Pastor Kevin's Blog

Jealous. (II Cor. 11:1-15)

rachel.ruggieri — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 10:30:52 +0000

Jealous. Ever been jealous, feeling like you might be losing importance or even replaced by a rival? Paul, as a spiritual leader for the Corinthian believers, was jealous for the spiritual fidelity of the people. Other teachers of dubious motives and questionable content were stealing the hearts of the people away from the truth. Paul challenged their lack of discernment and backbone: “I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him. But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ” (II Cor.11:2-3). The devil deceives – it is his consistent strategy against you. He tricks you into believing that sin is better than obedience; that rebellion against God is superior to submission to him. Every time you fall for a lustful thought, a selfish indulgence, hold a grudge, or react to authority you have taken the bait. God is longing for you to have a “sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” Devotion to Jesus Christ is your lifeline to spiritual health. Apart from constant joy in him, you will be easy prey for the deceptions of the enemy. Tend to the inner fire; I am jealous for your heart to be passionately in love with God.

Why are you serving God? (Read: Job 1-3)

rachel.ruggieri — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 10:30:45 +0000

Why are you serving God? Job was considered the most prosperous, blessed man of the ancient world. Additionally, God was pleased with Job, as a man of righteousness. Satan challenged God, “Does Job fear God for nothing? Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands…but stretch out your hand and strike everything he has and he will surely curse you to your face” (1:10-11). God releases Satan to inflict suffering on Job, costing him his livestock and family. Yet Job’s perspective is, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised” (1:21-22). Seems like Satan was wrong about Job’s motives in serving God – it was not based on his prosperity and happy family life. Even with those highly valued elements taken from him, Job steadfastly continued to trust God. Certainly he did not understand, certainly he felt severe loss. But Job persevered in trusting God despite his personal loss. Think about it: if you lost your family, your job, and your assets – how would you respond? Would you rest in God’s sovereignty or would you complain and whine? Accusing God of unfair treatment usually reveals a lack of faith, an immature perspective on his wise plan, and personal misery. Unbelievably Job was able to take a direct hit of pain of unimaginable severity and yet speak only words of trust, confidence and faith. Probably he was speaking beyond what he was feeling; nevertheless, his words revealed his deep roots in God’s ultimate goodness. How have you responded to a severe loss? Are you serving God because of the benefits or simply because of Him?

Comparison. (II Cor. 10:12-18)

rachel.ruggieri — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:30:52 +0000

Comparison. How do you measure success? Probably your measurement includes comparing yourself with others in a similar talent, task or responsibility. This approach leads to a competitive spirit along with thoughts of envy, jealousy and judgment of others. When you find those doing better than you, you feel discouraged; when you find those not doing as well as you, you feel smugly superior. Despair or pride – neither are which come from God. That’s why we are warned to avoid comparisons entirely: “We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise” (II Cor.10:12). There is one we focus upon, Jesus Christ. Focusing on others and comparing ourselves accordingly usually quenches the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives. Bless and cheer for those who succeed; comfort and encourage those who fail. Keep your focus on the Lord Jesus as your ideal standard and champion. His affirmation is all you need. In what areas of your life do you find yourself comparing yourself with others?

A funny thing happened on the way to world dominance. (Read: Daniel 4)

rachel.ruggieri — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:30:48 +0000

A funny thing happened on the way to world dominance. Nebuchadnezzar, the great king of Babylon, had a dream in which he saw a massive tree with universal visibility and influence. Daniel the prophet interpreted the dream that though the King was indeed that great tree, it would soon be cut down to a stump unless he repented. Nebuchadnezzar did not respond and one year later was admiring his own greatness, “is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?” (4:29-30). A heavenly voice immediately brought judgment against his pride and suddenly Nebuchadnezzar fell into a bizarre mental illness. For seven years he functioned like an animal, walking on his hands and knees, eating grass like cattle and being non-communicative. Remarkably, he is given a new beginning. In his own words: “At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever…He does as he pleases” (4:34-35). What an amazing conversion! Not everyone responds to such humiliation with a repentant heart. Yet Nebuchadnezzar, at one time the most powerful man on earth, turns his heart in faith to God. God restored his honor and splendor, giving him one last season of influence now as an evangelist. God is able to humble any one of us; how much better if we simply get off our own little power trip and acknowledge the obvious – He is God. How have you seen God humble your story line and gain your attention?

