“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” (Luke 12:6-7 NIV)
Watching the Super Bowl on Sunday night, particularly with several of the players and coaches of the winning team mentioning the Lord in their post-victory comments, reminded me of former Baltimore Ravens’ star, Ray Lewis, who quoted a part of Romans 8:31 (“If God is for us, who can be against us?”) when asked how his team won the Super Bowl back in 2013. Soon after, people were asking, legitimately, if that meant God was against the 49’ers. Athletes are notorious for giving God credit for victories, but usually are silent about Him in the midst of defeat. This just adds to the belief that God is easily trivialized by our culture.
We often become rather cynical when others talk of God providing them a parking space or a great deal at the mall. The thinking goes that God is too big to become involved in such trivial matters. Too be honest, I used to be one of them, but reading this passage and just looking closely at creation led me to conclude the Lord is more interested in what we might consider trivial than I once believed. Literally billions of birds and not one forgotten? The hairs on my head numbered? (I wonder if that includes all the ones I have lost over the years!) What could be more trivial than a bird or a hair in the grand scheme of things? Yet, Jesus said they are important to God.
Jesus states elsewhere that if a human father, though a sinner, knows how to give good gifts, such as bread and fish, to his children, how much more will our Father in heaven give us good gifts to those who ask! (Matthew 7:11) I remember as a child wanting a lot of things, things I am sure appeared trivial to my parents but were important to me. Yet they gave many of them to me merely because I asked. So then, it seems legitimate to think our Father in heaven might give us things that are trivial just because we want them and because He loves us so much.
In the case of an athletic competition, no doubt both sides want to win badly and, likely, there are players on both teams asking God for victory. So it gets tricky to say God gave the victory to one team or the other. But I think even if we think such talk is silly, we need to be cautious in concluding God is too big for such trivial things. To do so ignores the truth that God indeed takes notice of things we consider very small and insignificant, and is extravagant in the giving of good gifts to His children. In fact, just this week a student shared that when she ran out of toothpaste and had no money to buy more, her mother “just happened” to bring her a tube of her favorite toothpaste when she came to visit!
Today, remember we serve a God who takes delight in not just the grand things, but the small, seemingly insignificant things as well. So don’t be afraid to ask, even if it seems trivial. You might not always get what you want, but it won’t be because the Lord refuses to be bothered with such small things.
© Jim Musser 2018
“Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest. He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house. Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. ‘Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house,’ bearing witness to what would be spoken by God in the future. But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory.” (Hebrews 3:1-6 NIV)
There is a desire for college students to build their résumés with the goal of impressing prospective employers as they near graduation. So they seek internships, research assistant positions, job-related opportunities in their field of study, etc. In other words, their pursuit is all about themselves and how they will look in the eyes of others.
The problem for Christian students (and, in reality all of us), however, is the temptation to do the same in terms of their relationship with God. Rather than serving the Lord out of love for Him, they are tempted to do things that will draw attention to themselves or for their own gratification. For example, one can be a faithful attender of church with the purpose of impressing God and others of how good and faithful one is. Or being a Bible study leader in order to have a position of influence and will draw admiration.
When living out the Christian life, it is all about why we are doing it. Is it to draw attention to ourselves or is it to draw attention to the Lord and bring Him glory and honor? Only each individual and God can truly answer that question, but it is clear from the Hebrew writer that our sole focus should be on Jesus and honoring Him above ourselves. He is our Creator and Sustainer, and without Him, we can do nothing (John 15:5). So in whatever we do, He ultimately deserves the credit and this is something we must always keep in the front of our minds, lest our pride overtakes us and we begin to think of ourselves more highly than we should (Romans 12:3).
Today, recognize the life you are building and living is meant to bring glory and honor to the Lord. No matter what your accomplishments are or will be, He is the one ultimately responsible for them and He should receive the credit.
