme of redemption was in the mind of God in the far distant past … The essence and heart of God’s purpose is revealed in the redemptive work of Christ. [The kinship between God and humanity] is established in the presence of his Son upon the earth and fully sealed through his sacrificial death upon the cross.

In his death Jesus became the great high priest, fulfilling all the requirements of the old law, interceding between God and humans “once for all when he offered himself” (Heb 7:27). Says stewardship theologian T. A. Kantonen (1900–1993):

He is the High Priest who laid down his life on the altar of the Cross to redeem us from sin and death. He defines the central purpose of his mission thus: “[The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many]” [Mt 20:28]. Redemption presupposes that man is a sinner and as such he is cut off from the power to carry out the tasks growing out of that son ship.

Kantonen goes on to explain the ramifications of Jesus’ redemptive work for stewardship:

Those who accept the gospel of forgiveness in faith receive the power to become not only God’s trustees but also his children. The motive for their action is grateful love; the more livingly we know him who loved us and gave himself for us the more completely we give ourselves to him. And because genuine love is “[not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth]” (1Jn 3:18), we shoulder the responsibilities of Christian stewardship.

In the death of Christ on the cross, not only humanity, but indeed all creation is set free from bondage (see Ro 8:20–23); Christ’s redemptive work establishes his victory over all the powers in this world opposed to his purposes. These are at work in individual sinners and in the world’s systems to produce injustice, lawlessness, cruelty, faithlessness, greed, jealousy and death. God is liberating his people by redeeming them and his creation from individual sins and from the dominion of darkness (see Col 1:19–20).

Think About It

•How was the passion of Jesus a part of God’s plan even before creation?
•In what ways was Jesus a steward?
•What is your response to Jesus’ redemptive and liberating work?

Pray About It

Lord, thank you for your perfect plan for the world and for me.

Rewards by Grace

Mark 10:28-31

Jesus, says stewardship theologian T. A. Kantonen (1900–1993), is pointing out in this passage and in the parallel passage in Matthew 19:28–30 that the disciples will have a reward in heaven. He tells the disciples that they will “also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Mt 19:28).

The Lord first directs the attention of the disciples away from the expectation of an immediate earthly recompense and places the thought of reward in the context of the final consummation of the kingdom. A steward of the kingdom, a partner of the Messiah, is not “[like a hired laborer waiting to be paid]” (Job 7:2). His eye is upon the glorious fulfillment of the divine purpose in which he is privileged to share. The point of this phrase of the reply may be illustrated by the replies of three men engaged in a building project to the question of what they were doing. One said, “I am laying bricks.” Another said, “I am making twenty dollars a day.” But the third replied, “I am building a church.”

While the ultimate goal is the heavenly kingdom, Mark’s version indicates that there is also to be recompense “in this present age” (Mk 10:30)—but “with persecutions.” Kantonen remarks:

The joys of the kingdom are experienced here and now, not merely in some distant future. But they do not provide a carefree utopia, but strength with which to face the hardships of a hostile world. To emphasize the unique character of the reward as a sovereign gift of God, which does not depend on men’s own efforts, both Matthew and Mark conclude with the Lord’s words, “But many [who] are first will be last, and the last first.” Matthew then proceeds to record the parable of the laborers in the vineyard, in which every trace of merit disappears altogether, and everything, the reward as well as the opportunity to work, is a matter of divine grace. In the light of this teaching it is obvious that the gospel gives the concept of reward a new meaning quite different from its ordinary connotation of compensation or remuneration for services rendered.

Author and personal wealth adviser Alan Gotthardt maintains that this is a vital issue for the Christian steward of material resources: “Without question, the rewards for Christians who are faithful in this life will be great. This includes faithfulness with their material possessions.” But Gotthardt also asks another question worthy of reflection: “Is it selfish for a Christian to seek eternal rewards? … It is certainly possible to have wrong motives related to giving—or anything else we do as Christians, for that matter … [However Paul] was clear in his writings that salvation is by faith alone. Crowns and other rewards result from our actions here on earth.”

Think About It

•Do you think it is selfish for a Christian to seek eternal reward?

•How does knowing you have a reward in heaven affect your actions here and now?

•How easy is it for you to keep your divine purpose in mind?

Pray About It

Thanks for mercies past receive,
Pardon of our sins renew;
Teach us, henceforth, how to live
With eternity in view.

Sabbath-Keeping Stewards

Mark 2:23-28

The Pharisees wanted to make the Sabbath all about showy self-denial, but Jesus reiterated that the Sabbath was a celebration of God’s graciousness and provision—whether in gathering grain or in feeding a hungry army. The Sabbath is God’s gift to us. We need rest and everything that comes with it, but we are no longer bound by refraining from certain activities one day in seven (see Col 2:16–17). Being stewards of Sabbath means, as theologian and educator Marva Dawn comments, celebrating God’s gift and letting it enhance our life with him.

We all experience constantly how much our own time crunch is aggravated—and the pace of life accelerated—by the technological milieu in which we live. In such a cultural context, the first Sabbath gift for us to celebrate is its realization that the Bible presents an entirely different sense of time …

Many biblical passages in the Scriptures underscore this freedom from the anxiety of too much work. More positively, many biblical texts highlight the attitude demonstrated by Jesus that all the work committed to us by God can be done in God’s timing, for the grace that entrusts the work to us also empowers it.