Weapons. (II Cor. 10:1-11)

rachel.ruggieri — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 10:30:26 +0000

Weapons. God has given you weapons with spiritual power. There is a battle in your mind over what to believe about God – is he always good, trustworthy and all-powerful? Any thought that argues against God’s goodness, integrity, power, sacrifice, love, holiness, purity or tempting you to rebel against Him is not of God. Those thoughts are the tactics of your enemy who is attempting to defeat you. So, many times throughout the day you will need to draw your weapons and fight: “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (II Cor.10:4-5). You are to demolish all thoughts that challenge God’s goodness or any arguments tempting you away from your responsibility to love others as Christ has loved you. Do not accept every thought; take control of your thoughts and conform them to the truth of God’s word. Force out the lies by replacing them with the truth. The weapons are the promises of God’s word. Feed your mind the truth of Scripture; meditate upon it and converse with God about it. Believe it. What promise from God’s word has become especially meaningful to you?

Ministry done God’s way. (Read: Ezekiel 44-48)

rachel.ruggieri — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 10:30:10 +0000

Ministry done God’s way. Only the priests who had not compromised were allowed to serve God in the inner court. Even there, there was no room for creativity, self-effort or hard work. Clearly God wanted his key servants to be calm and cool: “When they enter the gates of the inner court, they are to wear linen clothes; they must not wear any woolen garment while ministering at the gates of the inner court or inside the temple. They are to wear linen turbans on their heads and linen undergarments around their waists. They must not wear anything that makes them perspire” (44:17-18). What’s the point? God is contrasting the prideful effort of a man under the influence of the sinful nature with the faith-filled, worshipful effort of the Spirit-empowered servant. Sinful man sweats. Spirit-filled man is cool. God does not want one drop of perspiration in his work; nothing that is of man’s effort. He only wants the work of the Holy Spirit, operating through a person completely yielded and surrendered to Him. Like the Apostle Paul said in Phil.3:3, he “put no confidence in the flesh.” Jesus taught us, “no branch can bear fruit by itself, it must remain in the vine; neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me” (John 15:4). Does your walk with God seem like a lot of sweaty work? Maybe its too much of you and not enough of Him. Consider how you can release your grip on your life and trust yourself into his loving and powerful presence. What are ways you might trust him more?

Provider. (II Cor. 9)

rachel.ruggieri — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 10:30:41 +0000

Provider. God is your source. He is the one who supplies all you need: “Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion” (II Cor.9:10-11). God is overwhelming generous in his provision for you. His grace evidence is all over your life. Part of his provision is to meet your need and help you to experience his grace personally. Additionally, he provides more than you need so that you can be generous to others. In this way, you help others experience God’s grace as well. When you are generous in giving to meet the needs of others, you reaffirm to your own heart that God is your provider. He is giving you not only bread to eat, but seed to plant in the lives of others. God provides; we receive and give. Generosity reveals to the world that God is our gracious provider, who has an endless supply for all our needs. When has someone been generous to you?

The Amazing Prince. (Read: Ezekiel 40-43)

rachel.ruggieri — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 10:30:14 +0000

The Amazing Prince. God gives Ezekiel a vision of the future, rebuilt temple. It is an ethereal picture of something with living features like that of a city, but also a place of worship like a temple. However, the life-giving personality of note is a Prince: “I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of rushing waters, and the land was radiant with his glory” (43:2). His voice was like rushing waters – loud, powerful and pulsating with life. The impact upon the land was a new radiance! Unmistakably this is a picture of Jesus. The apostle John, towards the end of his life, also had a vision of this Prince. He saw someone “like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades” (Rev.1:13-18). The center of history is Jesus Christ. He is the center of existence, authority, worship, truth, justice, grace and life itself. How are you impressed with this description?

