November 24, 2015

Things should be simpler. We live in a complex world with complex issues, and clear and simple solutions seem rare. But, perhaps things are more complicated than they need be.

" 'MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE HIS PATH STRAIGHT. EVERY RAVINE WILL BE FILLED, AND EVERY MOUNTAIN AND HILL WILL BE BROUGHT LOW; THE CROOKED WILL BECOME STRAIGHT, AND THE ROUGH ROADS SMOOTH; AND ALL FLESH WILL SEE THE SALVATION OF GOD.' " (Luke 3.4-6)

A simple man with a simple message once appeared on the earthly scene. Essentially, his simple message was, "Get ready for One who is to come. Get right with His Father now, while you can. If you are sincere about your commitment, your life should evidence it ("bear fruit in keeping with repentance" Luke 3.8)."

Could it really be that simple? I am either on board with my Father, and His Son, or I am not? And, if I am, my life will evidence that commitment? Yes, it really is that simple. Religions and churches may clutter it all up with regulations and rituals, but the simple essential remains the same: love God with heart, mind, soul, and strength (Matthew 22.36-38). Love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22.39). Lay your life down in loving service and sacrifice to Christ who gave His all for you, and follow Him (Matthew 16.24-25).

So, we are either on board, or we are not. It's one or the either. It's that simple. Let's not complicate it and deceive ourselves and others. Let's "make straight" what He wants from us.

Are you on board?

Steve

©Steve Taylor, 2015
Be sure to also visit http://thetruthrevolution.wordpress.com/  

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November 17, 2015

The secret to life is the secret time spent in solitude. And not just solitude for the sake of solitude, but for the purpose of prayer and communion with our Creator Father. If it was important enough for Jesus, it ought to be for us as well.

"In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there." (Mark 1:35)

It’s not as though Jesus had enjoyed a relaxing day, with sufficient cat naps to be rested and ready to arise early. Mark 1 provides the profile of a busy man, even working late into the night: “When evening came, after the sun had set, they began bringing to Him all who were ill and those who were demon-possessed. And the whole city had gathered at the door. And He healed many who were ill with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He was not permitting the demons to speak, because they knew who He was.” (Mark 1.32-34)

After a very busy day, the immediate outcome of Jesus’ time of solitude with His Father was a redirecting of His activity: “He said to them, ‘Let us go somewhere else to the towns nearby, so that I may preach there also; for that is what I came for.’ ”(Mark 1.38) It appears that prayer helped Jesus remain focused on His work with the gospel of the kingdom to the towns and villages of Israel.

An often stated excuse for not praying is busyness. Lest that be our excuse, Mark 1 gives us the poignant example of a Man too busy NOT to pray. As well as providing Him with nourishing and refreshing in His Father’s presence, it gave clarity and direction to His life work. Could there be any greater or better incentive for us to spend time in prayer as well?

The secret to lives of effectiveness, as our Father intends and desires of us, are the secret times spent with HIm. Following the pattern of Jesus, we will be blessed and fruitful through our secret times. May we get away today for some much needed secret time with our Father, and with Jesus our Lord. 

Steve

©Steve Taylor, 2015
Be sure to also visit http://thetruthrevolution.wordpress.com/  

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November 11, 2015

Truth is often inconvenient. When we are in denial about certain lifestyle habits or practices, it’s inconvenient when someone who cares enough about us confronts us with the truth about our behavior. But, nothing is more important than facing the facts of truth. 

“preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.” (2 Timothy 4.2)

An elderly man named Paul, near the end of his life, urgently appealed to a young man named Timothy to be faithful with “the word.” This “word” refers to the plan of God: His spoken word, written word, and word made flesh in Christ. It is all-inclusive; all the words of God, and all that His Son is and was about; the man and His message (see Acts 8.12). So, this all-encompassing word and truth is something that Timothy, and each of us, are to be ready with when it is convenient, and when it is not. We are to use it to reprove (expose, convict). We use it to appeal to others to pursue the pathway of truth. We call others to our side to direct them to a present and future direction with truth. We practice the utmost patience with those responsive as we faithfully instruct them. The key in it all is that we are “ready.” We don’t obnoxiously twist every conversation into a truth presentation to its detriment, but we stand ready, like a guard on guard duty, to seize the teachable moment.

Truth opportunities are as fleeting as the wind. Paul indicated a time would come when sound truth would not be endured (2 Timothy 4.3), which seems an apt description of our times. So, we stand on duty with His truth, ready to faithfully bring it bear on the lives of those responsive. And, there likely is someone near you today who is ready and responsive. Be sensitive and faithful. Be accurate and patient. Be positive and hopeful. 

May His truth and word be our passion: for our own lifestyle, and the salvation of others.

Steve

©Steve Taylor, 2015
Be sure to also visit http://thetruthrevolution.wordpress.com/  

Amazon ebook & print devotional -http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FQ1Q9GW
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November 10, 2015

Who and what do you love most? The question may be more challenging to answer than we think. 

The apostle Peter had three times denied even knowing Jesus on the night He was betrayed and arrested. In spite of his strong verbal affirmation of love and devotion, his actions in the crucial moments proved otherwise. But, the resurrected Christ graciously gave him an opportunity to rescind his denials with affirmations of love and loyalty. 

“Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?’ He said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.’ He said to him, ‘Tend My lambs.’ He said to him again a second time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love Me?’ He said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.’ He said to him, ‘Shepherd My sheep.’ He said to him the third time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love Me?’ Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, ‘Do you love Me?’ And he said to Him, ‘Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, ‘Tend My sheep.’ “(john 21.15-17)

The proof of love was not the verbal affirmation, but willingness to be devoted to His appeal. Proof of love for Jesus would be exhibited in loving care and compassion for His followers. And so it is for us today: the evidence of our love for Christ is how we care for His people. “This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.” (1 John 3.23)

Many newly-wed husbands think that the most loving thing they can do for their wives is to be affectionate with them. It’s often a slow lesson learned that helping wash dishes and cleaning the house are the real evidence of love and devotion. Loving the family of God, the followers of Christ, is sometimes about as appealing as helping with the dishes or housework. Things easily get messy. Feelings are hurt, misunderstandings arise, and personality quirks get in the way. Still, the real evidence of love for Christ is compassionate care for His people, no matter how easy or hard.

I’m thankful for a loving church family that is not difficult to love and care for. Rarely do things get messy, but the call to love is not based on good behavior - or bad. However His people behave, our call remains the same: if we love Christ, we tenderly care for His people. May our love and devotion be always abundantly evident in our care for one another.

Steve

©Steve Taylor, 2015
Be sure to also visit http://thetruthrevolution.wordpress.com/  

Amazon ebook & print devotional -http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FQ1Q9GW
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November 4, 2015

A compelling WHY is essential to WHAT. Purpose gives meaning to procedure. In particular, the purpose of prayer enlightens us as to the WHAT and HOW of prayer.

“First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority” (1 Timothy 2.1-2)

These words alone add one more thing to our Christian “to do” list; a duty to be performed. All kinds of thankful prayer should be offered for all people: a very tall order. But, what follows is the important WHY: “so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.” (1 Timothy 2.2). At first glance, it appears that Paul wants us to pray for all people so that none will trouble us; so we can live lives of ease. But, if we stop with this, we still haven’t fully discovered the WHY of prayer: “This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time.” (1 Timothy 2.3-6)

The “tranquil and quiet life” we pray that we might be allowed is such that we be unrestrained as we go about gospel work. God’s great purpose is for all people be saved and enlightened by the truth of the one God, and the mediatorial work of His human Son. That purpose is important enough for us to pray for the freedom to be up and about doing it.

Prayer often consists of remembering the sick, and seeking help for a pressing problem or need (which certainly are not wrong). But, prayer that does not seek opportunity and freedom for gospel work is prayer that has not gone far enough. If it is our Father’s will for the salvation and enlightenment of others, that should be our will and passion as well.

Prayer is not a substitute for action, but rather a conduit for it. Prayer provides the unction and passion for our Father’s priority, and appropriates the power to carry it out. May prayer powerfully move us to partner with our Father to do His salvation will.

Steve

©Steve Taylor, 2015
Be sure to also visit http://thetruthrevolution.wordpress.com/  

Amazon ebook & print devotional -http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FQ1Q9GW
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November 3, 2015

Knowing that someone is praying for you is encouraging, but knowing they are praying for you amidst their own personal pain and agony really punctuates their prayer. Such was the case with Jesus, on the night of his arrest and suffering.

"I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me." (John 17:20-21)

In the presence of His disciples, Jesus looked beyond them to the countless numbers who would become His disciples through them. We are among those who have heard the “word” and believed. The word, “word", used here is the same "word" of John 1 - "In the beginning was the word ..." There is more to this word, “word,” than meets the eye. It is not something simply spoken; it is a central idea, concept, or plan. It is something that can become flesh (John 1:14). We can say, then, that we have become believers through those who became the living embodiment of the very plan of God. We are believers through the living, breathing word of the first disciples.

The living word that has caused us to believe is designed to bring us into a oneness similar to the oneness that Jesus enjoys with His Father. As we are vitally connected to the Father through Jesus and to one another, we present a compelling testimony to the world to believe that our Father has sent Jesus in to the world. 

What an amazing concept! The ultimate way that the world will believe in Jesus is through our connection to the Father through Him and with each other. It takes us back to the amazing story of the Church in the Book of Acts. They became a living example of what Jesus prays for here.

There are those of us who wonder if the dynamic of the first century church can be reclaimed in our lifetime. If so, it will be through the pathway of Jesus’ prayer in John 17. As we discover the life-giving truth concerning “the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (John 17.3), we are on the pathway to real unity with them, and with one another (John 17.20-21). 

There is much to explore and discover about our Creator Father, and His Son, and what it means to live in unity with other believers. Be assured that Jesus is praying for success for us as we commit to these important priorities.

Steve

©Steve Taylor, 2015
Be sure to also visit http://thetruthrevolution.wordpress.com/  

Amazon ebook & print devotional -http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FQ1Q9GW
paperback print copy of book — https://www.createspace.com/4500045