Most notably, Jesus models this when the disciples worry that He wants to go to Judea again (after Lazarus’s death), and He responds, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? [Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light. It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light]” (Jn 11:9–10). Sabbath keeping fills us with the light of God’s presence so that the work of the following days can match their hours. Sabbath keeping gives us the opportunity to discern what really is God’s will for our lives and service so that we don’t try to do more than twelve hours’ worth of tasks (nor less either).

Theologian Jürgen Moltmann also comments on this idea of Sabbath as a means of God’s grace.

On this day of the week, the nature which human beings process and utilize should be allowed to breathe and come to itself again. Our mental and purposeful concentration on reason and will is relaxed. On this day the mind or spirit can return again to the body which it had made its instrument. The body becomes the temple in which God’s Spirit can live and rest …

The holy place of God’s silent presence is no longer the space of the Holy of Holies in the temple in Jerusalem. It is now found in time, in the time of the holy rhythm of the Sabbath days. God lives in time, and interrupts the plans and purposes of human labor through his resting presence … It is in the rhythm of the times and the alternation of work and rest that we find the pulse of life. That is the spirituality of the lived life.

Think About It

•How does your attitude toward work relate to keeping the Sabbath?

•In what ways does setting aside a day for God become a sacred space?

•How might you honor God’s provision of a day of rest?

Act on It

If you keep a Sabbath day, spend time this week reflecting on how it is a holy place. If you do not regularly keep a Sabbath day, determine to do so this week.

Spread the Joy Around

Malachi 4:2
Have you ever actually watched a cavorting calf? You’d probably think you were witnessing the worst possible case of bovine ADD. Human children act similarly. Position yourself outside an elementary school just before the day’s final bell. Whether a child has to traverse ten feet to queue up for a bus or ten blocks to burst into her door, you can’t fail to miss a common behavior: They run.

When was the last time you leaped? Don’t count the day you were in range of an automatic sprinkler system just chugging into action. When did you dance like Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof or like King David upon the return of the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem (see 2Sa 6:14–15)?

In Psalm 28:7 David asserts: “My heart leaps for joy and with my song I praise [God].” That inner jubilation works well for some of us, but we can’t all see ourselves physically leaping. Our hearts, though, alive in Christ and inspired by joy, can bound and jump.

Preacher and writer Oswald Chambers (1874–1917) knew the joy of being right with God:

No language can express the ineffable blessedness of the supreme reward that awaits the soul that has taken its supreme climb, proved its supreme love, and entered on its supreme reward. What an imperturbable certainty there is about the man who is in contact with the real God! Thank God, the life of the Father of the Faithful is but a specimen of the life of every humble believer who obediently follows the discipline of the life of faith. What a depth of transparent rightness there must be about the man who walks before God, and the meaning of the Atonement is to place us there in perfect adjustment to God. “[Walk before me and be blameless (see Ge 17:1)],” not faultless, but blameless, undeserving of censure in the eyes of God.

Chambers concedes that no language can adequately describe such euphoria, but he doesn’t suggest that we hold back in expressing ourselves in whatever way is appropriate. Are you the “let it all hang out” type, immune to easy embarrassment? Do you gravitate like a moth toward the limelight, or are you continuously aware in a public setting of the impression you’re making—or not making, if your goal is anonymity?

The fact is that it doesn’t matter. As Christians, we revere God’s name. And we’ve been healed and forgiven. When God looks at each of us, washed in the cleansing blood of Christ, he sees something incredible—absolute perfection! We’ve been “released.” How can any of us consider keeping such news to ourselves?

Think About It

•When you think about what God has done for you, what is the first emotion you feel?

•How does your rightness before God allow you to experience joy?

•Who needs to hear about this joy of yours?

Act on It

Someone out there needs the kind of joy that you as a Christian experience. Share that joy with someone.

DELAYED GRATIFICATION

Delayed Gratification

Verse: Habakkuk 3

In Habakkuk 2:2–3, God asks his prophet to record a vision of a future day--a day when the Lord will respond to injustice. Habakkuk 2:4 spells out that we are to live until that day “by his faithfulness,” not by sight. Habakkuk 3:3–15 reveals the content of the vision.

Habakkuk is deeply changed; his response in 3:16–19 clearly illustrates what it means to live by faith in God’s promise. After a moment’s recuperation from the cosmic events that he has just witnessed, the prophet declares, “I will wait patiently for the day of calamity to come on the nation invading us” (Hab 3:16). Habakkuk is willing to live amid socioeconomic upheaval, without physical or financial safety or security. Why? Because he knows a day is coming when things will be changed.

The following anonymous email has circulated on the Internet:

Recently I overheard a mother and daughter in their last moments together at the airport. They had announced the departure.

Standing near the security gate, they hugged and the mother said, “I love you and I wish you enough.”

The daughter replied, “Mom, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Mom.”

They kissed and the daughter left. The mother walked over to the window where I was seated. Standing there I could see she wanted and needed to cry. I tried not to intrude on her privacy but she welcomed me in by asking, “Did you ever say goodbye to someone knowing it would be forever?”

“Yes, I have,” I replied. “Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever goodbye?”