Giving. (II Cor. 8)

rachel.ruggieri — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 10:30:26 +0000

Giving. The cliché is true: you can give without loving but you cannot love without giving. God’s nature is to give; he demonstrates his love for us by giving his one and only Son for us (John 3:16). Those who follow Christ, give: “But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us – see that you also excel in this grace of giving…For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich” ( II Cor.8:7, 9). We give because Christ has so abundantly and stunningly given to us. He traded the riches of eternity with the Trinity to become a human and enter our poverty. He took upon himself all the debt of sin, becoming poorer still. Yet through his resurrection, he pours out grace upon grace into our lives, making us fabulously wealthy in Christ. Our response? Give. Excel at giving, become generous on every occasion. Demonstrate to your own heart that you can never overcome the generosity God has poured into your life through Jesus.

Golden Idol. (Read: Daniel 3)

rachel.ruggieri — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 10:30:26 +0000

Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, had erected a 90’x9’ golden idol. He demanded all people to bow down and worship the image. What do you do when you are commanded to abandon God? Three Hebrew exiles, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, had a conviction as strong as steel and graciously refused to bow. The King was enraged; he made threatened death by furnace, he demanded answers. But the “three” responded: “We do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up” (3:16-18). That was not the response the king wanted to hear. Furious, he had the three thrown into the massive fire pit, which torched the soldiers handling the duties. Yet, Nebuchadnezzar was stunned by what he saw. Not only were the three alive, but a fourth “son of man” was present as well (guess that might be Jesus?). The results? “Fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them” (3:27). Though they should have burned to death, they were saved by the power of God. Even the unbelieving King was impressed and from his own mouth confessed awe: “no other god can save in this way” (3:29). Additionally, the Hebrews were then given a promotion by the King. Amazing things result when a person graciously but firmly holds to his faith in God. The Lord arranged this “faith test” not only for the benefit of the three Hebrews, but also for the King and nation of Babylon. God displayed his power and impressed a nation because three men were willing to stand firm. You may not be threatened with a furnace, but you will have your opportunities to remain faithful to the Lord in the face of peer pressure to compromise. Prepare now to stand firm, regardless of the costs, and to trust the Lord to be your portion. When have you seen a Christian stand firm in the face of persecution?

Turning Around. (II Cor. 7)

rachel.ruggieri — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 10:30:44 +0000

Turning Around. Paul had challenged the Corinthians by his letter, correcting them for living unaligned with God’s purposes. The people could have bristled at his correction and dismissed Paul as a narrow-minded, control freak. But instead, their consciences were touched; humbling themselves, they adjusted their lives to the will of God. This adjustment of the heart to align with God’s will is called repentance: “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death” (II Cor.7:10). “Worldly sorrow” is similar to feeling badly about the consequences of your wrongdoing, but having little interest in changing your attitude or actions in the future. You regret getting caught. Worldly sorrow also appeals to our pride – we will try harder next time, proving to God we are not ‘really’ that bad. But true repentance is about being broken over your pride and rebellion against God. You recognize the honest and ugly truth about your heart and you earnestly want to change. True repentance is only possible through the working of the Holy Spirit in your life. He reveals the truth about your heart; you respond in humility and action. Repentance also leaves you with less judgment in your heart towards others – you are freshly reminded of your own failures so you have much more compassion for others. True repentance is a vital, ongoing experience for all who would follow Christ, keeping you close and dependent on Jesus. Also, repentance leads to reconciliation among believers, removing the barriers to love. Have you repented of your sins lately?

Misunderstanding God. (Read: Ezekiel 32-33)

rachel.ruggieri — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 10:30:38 +0000

Misunderstanding God. People saw their world crumbling and blamed God for their disaster. Yet, their problems were a result of their own sin. “Your countrymen say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ But it is their way that is not just. If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and does evil, he will die for it. And if a wicked man turns away from his wickedness and does what is just and right, he will live by doing so” (33:17-19). God is frequently accused of being ‘unfair’ or ‘unloving’ by people who only see immediate, unpleasant circumstances. Their premise is that God is obligated to provide us with pleasant, happy, problem-free lives. Anything less than that and God is being unfair. Yet even when we don’t understand why things happen, God is never preoccupied, misguided or lacking in judgment. He is never deficient in power or resources. When things go bad, rather than blaming God, a wiser approach would be to examine our own lives for areas of rebellion against God. The more quickly I turn from my evil ways and trust God for forgiveness and grace, the sooner I experience his peace. You see the emphasis on life-change? The sequence seems to be: Change your attitude, change your actions, change your destiny. Blaming God for the difficulties in your life will never bring peace or joy. How have you previously blamed God for difficult times in your life? How has he graciously brought you beyond that perspective?

