St. Johns News

“Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.” But Abram said, “Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless?”
Genesis 15:1,2

A Heavenly Treasure

What is it for you? What is that one thing you just have to have? That one thing that would make your life complete? That one thing that, if you only had it, would prove that God loves you?

Four thousand years ago, a man named Abram wanted nothing more than to have a son. He recognized that children are a blessing from the Lord. He may have felt forgotten by the Lord and shamed by society because he and his wife had no children. Worse than that, the Lord had promised Abram that the Savior of the world would be one of his descendants, but he still didn’t have any. And now he was over seventy-five years old.

So, when God came to Abram and promised to bless him, he had a hard time seeing past what was missing in his life. “What can you give me since I remain childless?” he said. “That’s all I want. Nothing else you give me will be enough.”

That day, God repeated his promise that Abram would have a son. God said his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky. But he gave him an even better gift. He said, “I am your shield, your very great reward.”

Even if Abram’s hopes and dreams for life in this world were never realized, he still had the Lord. The Lord was with Abram to bless him and protect him. The Lord was with Abram to hear and answer his prayers. The Lord was with Abram to bring him safely through his life on earth to the life he had prepared for him in heaven. And that was proof of the Lord’s love for him.

The Lord is your shield and your reward too. You may never have that one thing you think you can’t live without. But you have a God who loves, protects, and hears you. And he sent his Son to win for you the ultimate gift—life with him in heaven where nothing good is missing.

Prayer:
Lord, you are my shield and my great reward. May this promise make me content. Amen.

“Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?” declares the LORD. “Do not I fill heaven and earth?” declares the LORD.
Jeremiah 23:24

The Presence of God

When people do what they shouldn’t, they are careful not to get caught. Sneaky teenagers take note of when their parents will be away on business, believing the house will be free for them to throw a party they know mom and dad would disapprove of. A dishonest employee waits for the boss and everyone else to leave before taking company property and going home. Addicts feed their addiction in a dark room where they believe no one else will know their dark secret.

The sinful desires of our self-centered hearts blind us to the fact that the God who created the heavens and the earth fills his entire creation. We are so overwhelmed with feeding our sinful appetites that we fool ourselves into thinking that somehow God is too busy elsewhere in the world to take notice of us. But the one true God is omnipresent—is present everywhere. We can’t get away with murder, but we can’t get away with shoplifting a pack of gum either. The almighty God is present and watchful not only where major crimes take place, but also knows our inner thoughts as we plot our sins against others.

By our shameful thoughts, words, and actions we have forfeited our right to be in God’s glorious presence. By all rights we should be cut off from his blessings forever. But the One who fills all things came to be present with us in a special way. In the man Jesus Christ, the fullness of God’s presence came to live among us sinners. He not only occupied our space, but also took our place under God’s law. Jesus fulfilled God’s righteous demands of perfect love and laid down his life as payment for our disobedience. Through faith in Jesus, our guilt has been removed. After his resurrection, Jesus promised to be with his followers always and keep us close to him. And at the end, he will take us to live in his glorious presence for all eternity.

Prayer:
Lord, when I am anxious or afraid, comfort me with the knowledge that you are with me. Amen.

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.
Colossians 2:8

Do Not Surrender to a Deception

During the Civil War, Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest encountered a fort under Union command. When the Union regiment refused to surrender, Forrest asked for a meeting with the Union commander. General Forrest took the Union commander on a tour of his Confederate troops. As they methodically made their way from one Confederate camp to the next, the Union commander counted the men he saw and finally concluded that his regiment could never hold out against such a large number of troops. He surrendered his fort without a fight.

But here’s what the Union commander didn’t know: Every time he and General Forrest had left a Confederate camp, the men in that camp had quickly packed up and raced to another position before he and Forrest arrived. The Union commander had been seeing the same men many times over. He had surrendered to a deception.

As you and I eat and sleep and work in this fallen world, the devil is constantly trying to get us to surrender. He wants us to give in to despair. He wants us to give in to temptations. He wants us to give in to our sinful pride. He wants us to conclude that Jesus and his promises are no match for the difficulties and dark pleasures of life.

What the devil hopes you won’t notice is that it’s all a deception. The reality is that nothing can match Jesus and his promises. Jesus’ blood has washed you clean and made you his own. He will carry you through this life and take you home. The best the devil can do is put up some fake scenery and hope you’ll fall for it.

Don’t surrender to a deception. Trust your Savior instead.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, the devil works very hard to discourage me. Remind me that he is the deceiver, and you are the truth. Move me never to surrender. Amen.