“I am old and she lives so far away. I have challenges ahead and the reality is--the next trip back will be for my funeral,” she said.

“When you were saying goodbye, I heard you say, ‘I wish you enough.’ May I ask what that means?”

She began to smile. “That’s a wish that has been handed down from other generations” ... “When we said, ‘I wish you enough,’ we were wanting the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them.”

“I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no matter how gray the day may appear.

I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting.

I wish you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger ...

I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.

I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final goodbye.”

Think About It

*How does Habakkuk’s response to the vision from God encourage you to respond in a similar way to tough times?
*We await a final day when all wrongs will be righted and all tears wiped away. In the meantime, what constitutes “enough” for you?
*Does your “enough” change with your circumstances?

Pray About It

Lord, you are mighty and have the future in your hand. No matter what I face today, I will live by faith in you.

CHRISTIAN GIVING

Giving in Proportion to Our Ability--and Beyond

Verse: Ezra 2:68-69

Both the Old and New Testaments promote the principle of giving in proportion to our ability. Here we see a positive example of this standard in the action of the returning exiles (compare this to the account of the Israelites giving more than was needed for temple construction in Ex 25:1–7; 36:2–7).

The apostle Paul may have been alluding to this passage when he commanded Christians to give in proportion to their incomes (see 1Co 16:2), as well as when he commended the Macedonians Christians, who “gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded ... for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people” (2Co 8:3–4). Paul holds out the example of the Macedonians as committed, loving Christians, centered not on their own needs, desires and rights, but on those of others.

This principle of proportional giving makes sense, we agree, but working it out in our daily lives is not quite so simple. Why? Because our chosen lifestyle affects our ability to practice generosity.

In a reading adapted from author Randy Alcorn, editors John Ortberg, Laurie Pederson and Judson Poling attempt to identify the essential qualities of a Biblical lifestyle with regard to spending habits. Alcorn begins by contrasting two opposite but equally incorrect beliefs about money: materialism and asceticism. Alcorn notes:

During World War II, when fuel was precious, billboards routinely asked motorists, “Is this trip necessary?” Every resource used for individual convenience was one less resource for the country’s central concern, winning the war.

As Christians, we are also engaged in a great battle that requires great resources. We too must realize that spending resources on our own private concerns leaves less resources for our kingdom’s central concern. We should ask, “Is this thing necessary?” Does this thing really contribute to my purpose in being here on this earth? Is this thing an asset to me as a soldier of Christ ...

In the words of Peter H. Davids, “A biblical lifestyle will necessarily recognize itself as being in opposition to the prevailing values and lifestyle of its culture. It is informed by a different view of reality.” This view of reality is not a harsh or austere view. It need not lead to bare-bones living, or to condemnation of those Christians who have greater opportunity or feel greater liberty to possess more than I do. Rather, it is a view toward the riches of the eternal kingdom.

Those who hold such a view are sincerely grateful for the refreshing pleasures and helpful possessions of this life. But regardless of what material things surround it, this view of reality remains focused on what is truly the greatest pleasure and possession of life, both here and hereafter--the pleasure of possessing Christ.

Think About It

*In what ways do you give according to your ability?
*How does your lifestyle affect your ability to give?
*How does your view of reality affect your lifestyle choices?

Pray About It

Lord, I want to live in a way that reflects a Biblical view of reality. Help me to do that.

Your Own Personal Umpire

 There are certain occupations where I think you need a particularly strong self image. For example, I would think a dentist needs a strong self image. I mean, he's a professional, he's helping people, but it's just hard to have so many people dreading what you do. Or in the world of sports, like a baseball umpire? Everybody thinks they can see better than the umpire can. You can tell because they keep yelling, "Hey, are you blind?" Because they don't agree with your call. Everybody thinks they have a higher IQ than you do. They keep commenting on the intelligence of an umpire negatively just because they don't agree with him.

But you couldn't have baseball without the umpires. I mean, can you image the players trying to agree on whether a guy was safe or out at second? That would end the game right there. Or how about letting the fans decide? Man, there would be chaos without the umpire. So, let's say there's a dramatic play at home plate. The winning run is sliding into home plate as the ball is thrown to the catcher; there's a cloud of dust; there are thousands of voices giving their opinion whether the runner was safe or not, but there's only one voice that matters. The umpire settles it.

The more you get full of God's Word, the more God has to work with in giving you His personal guidance. His peace and His Word always go together.

Human umpires? Well, they're right some of the time. God's umpire is right all the time. Why don't you offer your choices to the Lord and ask for His peace as the confirming signal in your heart; that sense that you've had a divine "OK" or a divine "forget it?" God's peace is His wonderful way of calling "Safe!" or "Out!" on the calls you have to make. And you'll always win if you go along with God's personal umpire.

A Hurricane Named Peace

A few months ago I thought they were talking about my grandmother storming up the East Coast. Actually, it was a hurricane with the same name - Irene. Oh, and I know what that name means. It means peace. How ironic.

Of course, it was in the face of a monster life-hurricane that Jesus gave His disciples one of the greatest promises of peace ever made. Within hours, the Man for whom they have left everything would be arrested, and tortured and crucified like a criminal.