God gave a stunning, eerie vision to Ezekiel. (Read: Ezekiel 37-39)

rachel.ruggieri — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:30:44 +0000

God gave a stunning, eerie vision to Ezekiel. He walked the prophet through a valley full of dry, human bones. Hard to imagine a scene more depressing, hopeless and desecrated; this was the picture of death. Yet, God was inviting Ezekiel into a miracle: “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life.’” (37:4-5). God told Ezekiel to speak in faith to a valley full of bones. To obey God, Ezekiel had to temporarily suspend his rational judgment, the obvious facts he saw with his eyes, and his own natural fear. He had to speak a promise of life to what conclusively was death. What would he do, trust God’s promise and speak in faith or live with current circumstances? “So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet – a vast army.” (37:10) Beyond the primary purpose of the vision (Judah’s future restoration to spiritual life) is a secondary lesson to learn: God wants you to live by faith, not by sight. Sometimes you must speak the promises and purposes and will of God into your situation that is out of synch with His plan. This is how faith expresses itself, by what you say. Your relationship with God begins by you speaking and believing what God promises (Rom.10:9 “If you confess with your mouth…and believe in your heart…you will be saved”). You can wallow in your circumstances and remain depressed and hopeless or you can speak God’s promises over your life, despite your circumstances. God is the one who “calls things that are not as though they were” (Rom.4:17). Try it. Use your mouth to speak in faith a promise from God’s word directly into your situation – see if faith doesn’t grow a bit in your heart!

Distinction. (II Cor.6:14-18)

rachel.ruggieri — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:30:14 +0000

Distinction. God does not see all people in the same way. Those outside of his saving mercy are lost in the spiritual darkness of unbelief. Those who trust in Christ are inherently different and unique. So God calls his people to live out their distinction: “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? ‘Therefore come out from them and be separate’, says the Lord” (II Cor.6:14, 17).You are fundamentally different in spirit, worldview, purpose and eternal future from the unbelievers of the world. Therefore, God calls you to be discerning in your close associations. In the Corinthian context, the main concern was to not associate closely with teachers who contradict the established truth of the gospel (false teachers). Yet the principle applies to a wide range of relationships – any close friend or partnership should be based on a common faith in Jesus Christ. Attempting to form an intimate association with someone who does not trust and follow Christ mixes two elements that fundamentally don’t mix (i.e. light and darkness). Be the light of righteousness Christ has recreated you to be. How have you experienced this idea?

Promise of a new heart. (Read: Ezekiel 34-36)

rachel.ruggieri — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 10:30:52 +0000

Promise of a new heart. Even though Judah is currently away from God and away from their homeland, God has a promise for them: “I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws” (36:25-27). Think of the imagery God uses to describe the current condition of Judah’s heart – a stone. Stones are hard, heavy, lifeless and inflexible. Their stone hearts are beyond repaired or reformed; a transplant is the only hope. That is the plan of God! He will remove the old, rebellious, unresponsive heart of stone and replace with a tender, flexible God-formed heart. He makes all things new. A new spirit that now desires God; a new heart that desires to trust and obey God; a new heart that loves God. When people receive the Spirit of God into their lives, change begins to happen! Are you experiencing transformation in your life as a result of God’s Spirit alive in your life?