© Jim Musser 2018
“But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (II Timothy 3:14-17 NIV)
Several years ago, as we awaited for people to arrive for our Super Bowl party on a snowy afternoon, we looked out the window to see our friends’ truck sliding backwards, spinning, and ending up in the ditch. Rushing out to see if they were okay, I slipped and fell on the icy road. Several others coming out to help did the same. After help was called, I went back to our house and put on my YakTrax. These wire coils that slip over boots will keep you upright on icy surfaces. I went back out, walking the same path and did not slip once.
The Psalmist describes the path leading to Hell as slippery ground. From what Paul says to Timothy, the Scriptures are what will keep us from falling. Like going out onto an icy road or sidewalk without YakTrax or some other gripping device, we are in danger of falling spiritually without the Word of God in our hearts.
The road to hell is full of slippery spots—false teaching and temptations—and it is easy to slip and fall. The Scriptures are what keep our feet gripped to the path. Paul’s admonition to Timothy is something we should take to heart.
Today, recognize there are a lot of slippery spots out there. Hang on to the Word and it will give you the traction you need to keep from falling.
© Jim Musser 2018
“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.” (II Corinthians 5:20 NIV)
“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:11-13 NIV)
Last week, I met with a graduate student who recently accepted a full-time position with the university. She had been working as a grad assistant when the position came open and her supervisor suggested she formally apply for it. It is rather a remarkable thing for any university department to hire a current grad student to a full-time position while they are still a student. After graduation, yes, but before? Hardly ever. In talking with her, it was clear why this opportunity came to her.
This young woman, from early on in her college career, has been thinking missionally about her life. She has always been an excellent student and worker. And the reason is she sees herself as an ambassador for Jesus. She sees herself representing Him in whatever she does. It is her mission in life.
Missional thinking is rare among Christians. Yes, they try to live good lives, go to church, and maybe get involved in a small group Bible study or prayer group, but, for most, those are just pieces of their lives among others, such as work, school, and social interaction. For missional Christians, their lives are centered on the mission of being an ambassador, a messenger, representing their King. They look for opportunities wherever they are to either overtly or subtly communicate the message of God’s love and His desire that all people find salvation through Jesus (I Timothy 2:4-6).
I say it is rare because most Christians think this is the pastor’s or missionary’s job, something that is best left to the professionals. Yet, Paul is very clear to the Ephesian church that the responsibility does not lie with them alone; rather, it lies with all of us who choose to follow Jesus. And it makes sense. How many people can a pastor or missionary reach alone? Now consider what the difference would be if a pastor’s congregation of 200 or 15,000, or a missionary’s few converts, were trained to think of themselves as ambassadors of Christ and went out looking for opportunities, large and small, to spread the message of King Jesus.
I am not talking of thousands of believers heading out to the nearest street corners and preaching the gospel to strangers. I am talking about people, like the grad student I mentioned above, going to their places employment, the grocery store, or the gym with the intent of making the message of Jesus known, whether by asking someone how their day is going, offering a word of encouragement, or actually taking the opportunity when asked of explaining why they are so different in how they live life. And trust me, people will take notice of those who are living out their faith in every day life.
What about you? Are you thinking missionally about your life? Are you looking for opportunities daily to make Jesus known through what you say and how you live? If not, you are missing the point of being a follower of Jesus. He came that all people might be saved. He loved us to the point of death. And He has explicitly given us a mission to take that message to the world in which we live out our daily lives. Today, what can you do to begin fulfilling your mission?
© Jim Musser 2018
“But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.” (Romans 3:21-26 NIV)
Judging has long been a problem in the church. Outsiders, those who do not humble themselves before the Lord and acknowledge His authority over their lives, have often been ridiculed and disdained within the walls of church buildings and in the living rooms of believers as they study God’s Word. The adulterer, the sexually perverted or promiscuous, the liar, the cheat, the drunkard have all been looked down upon from the lofty perch of arrogance and self-righteousness.