Our word for today from the Word of God, John 14beginning in verse 27, tells us that as this Category 5 "hurricane" was on the verge of ripping apart their world, Jesus said: "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid" (John 14:27).

Excuse me, but how can a devastating life-storm go hand-in-hand with peace?

I got a hint of how on the day they thought the plane I was on might crash. The hydraulic system had failed and we were being diverted to the nearest airport. The flight attendants were barely concealing their own anxiety, and they were drilling us as fast as they could in how to prepare for a crash landing (of course, they never mentioning that "c" word, but you could tell that's what it was about). Needless to say, it was suddenly very tense, very quiet on our flight.

There was a grandma next to me, and she was I guess pretty much a nervous wreck. She talked about seeing her grandchildren in New Jersey, and I listened and I did my best to be of some comfort to her, and even tried to lighten it up a little bit with a little humor. Then it was time to land on a runway that was flanked with these emergency vehicles; lights flashing everywhere. And thankfully, we landed safely, just a little bumpy.

We were packing up to leave, and grandma said to me, "How could you be so calm when everybody else was so uptight?" And I said, "Well, I had total peace the whole time, actually, because my peace isn't based on what's going on around me. It's based on Who's going on inside me. One day I asked Jesus to come into my life and take over, and He did, and nothing can take Him from me."

Now, that's the secret of hurricane peace. Your response to the tempest is defined by your anchor relationship with Jesus Christ, not the screaming winds of the storm. Or as the Bible says, "You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You" (Isaiah 26:3). The wind and the water won't determine what happens to me. Jesus will. And whatever may get washed away, I cannot lose the One who is my reason to live, my defining love, my unloseable security.

Of course, the peace that Jesus promised to His followers that dark night would come at an unthinkable price; His horrific death on a cross, because there is no peace for someone who's away from the God who made them. And, according to the Bible, we all are. Having the unshakeable peace of God depends on being at peace with God, and that couldn't happen without my sin being paid for. So the road to peace is paved with the blood of Jesus. Or as the Bible says, "He was crushed for our iniquities (or wrongdoings); the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him" (Isaiah 53:5).

So, for you, peace will begin at the foot of Jesus' cross; the peace place where Jesus died to pay the price to make peace between you and God. And that peace becomes yours, that gift of eternal life becomes yours when you reach out and make it your own; when you personalize it by saying, "Jesus, I give myself to You because You died for me, and You're alive because You walked out of your grave. I want You to walk into my life." Let the peace begin! Let it happen today. Tell Him, "Jesus, I'm Yours."

Please go visit our website and you can watch, or read, or listen to a presentation there that will help you understand how to begin your relationship with Him.

Hurricane-proof peace is a Person, and He'll be there when the storm is howling, and He'll be there when the storm has passed.

GRATITUDE FOR GRACE

Gratitude for Grace

Verse: Luke 7:36-50

One of the most significant ways that we receive God’s generosity is through the gift of forgiveness. Jesus demonstrated the nature and extent of that forgiveness in this story. The woman sought Jesus because she recognized who he was, the Messiah. Church father Augustine (354–430) says that

she knew that he to whom she had come was able to make her whole; she approached then, not to the head of the Lord, but to his feet; and she who had walked long in evil, sought now the steps of uprightness. First she shed tears, the heart’s blood; and washed the Lord’s feet with the duty of confession. She wiped them with her hair, she kissed, she anointed them: she spake by her silence; she uttered not a word, but she manifested her devotion.

Simon, Jesus’ host, observed Jesus’ acceptance of the woman’s ministrations and thought that this proved Jesus was not a prophet. Ironically, Jesus read his thoughts. Augustine clarifies this passage:

Let now the Pharisee understand even by this, whether he was not able to see her sins, who could hear his thoughts. So then he put forth to the man a parable concerning two men, who owed to the same creditor. For he was desirous to heal the Pharisee also, that he might not eat bread at his house for nought; he hungered after him who was feeding him, he wished to reform him, to slay, to eat him, to pass him over into his own body.

So Jesus related to Simon the short parable, and Simon was forced to acknowledge that the one who has been forgiven most loves most. Jesus pointed out to Simon how little love he had shown for Jesus. He had not washed his feet, as was appropriate for an honored guest, nor had he anointed him, and he did not realize who Jesus was; he did not even acknowledge Jesus as a prophet. Moreover, Simon did not recognize that he was in need of a savior, that “there is no one righteous, not even one” (Ro 3:10). Augustine says,

O Pharisee, therefore dost thou love but little, because thou dost fondly think that but little is forgiven thee; not because little really is forgiven thee, but because thou thinkest that that which is forgiven is but little.

The woman, however, knew that she was a sinner, and she had faith that Jesus could forgive her. Even if Simon the Pharisee was a good, upstanding person with much less to forgive than the woman, this passage only serves to emphasize the fact that the Christian who begrudges God’s generosity to the outcast is in great need of forgiveness. It was the woman, not the “clean” Pharisee, who went away with Jesus’ forgiveness and Jesus’ blessing, “Go in peace” (Lk 7:50).

Think About It

•How did the woman in the story know who Jesus was and what he could do for her?

•If you heard Jesus was eating dinner at your neighbor’s house, how would you approach him?

•Do you identify more with the woman in the story or the host?