Cost of Leadership. (II Cor.6:1-13)

rachel.ruggieri — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 10:30:48 +0000

Cost of Leadership. Paul’s commitment to serving God was amazing. Consider the price he was willing to pay to help the Corinthian people who largely criticized and marginalized him: “We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. 4Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; 5in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; 6in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; 7in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; 8through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; 9known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; 10sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything” (II Cor.6:3-10). When the people you serve do not appreciate or even receive your service, it is easy to withdrawn and become cynical. Be careful. The ministry is about doing the will of God, not seeking the affirmation of people. We are to pour out our lives for others because of God pouring out his life for us and in us. Paul appeals to the people to open their hearts to him, but nevertheless, considers himself a “servant of God.” Have you allowed the mild rejections of others to discourage you from serving? Allow the Holy Spirit to encourage your heart once again and experience the adventures of ministry leadership. It is what you were made for.

Do you really want to know? (Read: Jer. 41, 42, 43, 44, 51)

rachel.ruggieri — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 10:30:50 +0000

Do you really want to know? Judah had been reduced to a small remnant of people, desperate to survive. Outwardly, it would appear that the Babylonians were the enemy and only in Egypt could they survive. Additionally, Judah was so compromised, the women were drawn to the Egyptian goddess, the Queen of Heaven. So though they approached Jeremiah with a desperate plea for help and guidance, it was also disingenuous. “All the people from the least to the greatest approached Jeremiah the prophet and said to him, ‘please hear our petition and pray to the Lord your God for this entire remnant.’” (42:1-2) Jeremiah heard from the Lord and reported what God had to say: “If you stay in this land…I am with you and will save you.” (42:11). Here is the problem – the people already had their heart set on going to Egypt, not remaining in their destitute homeland. From all appearances, Judah looked hopeless; Egypt looked promising. What is a person to do when they hear guidance from the Lord they disagree with? Depends on their attitude. If your heart is proud, you blame other people: “All the arrogant men said to Jeremiah, ‘You are lying!’” (43:2). Simple. Just call the messenger a liar. However, if you will live by faith, not sight, God will bring a mighty deliverance. This is easy to say, but very difficult to do. We are hardwired to live by sight, not faith. But God knows all things. He was prepared to richly provide for them if they obeyed him. But Judah missed their opportunity. They rejected God’s word, went off to Egypt as they had planned to do, and lost their lives in the process. Funny thing – seeking God’s will. If you come to Him with your mind already made up, you are wasting your time. But if you come prepared to obey, whatever God says, you will discover his peace. George Mueller, the 19^th century British evangelist and orphanage director had this to say about finding the will of God. “I seek at the beginning to get my heart into such a state that it has no will of its own in regard to a given matter. Nine-tenths of the trouble with people generally is just here. Nine-tenths of the difficulties are over come when our hearts are ready to do the Lord’s will, whatever it may be.” Where have you struggled to know God’s will? How has God provided direction?

Reconciliation. (II Cor.5)

rachel.ruggieri — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 10:30:02 +0000

Reconciliation. You were completely lost and spiritually dead in your sins. But God took the initiative to mercifully be your sin substitute, to purchase your salvation and offer it to you as a gift. He adopts you as his child, gives you Himself as your inheritance and his Spirit as the seal of more to come. When you receive his gracious gift by faith, He completely transforms you into a new species of person who has never existed before. Everything of your old life is gone. You are completely new, made alive in your spirit. He brought you to himself – reconciled: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us” (II Cor.5:17-20). Not only did God reconcile you to himself, he now shares with you the amazing privilege of reconciling others to Him – as an ambassador. What better news could the world ever hear, that God is not counting their sins against them! You are not only the messenger, you are the living message – an example of one forgiven and reconciled to God. How can you more purposefully function in your God-given identity as a reconciler?

Jars of Clay. (II Cor.4)

rachel.ruggieri — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 10:30:22 +0000

Jars of Clay. Paul and his mission team faced unimaginable suffering and persecution. Yet his hope was in Christ, who made the light of the gospel shine through his life. He saw himself as a ‘container’ of God’s power: “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us” (II Cor.4:7). The reality of Christ filling and overflowing from his life gave him a unique perspective on his difficulties: “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (II Cor.4:16-18). He saw his troubles as benefits because of the opportunity they presented to trust more in the all-sufficiency of Christ. The brilliant light and love of Christ (glory) continued to increase in Paul’s ministry. Paul made the decision to focus his attention on the unseen Christ and live each day for what would matter for eternity. Are you wasting your life trying to keep yourself entertained and amused? You are created to contain in ever-increasing measure the glory of Christ. Allow him to renew you inwardly every day. Discover the value of your troubles. Jesus is the One who can fill your life.