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
Colossians 3:1,2

Above

You would never watch the previews before a movie and then walk out before the main feature. You would never receive a love letter from your significant other and fall in love with the mailperson who delivered it. You would never have a builder construct you a home only to stay living in an apartment or hotel.

In the same way, God has given us wonderful gifts this side of heaven, previews of the joys that will be ours in heaven. But don’t miss the main feature. There is no joy here that will not be greater with Jesus in heaven. No gift that won’t be greater in the presence of Christ.

I am thankful for my Christian relationships, families and friends who share Jesus with me. I am thankful for the time and support I receive from them, but I should never forget to whom they are pointing me. To think of these relationships as only for this life fails to see the larger joy these relationships bring.

I don’t want to spend all my time dressing up this earthly and temporary home and fail to attain my heavenly home. A home filled with things and a life full of great experiences doesn’t mean much when their time is short compared to my perfect home with God.

Don’t miss the main feature for the preview. Don’t fall in love with the messengers instead of the one whom the message is from. Don’t give so much to your temporary home that you miss your heavenly home.

Instead, “set your hearts on things above, not on earthly things.”

Prayer:
God above, change my focus from what is below to the things in heaven. Lead me to be where Christ now is. Amen.

Then [Jesus] said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
Luke 12:15

Warning

There are all sorts of things that we get warned about in this life. When I get into my car, I am warned if I don’t put my seat belt on. My phone warns me if it thinks I have spent too much time on it. The medicine I take has warnings on it about the dangers of abusing it or taking it incorrectly.

Jesus has a big warning for us as he says, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed…”

I can’t help but find myself doing some online shopping and thinking, “If I just had this new thing, my life would be so much better.” I spend my hard-earned money on a new possession only to realize it can’t fix my problems.

I buy tickets for trips and vacations and think that if I can accumulate enough experiences, I can give my life meaning. However, even after having all these experiences, my life still doesn’t seem any closer to finding real purpose.

I work hard to accumulate a home, cars, and a retirement account, hoping that these things will provide me some safety. In the end, I am just as worried about tomorrow as those who have little.

Jesus warns us that these things are all temporary and cannot satisfy. My life is not contained in any of these things. Greed may call out to me and tell me to accumulate more possessions and to find my joy and purpose in all that money can buy. Jesus calls to us and tells us to “watch out” as our life does not subsist in any earthly things but only in what Jesus can give. Only Jesus provides real hope to our problems, purpose in this life, and peace for tomorrow.

Prayer:
Merciful Lord, keep me from the trap of believing my life is valued by the things I have in this world and teach me to always find my value and purpose in you. Amen.

And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”
Luke 12:16-21

Next

We spend a lot of time thinking about what is next. What is the next thing I need in life? What is the next job or class? What will we do next year?

There is nothing wrong with planning for what’s next. Planning for what’s next is necessary, especially if you are someone God has blessed with an abundance of things or talents.

In our Bible reading for today, Jesus tells us this parable because he doesn’t want us to have too short of a view when it comes to what is next. In the parable, a man does lots of planning for what is next: Build. Store. Relax. None of his plans for what is next matter because he doesn’t live to see them. He spent a lot of time planning for a day that never arrived instead of planning for the day that did arrive.

There is nothing wrong with making plans for this life, but we should also not neglect plans for the life to come. The things that God has given us are tools and instruments not only for here but also for eternity. Our wealth and talents are not just to be used to serve ourselves but to serve God and our neighbors.

In this way, we are ready for what is next.

Prayer:
Almighty God, give me a heart of wisdom that I may number my days aright. Amen.

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.
Colossians 3:5-8

Kill It Dead

Occasionally I will hear frightened screams coming from my little daughter’s room. Running in, I find the source of all the distress. My daughter implores me, “Daddy, it’s a bug! Kill it dead!” And there will be no rest nor sleep in my house until the offending spider, moth, or other creepy-crawly is squished and removed from her room.

When the apostle Paul wrote to the Christians in the city of Colossi, he showed no mercy to our earthly natures. He had only one course of action for us: “Kill it dead.”

He knew how disgusting all the things of our sinful nature truly are. The anger and lies, sexual immorality and greed are nothing but revolting things. And it is because of these things that God’s wrath will return, and he will put an end to sin.

As we wait for his return, let us be disgusted by these sins in our lives. Let us kill these sins dead. May we strive to put them to death by confessing our sins and receiving the forgiveness God gives to us. May we strive to put them to death by fighting against temptation each day. May we continue to look to Jesus, who put to death all our sins by his death on the cross.