Pray About It

Lord, I turn to you in repentance and faith. Forgive me, cleanse me and give me peace.

JESUS CELEBRATES

Jesus Celebrates

Verse: Luke 7:24-35

This passage and others, such as the account of the wedding feast (see Jn 2:1–11), show that Jesus, though he lived a simple life, was the “Lord of Delight.” So says theologian John R. Schneider, who goes on to propose that this is one of the ways in which Jesus embodies his prophetic role, setting “true delight in opposition to the revelry and evil of the ruling rich.” In so doing, the Lord shows a side of his character that reflects “the deeper presence of joy and celebration.”

Several episodes in Jesus’ life reveal his role as the Lord of Delight. There is the wedding feast at Cana, where the wine runs out (Jn 2:1–11). Jesus rescues the situation (at his mother’s urging) by turning the six vats of purification water into about 180 gallons of the very best [wine]. His very first public miracle, then, the beginning of the things he did to [reveal his glory] (Jn 2:11), is simply to preserve a precious moment of celebration and delight for his friends.

Author Randy Alcorn sees this celebrative Jesus as a counter-indication to asceticism (the practice of strict self-denial, voluntarily undertaken, in order to achieve a higher level of physical and spiritual discipline)—though Jesus doesn’t condemn the practice out of hand. Alcorn says that this behavior indicates Jesus’ acceptance of all God’s gifts and of all kinds of people, both rich and poor.

Our Lord lived simply, but was not an ascetic … He not only drank wine, he made wine for a wedding celebration (Jn 2:1–11). He moved with equal ease among the poor, such as John the Baptist and Bartimaeus, and the wealthy, such as Mary, Martha, Lazarus, Nicodemus, Zacchaeus, and Joseph of Arimathea …

Christ’s birth attracted poor shepherds and rich kings. A poor thief (on an adjacent cross) and a rich man (who donated a tomb for his burial) attended his death. His life on earth drew many—both poor and rich. And regardless of their means, he was pleased to accept into his kingdom all who would bow their knee before the Messiah.

Inclusiveness is to be a characteristic of our celebratory meals as well. And celebration is intended to be the spirit of our giving—whether we’re sharing a meal or other material resources. Expository preacher Stephen F. Olford (1918–2004) quotes the apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 9:7, and goes on to say, “Giving develops a capacity not only for fruitfulness but also for joyfulness. Misery is linked with miserliness, whereas merriment is associated with magnanimity.”

Think About It

•What is a good balance between enjoying pleasurable things and living a life of prudence?
•How can you as Christ’s steward imitate and reflect Jesus’ sense of joyful celebration of the Father’s gifts, his celebration of the coming of the kingdom of God and his welcome of everyone who accepts his gracious invitation to the great banquet (see Lk 14:15–24)?
•What gifts of God could you share with others?

Pray About It

Lord, help me to imitate your joyfulness in my own life. Sometimes it is difficult to discern the difference between those things you want me to enjoy as your good gifts and those things I should set aside as self-indulgent or excessive. I ask for the wisdom to see that difference—to celebrate as you celebrated and to live simply in the spirit of the way you lived simply.

OUR PORTION

Our Portion

Verse: Lamentations 3:1-24

The economic imagery in this passage demonstrates the critical connection that exists between faith and finances (cf. Matthew 6:21). After reflecting on his own poverty in Lamentations 3:17, the poet turns his attention to God, his "portion" (La 3:24). The term portion in ancient Israel carried an economic significance easily lost on modern readers. The word has its origin in the distribution of the promised land among the 12 tribes as their inheritance from God. For an ancient Israelite, the totality of life, economic status and social security were tied to the land God had given him.

The priests received no inheritance of land. Instead, God said to Aaron, "I am your share [portion] and your inheritance" (Numbers 18:20). This is the same share the writer of Lamentations claims for himself, depending absolutely on God for his safety and security. He does not overlook the fact that human beings find security in possessions. God, after all, gave us the desire to possess, and the writer is not ashamed to appeal to that desire. But instead of merely refusing to trust in resources and possessions as his refuge, the poet relocates his resources by clinging to God as his chosen portion.

How do we claim God as our portion and eternal security? According to Jesus, we can relocate our wealth by sharing with the needy. This is how we store up for ourselves lasting treasures in heaven (see Matthew 6:19-21  Luke 12:32-34  1 Timothy 6:17-19).

"Can you say with John Wesley, 'I value all things only by the price they will bring in eternity?'" challenges National Christian Foundation cofounder Terry A. Parker. "Do you get excited about investing the time, talent, and resources God has given you this day, so on that day you will hear Him say, 'Well done good and faithful servant?'"

In the words of John Nunes, a pastor, theologian and the president of a denominational relief agency, “As God’s redeemed people, we have the calling—and opportunity—to be openhanded and tenderhearted toward those in need, not hard-hearted and tightfisted …” Nunes continues, “David Belasic suggests that God is favorably biased toward the poor, toward those who are suffering, toward those who have been shattered by the vicissitudes of life. God cares. His people care too.”

"Many Christians are going to be ashamed to face the Lord and explain why they hoarded money while others went hungry," predicts Christian financial stewardship leader Larry Burkett (1939–2003). "Once commitment has been made to a disciplined lifestyle, regardless of the available income, the danger of greed and its by-products is significantly reduced."