What do you say when your world is crumbling around you? (Read: Lam. 3, 4, 5)

rachel.ruggieri — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 10:30:21 +0000

What do you say when your world is crumbling around you? “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.” (Lam.3:22-26). Jeremiah’s environment could not have been worse. His city was destroyed. People were hopeless, desperate, starving and dying. Yet Jeremiah remembered God’s unfailing compassion. The Lord would be his portion and the Lord would prove to be all-sufficient. Have you experienced God at this level? To know that He is all you need especially during times when He is all you have? If you are in a difficult place today, remember: His compassions never fail; He is faithful and He is worth waiting upon. What hopeless experience have you had that caused you to fall upon God’s compassion?

Worthless Ministry. (Read: Lam. 1, 2)

rachel.ruggieri — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 10:30:29 +0000

Worthless Ministry. Judah was now destroyed. The unthinkable has happened. Jeremiah, along with few other prophets, had predicted Jerusalem’s fall unless the people turned away from their idolatry. However, there were many other voices predicting just the opposite. Most of the religious leaders were bringing visions, messages and prophecies of peace and prosperity. Most telling of all was this: “The visions of your prophets were false and worthless; they did not expose your sin to ward off your captivity” (2:14). All the bluster of the popular prophets of the day was worthless because it did not help people recognize their rebellion against God. Independence from God’s leadership in your life may give you the illusion of freedom. However, God is the only truly free being in the universe. If you are in right relation to him, you are truly free. To the degree that you have accommodated sin in your life, is the degree of your bondage. Sin brings no freedom; only bondage. If the voices you listen to rarely or never challenge your heart to greater fidelity to the Lord, find a new source. Truth brings freedom. What messages have you heard that caused you to turn away from sin?

Reflection. (II Cor.3)

rachel.ruggieri — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 10:30:26 +0000

Reflection. Unbelief is like a blanket we keep over our hearts, preventing us from knowing the spiritual truth and freedom God intends for us. But through his Spirit, we can be liberated from the bondage of unbelief and reflect the beauty and light of Christ. “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit” (II Cor.3:17-18). God’s will for you is to be transformed into his likeness. The more you meditate upon, wholeheartedly trust, adore and worship Jesus Christ – the more pure his reflection will shine from your life. Allow the Holy Spirit to purge from your life all the interference of selfishness, pride, worry and unbelief that diminishes his beauty from shining through your life. How have you seen the Holy Spirit transform you over your journey with him?

Setting things straight. (Read: Jer. 39, 40, 52)

rachel.ruggieri — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 10:30:59 +0000

Setting things straight. God had been patient in his appeals to Judah to repent. However, the day finally came when the Babylonians broke down the physical wall of Jerusalem, killed nearly all the people and destroyed the Temple and all the key buildings. The physical destruction also served as an illustration of the internal, spiritual destruction that had already taken place within the hearts of God’s people. Judah had compromised and devalued her worship of God; so God allowed the Temple to be destroyed and its treasures stolen. Judah had followed spiritually lost kings; now King Zedekiah was imprisoned and blinded. Judah had preferred its lifeless existence to the life-giving word of God; so God brought death in judgment. God was giving people what they wanted – complete independence from him. God was also bringing things back into line with his design: Judah had abused its own poor countrymen; now with the rich deported God saw to it that the poor were given land. Judah had ignored the Sabbath rests; now “the land enjoyed its Sabbath rests and all the time of its desolation it rested until the seventy years were completed in fulfillment of the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah” II Chron.36:21). God had the final say. Even Jeremiah who had been abused, ignored, beaten and imprisoned was now released from Judah’s prison by the Babylonian king and treated as a dignitary: “the commander gave him provisions and a present and let him go” (Jer.40:5). It didn’t have to end so badly for Judah, if they would have only listened to the warnings God had been sending through his prophets. What would you say God has been impressing on you lately, to adjust in your life?