Our sinful nature will always be with us until God calls us home. But let’s kill those sins each day as we look to Jesus for forgiveness and strength to fight temptation.

Prayer:
Merciful Lord, thank you for the forgiveness you won for me. In that forgiveness, help me to struggle against my sinful natures and live only for you. Amen.

“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun? Generations come and generations go.
Ecclesiastes 1:2-4

Pictures on My Phone

My phone is full of pictures of moments that I thought were so very important. I have picture after picture of meals with friends, a beautiful view, or even selfies in a place I have never been before. Yet I must admit, I don’t do much with these pictures. Many of them are great memories, but I rarely look at them. Few get printed out. Eventually, my phone tells me I am out of storage, so I end up deleting them in large groups.

The book of Ecclesiastes reminds us that so much of our life is like the pictures on our phone. Significant in the moment, but not so significant long-term. Yes, there is joy found in time spent with family and friends. There is good work to be done at our jobs, in our homes, communities, and churches. God has given us a beautiful and bountiful world, and he wants us to find satisfaction from that world.

The book of Ecclesiastes also confronts us with the truth that there is nothing permanently gained in much of our lives. Much of our life consists of things that are good for the moment but are soon gone. Like pictures on my phone, they are important for a while, and then they are soon forgotten and eventually gone.

Ecclesiastes instead invites you to find your meaning in things that truly last. Find meaning for your life in God’s gracious Word to you in the love, forgiveness, and mercy he offers. Find meaning for your life in the work of Jesus that promises you a life to come that has no end.

So much of life is only for a short while. All of Jesus’ work for you will last forever.

Prayer:
Gracious Father, thank you for the joys of this life but remind me that real meaning is found only in you. Amen.

Meaningless! Meaningless! . . . Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.
Ecclesiastes 1:2

Your Life is Meaningful

What is the meaning of life? It is one of those cosmic questions that everyone asks at some point but, since it seems too big for us to get our heads around, we tend to quickly dismiss it and go on to the next meeting or mall or movie.

A man named Solomon asked this question near the end of his life. Solomon was the king of Israel at the height of Israel’s power. He was healthy, wealthy, and wise. Yet, as he neared his life’s end Solomon realized that none of his power, success, or wealth would last. In the book of Ecclesiastes Solomon wrote, “Meaningless! Meaningless! Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless. … For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, and then he must leave all he owns to someone who has not worked for it.”

If this life is all there is, none of it means anything in the end.

But Jesus changes everything! Jesus promises that there is a life after this one—an eternal life in heaven. He guarantees we can have this life through faith in him because he paid for our sins on the cross and came back to life on Easter morning! This means that this world is NOT all there is. We are only going to live in this world for a few years compared to the eternity we are going to spend in the world to come.

So, we don’t need to get so uptight about how much money we don’t make. We don’t have to be constantly stressed over every little thing that doesn’t go our way. We don’t have to chase after every trend that comes down the media highway into our homes.

Live your life in the Lord, and you will learn how meaningful your life is both in the here and now as well as in the heaven to come.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for making my life meaningful. Thank you for showing me that my life does not just consist of the things of this world. Thank you for promising me an eternal life in the next world. Use this reality to help me realize today and every day just how meaningful my life is. Amen.

“The LORD said, “If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.” Then Abraham spoke up again: “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes, what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city because of five people?”
Genesis 18:26-28

Pray With Bold Humility

Prayer is an awesome privilege! You and I get to talk to the almighty God.

How do you pray? Hands folded and eyes closed, or arms extended with your palms toward heaven? Silently in your mind or out loud?

God is less interested in the physical aspect of prayer than he is about the attitude with which we pray. Abraham gives us an example to follow when it comes to the attitude we are to have when praying.

Abraham was humble. He knew he was nothing but “dust and ashes,” and he had no right to expect the Lord to hear his prayer. Yet he asked anyway because he knew that God is gracious and compassionate.

This is an example for us as we pray. We approach God with proper humility, fully understanding that as sinners, we have no right to be heard by a holy God. We certainly have no right to expect him to answer us and grant what we have asked.

But Abraham was also bold. After his initial request, he went back to the Lord five more times. Each time lowering the number of believers that needed to be found for the city to be spared.

We can also pray with boldness. We know the love of our God. He sent his Son to die for us. Because of that sacrifice, we have been washed clean of all sin and given the privilege of approaching God with any and every request.

Be like Abraham and pray with bold humility.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I know that I have no right to approach you in prayer. It is only because Jesus has washed me clean of all sin that I have the privilege of talking to you. Help me to be bold when I pray, trusting that you always hear and answer. In Jesus’ name I ask it. Amen.