Think About It

•What changes in your life when you make God your portion (your security and inheritance)?
•How will you feel when you face God and think back about the times you had opportunity to give to others and didn’t?
•What can you do to share with others today?

Act on It

When you get to heaven, you’ll be accountable for your financial decisions. Do something today that will alleviate the pain of another person. And then know that heaven is rejoicing with you.

EXCELLENCY OF WISDOM

Wisdom

Verse: 1 Kings 4:29-34

This passage is a celebration of God’s endowment of great wisdom upon Solomon. It also celebrates the broader theme of God’s ordering of creation according to a majestic, divine design. God has infused his wisdom, as it were, into the very structure of material reality. And he has equipped the human race, created in his image, with the ability (the intellectual machinery) to, as German mathematician Johann Kepler (1571–1630) said, “think God’s thoughts after him,” in order to develop creation’s potential (note especially 1Ki 4:32–33). We as God’s designated stewards have been called to faithfully and intelligently cultivate creation’s potential. God wants us to varying degrees, based on the particular aptitudes and strengths with which he has gifted each of us, to draw out the fruitfulness of creation through engineering, entrepreneurship, development, intellectual understanding, the arts and so forth.

Bible scholar J. Richard Middleton depicts God the Creator as both a grand architect and a consummate artist:

Superimposed on and integrated with the picture of God speaking creation into being is the metaphor of God as designer and artificer, constructing with care, attention, obvious pleasure, and self-investment (as a good artist) a coherent, harmoniously functioning cosmos, according to a well-thought-out plan. This characterization of God as maker or artisan is rhetorically embodied in the superb literary artistry of the creation story, which moves from a preparatory statement in [Genesis] 1:1–2, through six “days” of God’s work, to the seventh climactic day (2:1–3), when God “rested” (šābat), satisfied, having completed his work.

Middleton goes on to articulate part of his understanding of the complexity of the imago Dei (“image of God”) as it pertains to humanity’s interactions with the created world:

[C]areful exegesis of Genesis 1:26–28 … does indeed suggest that the imago Dei refers to human rule, that is, the exercise of power on God’s behalf in creation. This may be articulated in two different, but complementary ways. Said one way, humans are like God in exercising royal power on earth. Said in another way, the divine ruler delegated to humans a share in his rule of the earth. Both are important ways of expressing the meaning of the imago Dei. The first expression—the notion of likeness to the divine ruler—suggests the image as “representational,” indicating a similarity or analogy between God and humans. The second expression—the delegation of, or sharing in, God’s rule—suggests the image as “representative,” designating the responsible office and task entrusted to humanity in administering the earthly realm on God’s behalf. But these expressions are not simply alternative; they are integrally connected.

Think About It

•How is God’s wisdom a part of our physical reality?
•In what ways are intellectual pursuits a part of God’s calling?
•How can people steward God’s creation through understanding it?

Pray About It

Lord, you have a unique calling for each of us. Those of us who seek and pursue the wisdom found in your creation—in any vocation or avocation of life—need your guidance to fulfill our role in your grand design.

THE KEYS TO RESTORATION

Job’s Restoration

Verse: Job 42

Job’s spectacular turnaround isn’t just a reward for righteousness but also a joyous act of God’s generosity. The fact that God owes us nothing has never deterred him from giving us everything, freely and graciously (cf. 2Co 9:7). Notice that Job’s restoration comes only after he forgives his friends and prays for them. As Jesus says, “Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Lk 6:37–38).

Pastor and author Gordon MacDonald notes that in the first forty chapters of the book of Job, this man faced a sample of nearly every imaginable kind of suffering. On a few occasions he appeared to bend under the weight of the stress, but he never broke. Given every reason to doubt himself and to revise his view of God, he stayed the course.

Every person who desires to live generously will want to acquaint himself with the journey of Job. His is a message from ancient times of a man with a soul that was bigger than the circumstances. Satan certainly got his answer: Job feared God in comfortable times and in chaotic times. No contest!

As this amazing book concludes, a couple of points stand out as worth pondering. Notice that God never told Job why all this was happening to him … All of Job’s anguish finds its roots in a strange conversation in which Job’s character was impugned. One would like to hear God say to Job, “Now that this is all over, let me tell you what it was all about.” But Job was left, apparently, to live out his days continuing to trust in God…

More significantly, Job regained his prosperity … (see Job 42:10). What does this tell us? First, that prosperity is not always a coincidence nor merely the result of hard work. In this case at least, God showered prosperity upon a man because the man had demonstrated his faithfulness.

Second, the prosperity came not simply because Job had endured the suffering but because he prayed for his friends … Job had no reason to pray grace upon these “friends” of his. They’d done little more than add to his misery during his dark days. Still Job, through his prayer, wished for their best and prayed that God would act kindly toward them …

Two important lessons to keep in mind: First, everything we own may be attributed to Providence as much as to hard work; remember, there are others who work hard without gaining material prosperity. Second, we must never forget that a grace-filled heart does more to trigger God’s kindness than all the more visible things a person can do.

Think About It

•              How do you think this story would have ended had Job not prayed for his friends?