Aroma. (II Cor.2)

rachel.ruggieri — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 10:30:53 +0000

Aroma. Our Lord intends us to live in spiritual victory, and for our personal victory to translate into an ever-increasing positive influence on others: “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life” (II Cor.2:14-16). The depth of Christ’s influence in your life determines the quality of your influence on others. If you are receptive to his leadership, correction and truth – if you trust, love and obey him – then others will sense the fragrance of His life in you. Those who rebel against God will react to your spiritual influence because you are a reminder of their moral accountability to Him. But those who are seeking to know God will be drawn to your life-giving fragrance. We are continually giving a scent of that which is most dominant in our thoughts, choices and emotions – either spiritual life or spiritual death. It depends on your moment-to-moment response to Christ. Trusting Him brings victory and stirs an interest in others to know that same spiritual victory. So, what is the aroma of your life?

Used and Abused. (Read: Jer. 37,38)

rachel.ruggieri — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 10:30:14 +0000

Used and Abused. Jeremiah was speaking for God, warning the people of Jerusalem that the Babylonians were coming to destroy the city. But that was not what the people, the officials or the king wanted to hear. As Jeremiah left the city, an official falsely accused him of desertion. Though he denied it, “they were angry with Jeremiah and had him beaten and imprisoned. Jeremiah was put into a vaulted cell in a dungeon, where he remained a long time” (37:16). With the king’s approval, Jeremiah is later thrown into a well and left to starve to death. Only a foreigner’s appeal to the king saves Jeremiah. Thirty men pull him out with a rope made of old rags. The king decides to ask for Jeremiah’s counsel. The prophet says, “If I tell you, you will kill me; plus, you won’t even receive what I say” (38:15). Nevertheless, Jeremiah challenges the king to obey the Lord. This prophet was used and abused. He defended himself against the false accusations and wrong motives of others, even though his life was in their hands. What was God’s purpose in all of his pain? There is no indication that Jeremiah had crippling sin in his life. No, the suffering he tried to avoid but had to endure provided the striking contrast to the sinfulness of the people accusing him. Only the foreigner saved Jeremiah, using rags others had discarded. Sometimes in the ministry, things do not work out so well. Maybe you have been falsely accused, mistreated or attacked by others. If you find yourself in a pit of despair, take hope – God is there with you. Jesus understands unjust suffering. He will meet you there.

Promises. (II Cor.1:12-24)

rachel.ruggieri — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 10:30:05 +0000

Promises. God is always good and his promises can be trusted: “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through him the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God. Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come” (II Cor.1:20-22). God’s many promises in the bible are to help you mature in your faith. The promises call us to believe what God says despite what our circumstances may tell us. By agreeing with God’s promises, we stand firm in Christ, unmoved by the ‘facts’ of our circumstances. As long as we believe our circumstances will not change and we doubt God’s promises, we are bound to fall in our spiritual journey. But trusting him, believing and speaking his promises, verify that we are his ‘anointed’ possessions. Learn the new habit of speaking the promises of God rather than the worries, doubts and fears of this world. Standing firm is much better than falling and stumbling along through life. What promise from the bible has God challenged you to believe?

Devilish Pride. (Read: Ezk. 26, 27, 28)

rachel.ruggieri — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 10:30:19 +0000

Devilish Pride. The King of Tyre had a serious character problem – he was proud. God expands the prophetic judgment to include not only the king, but also Satan: “Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth” (28:17). Did you catch the characteristics that had soured? Beauty, wisdom and splendor – all can be touched of God and used in a wonderful way to reflect His excellence. But separated from Him, all attributes become a curse. If you are basing your security in your appearance, your knowledge (even bible knowledge), or your network of friends, you will someday experience severe loss. Some of the most miserable people on earth are listed among the rich & famous. None of those things have lasting meaning apart from a life-giving relationship with Jesus Christ. How have you experienced God leading you away from trusting in lesser things like appearance, knowledge and reputation?