•              How is the story of Job tied not just to the topic of suffering but also to the idea of prosperity?

•              What life lessons can you take away from the story of Job?

Pray About It

Lord, Samuel reminds me that prayer is important when he says to the people, “As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you” (1Sa 12:23). Remind me, Lord, that my prayers on behalf of others are my duty as well as my privilege.

HOW TO MULTIPLY YOUR RESOURCES

How to multiply your resources

Verse: John 6:1-14

The crowd had been following Jesus, so he went up on the mountain with his disciples. He knew what he was going to do. He was going to show them that he was the source, the giver and the essence of nourishment and blessing--both spiritual and physical. Theologian and author Henri J. M. Nouwen (1932–1996) points out that this is a story about gratitude.

This radical shift of vision, from looking at the loaves and fishes as scarce products from God which ask to be gratefully shared, is the movement from wreaking death to bringing forth life, the movement from fear to love. When the story ends, with the glorious statement that the disciples “[filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten],” there is no doubt left that God’s house is a house of abundance, not scarcity.

This event, like all of the miracle stories in the Gospels, is first of all about who Jesus is. Here he is the new Moses, the Messiah, again supplying manna in the wilderness. John makes this connection explicit as he goes on to recount Jesus’ bread of life discourse. But in a non-Messianic--and, therefore, more indirect--sense, the story of the feeding of the five thousand also has something to teach about multiplying resources.

Holistic stewardship writer Guy L. Morrill (1873–1966) thinks that the principle of multiplying resources was not confined to the miracles Jesus performed with bread and fish, but is also active in the life of a steward. He says, “Money is a miracle because it increases when you give it away. There is a divine law in connection with our giving. Christ with a few loaves and fishes feeds thousands. When the woman of Zarephath responded to the request of Elijah, her scanty store became a bountiful sufficiency ... Perhaps you have never thought of the miracle of money before.”

Expository preacher Stephen F. Olford (1918–2004) also calls the principle of multiplying resources a “miracle.”

The miracle of giving is that it produces a ministry of giving. When God can trust his people with money, he sees to it that they always have plenty for themselves and more for others. So the apostle quotes Psalm 112:9 to support the divine principle: “[they have freely scattered their gifts ... in honor].” There is honor and reward where generosity has been exercised. God is no man’s debtor. And we are fulfilled in the enrichment of usefulness in giving because he meets our requirements, multiplies our resources, and motivates our responsibility ... God alone is responsible for the measure in which these resources are multiplied, for the promise is clear and sure: he multiplies the seed that is sown.

Think About It

When you approach God, do you perceive him as a God of abundance or scarcity?How does your answer affect your prayers?When have you seen God perform miracles in your life?

Pray About It

God, thank you for your abundance and generosity to me. I pray that I will see you as you are: a God who delights in giving gifts to his children.

WHAT IS LIFE?

Life to the Full

Verse: John 10:10

Of all the gifts God has given us, life, both physical and spiritual, is the most fundamental and the most precious. In Jesus, God reaffirms the gift of life he bestowed on humanity in the beginning of time and provides the antidote to the culture of sin and death that was introduced by the fall. In the introduction to the encyclical Gospel of Life (Evangelium vitae), Pope John Paul II (1920–2005) proclaims the preciousness of the gift of life.

When he presents the heart of his redemptive mission, Jesus says: “[I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full]” (Jn 10:10). In truth, he is referring to that “new” and “eternal” life which consists in communion with the Father, to which every person is freely called in the Son by the power of the Sanctifying Spirit. It is precisely in this “life” that all the aspects and stages of human life achieve their full significance.

The encyclical also addresses “the incomparable worth of the human person.”

Man is called to a fullness of life which far exceeds the dimensions of his earthly existence, because it consists in sharing the very life of God. The loftiness of this supernatural vocation reveals the greatness and the inestimable value of human life even in its temporal phase. Life in time, in fact, is the fundamental condition, the initial stage and an integral part of the entire unified process of human existence. It is a process which, unexpectedly and undeservedly, is enlightened by the promise and renewed by the gift of divine life, which will reach its full realization in eternity (cf. 1Jn 3:1–2). At the same time, it is precisely this supernatural calling which highlights the relative character of each individual’s earthly life. After all, life on earth is not an “ultimate” but a “penultimate” reality; even so, it remains a sacred reality entrusted to us, to be preserved with a sense of responsibility and brought to perfection in love and in the gift of ourselves to God and to our brothers and sisters.

As stewards of God’s gifts, the pope admonishes every believer to celebrate, value and guard the gift of human life.

Even in the midst of difficulties and uncertainties, every person sincerely open to truth and goodness can, by the light of reason and the hidden action of grace, come to recognize in the natural law written in the heart (cf. Ro 2:14–15) the sacred value of human life from its very beginning until its end, and can affirm the right of every human being to have this primary good respected to the highest degree. Upon the recognition of this right, every human community and the political community itself are founded.

Think About It

*  What is your definition of life?
*  What makes life so valuable?
*  How might you celebrate, value and guard the gift of life?

Pray About It

Lord, thank you for the life that you give “to the full.” Help me to live in celebration of the life you have given to all people, and to be a good steward of this sacred reality--your life in myself and in all the people you have made.

2017 FOR MOUNTAIN OF FIRE AND MIRACLE MINISTRIES

2017 PROPHETIC PICTURE OF THE YEAR

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MFM Staff - Sunday, January 1, 2017

Last Updated: Monday, January 9, 2017, 3:58 PM WAT

In this particular year human beings will be divided into 3 categories: You either manifest as SALT, SUGAR or ACID. But the one the Lord wants you to manifest as is the one He has said in the scripture that Ye are the Salt of the earth and once the salt has lost it potency that is it. He (The Lord) didn't say you are the sugar of the earth or you are the acid of the earth.

Some have become the acid of the earth now. Some have become the sugar of the earth by trying to please everybody, but the Lord said you are the salt. Too many Christians have fallen short of this and because we refused to be salty, we are being spoiled by the world. Jesus said Ye are the salt of the earth, if the salt has lost its taste, it has lost its strength and quality, He says how can the saltiness be restored? He says it is not good for anything again except they throw it away.

This year, be the salt of the earth because:

• Salt preserves
• Salt purifies
• Salt flavours
• Salt penetrates
• Salt works quietly

When you put salt in a place it has a lingering effect. Salt adds value and it holds water; it heals but at the same time it (salt) irritates when necessary.

You can fill your mouth with sugar, no problem, but when you have finished swallowing the sugar, the sugar will fight back inside that body. However, the way you put sugar in your mouth cannot be said of salt because it (salt) stings. Salt persists, is inexpensive, universally available, shows no bias. If you will just follow that injunction of Jesus for this year, you will be 100 percent fine.

1. In this year, don't hate anybody
2. This is a year of confused noises and meaningless storms
3. This year, there will be heavenly final whistle to those who are attacking genuine God's people
4. This year is a year of fighting between the road and the road users (may the Lord explain this to you)
5. This is a year of incredible and energy sapping battles
6. This is a year of disgrace of popular international serpents and scorpions
7. This is a year of incredible victory and supernatural intervention and triumph for so many people (you know this year is 2017; 17 is the number of victory but there is no victory without a battle and no triumph without war)
8. This is a year of fantastic new beginning for many people
9. This is a year where the sword will attack the holder of that sword
10. This is a year - and mark my words - where all those who are investing in corruption, wealth corruption, money and accumulating things by corruption, will yield them multiple sorry this year
11. This is one of those years that will favour the givers; a year of mysterious uncommon blessing for givers
12. This year, many foundational satanic oppression and bondages will expire
13. This is a year of thanksgiving for divine deliverance
14. This is a year of great and intensive confrontation between the kingdom of darkness and the children of God, but the children of the mighty God will be victorious
15. This is a year of great confrontation between morality and immorality, purity and perversion, light and darkness, truth and falsehood
16. This is a year of great challenges, but also of achievements for those who are ready to fight the good fight of faith
17. This is a year of extraordinary victory for individuals, institutions and nations who will use their spiritual weapons
18. This is a year of redemption from many lands that are in contention
19. This is a year of breakthrough for those who have decided to be fishers of men
20. This is a year where heaven will honour prayers targeted towards divinely orchestrated victory
21. This is a no-nonsense year monitored by Herod-slapping angels
22. This is a year where the last laugh over your enemies will be secured
23. A lot of prayers are needed for nations that show no respect for the commandment of the holy writ, no respect for the words of scriptures
24. This is a year where those who deeply love the Lord will not be moved by the political, social and economic instability of the time
25. If you have sown into the things of God, this is a year where blessings will chase you and also over take you
26. This is a year that will witness the release of angels of abundant harvest
27. God will begin to raise what we call powerful children ministers; anointed young children because the adults have started to fail God
28. Serious prayers are needed to avoid what is known as unprecedented convulsion of the earth (i.e. manifestations through earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, extreme weather, terrible winds)
29. This is a year of double edge divine vengeance
30. This is a year you must restructure and embrace spiritual revival or perish
31. This is a year where warfare mentality is a prerequisite for survival. Many who have been laughing at praying warfare prayers before will be the greatest prayer warriors now
32. Under-obedience will attract very strict heavenly sanction this year
33. This is a year of huge surprises both pleasant and unpleasant
34. And I say this with all seriousness, the Lord said it is a year of very deep sorrow for the wicked
35. This is a year where many who have been mocked shall rejoice
36. This is a year of satanic recruitment to cage young female teenagers. Serious prayers are needed
37. This is a year of great awaken. Also, a year of great shaking
38. This is a year of the kind of showers of blessings that will change many people's stories forever
39. This is a year of the aggressive rage of sexual demons and sexual perversion in order to kill destinies (This is a very bad year for fornicators and adulterers no matter how clever they are. Some will go on that journey and they wont come back home. Some will be destroyed along the way; the enemy will not give some of them time to repent again)
40. This will be a very rough year for JONAH Christians

10 keys to hold on to this year (10 survival keys in this kind of SALT, SUGAR and ACID year)

1. Live a Holy life
2. Stop unbelief
3. Have a goal this year
4. Be persistent
5. Always seek divine direction
6. Be filled with Holy Ghost
7. Disengage yourself from unprofitable friends
8. Be generous towards God
9. Locate your weaknesses and address them
10. Become a prayer addict and bible addict.