Pressure. (II Cor.1:1-11)

rachel.ruggieri — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 10:30:07 +0000

Pressure. Paul and his mission team hit the wall hard: “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers” (II Cor.11:8-11). He felt a death sentence, but God delivered him. In the process, he learned a critical lesson for Christ-followers: do not rely on yourself, but on God. His comparison is that if God can raise the dead, he can certainly handle whatever trouble I may find myself in. Plus, God is faithful and dependable; he has delivered us from the problems of the past so we can trust him to do the same for us in the future. One essential part of God’s deliverance for you is the prayer support of others. The prayers of the saints provide the help Paul needed; apparently, the prayers moved the hand of God to deliver them from their opponents. Certainly if these Corinthians had neglected to pray, Paul would have survived somehow. Possibly God would have impressed upon other believers to pray for him. But without the partnership of prayer by one group and mission work by another – the task would not have been accomplished. When pressure touches your life, rely on God for your deliverance and seek partners to pray for you. Do you have a small group of trusted friends who sincerely pray for you on a regular basis? How can you foster more prayer support for the cause of world mission?

Open Door. (I Cor.16)

rachel.ruggieri — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 10:30:25 +0000

Open Door. As Paul concluded his letter to the Corinthians, he was communicating his future plans to come and visit them. He hoped to stay with them for a season to strengthen their faith and give them opportunity to help him financially with his ministry. But for now his plans were to remain at Ephesus: “But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me” (I Cor.16:8-9). Two reasons he believed it to be best to remain in Ephesus: one, there were receptive people responding to his ministry; two, there were unreceptive people, reacting to his ministry. For the receptive audience, Paul saw the positive impact of his teaching and leadership. This was the open door that caused him to remain. However, the detractors were opposing him, making life and ministry difficult. But the opposition did not deter Paul; rather he saw it as an opportunity to persevere. Critics, detractors and enemies alone should not be the reason you give up or move on. If God has given an open door of ministry to receptive people – assume that is his recommendation for you, even if there are many who oppose you. Where do you feel the Lord is calling you to persevere?

Arrogance and Demotion. (Read: Ezk. 25, 29, 30, 31)

rachel.ruggieri — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 10:30:13 +0000

Arrogance and Demotion. God had raised up godless Egypt for his own purposes, including using them to judge other godless nations. But Egypt had become quite proud of its conquests and power: “Because it towered on high, lifting its top above the thick foliage, and because it was proud of the height, I handed it over to the ruler of the nations, for him to deal with according to its wickedness. I cast it aside, and the most ruthless of foreign nations cut it down and left it” (31:10-12). God wanted Egypt to know that He had raised them up and he would bring them down. This happened 60 years later at the hands of the Persian Empire. As a basis of comparison, he pointed Egypt to its neighbor, Assyria. Assyria had risen and fallen as a world power. God was telling Egypt, ‘you’re next.’ Jesus said, “everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 14:11). Have you experienced this yet? God wants us all to know that He is the one who promotes, and he is the one who demotes. And the demotion is redemptive – he uses it to help us see our need for him – so he can promote us into his service with the right heart. How do you see God doing this today in the church, government, entertainment, education, or business?

New Body. (I Cor.15:35-58)

rachel.ruggieri — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 10:30:37 +0000

New Body. Your natural, physical body is the house of your spirit and soul. It functions only for your physical life on earth. Because of the sin curse you inherited from your ancestor Adam, your body is destined to break down and die. But God intended you to exist for eternity, so you must have an entirely new existence – spirit, soul and body: “If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. So it is written: ‘The first man Adam became a living being’; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit” (I Cor.15:44-45). Jesus Christ is Himself our new life. First your spirit is reborn at the moment you commit yourself in faith to his grace. Next your soul is renewed day by day as his truth transforms your thinking, emotions and decisions. Finally, when Christ returns to the earth, he transforms your body: “We will all be changed – in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed” (I Cor.15:51-52). Wow, what a phenomenal expectation we have! Our response? “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (I Cor.15:58). Live at full speed for his cause and purposes in a bold and fearless way. God is all that matters and he will take care of you (even giving you a new, permanent body) for eternity. How does the prospect of your new, supernatural body inspire you to live more purposefully today?