All who judge in a way that is condemning (see Luke 18:9-14) forget or fail to recognize their own sinful condition. Paul says ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Thus, the playing field is level. There are just as many sinners inside the church as outside. The only difference is those inside have accepted the grace of God which is given freely to all who have faith in Jesus.
So the belief that somehow we who are inside the church are better than those on the outside is faulty because our relationship with Jesus is based not on what we do or don’t do, but on the grace of God. Until we recognize that, we will be prone to the trap of judging.
The reality is we are all sinners in need of God’s grace. The only true difference between followers of Jesus and everyone else is we have embraced His grace and walk in faith. They are still left to account for their own sin; we are justified by the righteousness of Jesus.
Today, recognize you are just like everyone else in the world—a sinner in need of God’s grace. And understand accepting His grace doesn’t make you better, just forgiven.
© Jim Musser 2018
“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.” (Hebrews 1:3 NIV)
I remember the first time I took the Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), a well-known and respected personality test, the results indicated I was an extreme introvert. At the time, I had been in campus ministry for a few years. It clarified things on some of the challenges I had faced in my vocation. It also revealed changes that needed to happen for me to be a healthy and balanced person.
Sometimes we are under the illusion our personalities are fixed and unchangeable. We think we can never be a more extroverted person, or more organized, or more reliant on facts rather than feelings when making decisions, or vice-versa. We tend to believe we will always be who we are now.
The person who introduced me to the MBTI was, at the time, working on her Ph.D. in Psychology and her doctoral thesis was on the personality of Jesus as viewed through the categories of the MBTI. The hypothesis of her work was that Jesus was the perfect combination of personality traits. She dubbed Him the “X Type.”
This makes sense given that the Hebrew writer says Jesus is the “exact representation” of God, who is perfect (Matthew 5:48). If God is perfect and Jesus is an exact representation of Him, then one aspect of His perfection is His personality. And if we are to pursue perfection in our lives, then it is logical that includes our personalities.
What I realized a number of years later as I reflected on those first MBTI results is that my personality was too extreme in a several areas. I was unhealthily introverted, too much in my head, and too rigid in my thinking. And now as I look at who I am, I realize as I have grown in my relationship with the Lord, I am no longer that man. I have taken the MBTI twice more over the years and the results reflect that change. I am still a strong introvert, but not nearly as much as I used to be. I am still more of a thinker than a feeler, but much less so than I was in my 20’s, and my thinking is more flexible. In other words, I have a more balanced personality than I did when I was younger and have moved closer to being perfect. I am obviously still far from it (just ask my wife!), but I have moved closer to being more like Jesus—a perfectly balanced human being.
Today, think about your personality. Are you like so many who think they can never change? If so, know the Lord is in the changing business. Your core personality likely will remain the same, but where you are out of balance, He can help you move toward the middle. For the closer you get to Jesus, the more you will become like Him.
© Jim Musser 2018
“But my people would not listen to me; Israel would not submit to me. So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices.
If my people would only listen to me, if Israel would only follow my ways, how quickly I would subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes! Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him, and their punishment would last forever. But you would be fed with the finest of wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.” (Psalm 81:11-16 NIV)
It has been known for some time that developers of smartphones and their apps intentionally sought (and continue to seek) ways to make them irresistible to users. One of the early developers said notifications were a key component in their strategy. These, of course, are the things that notify users of a recently received message, a new tweet, comment on a post, etc. So they designed them to immediately attract our attention through a number of ways—sounds like the “ding” or bird chirp, vibration of the phone, a text box appearing on the home screen, or a red circle appearing on the app icon with a number. All intentionally designed to grab our attention. And do they ever!
Most of us have our phones face up and close by. How many of us immediately turn our attention to the screen when some notification comes through? I have been in many one-to-one conversations where people, even as they talk, look away to check a notification. I have done it as well, particularly when I get a text message. There is almost an instinctive pull from our phone notifications, regardless of what is happening right in front of us or around us.
I have been thinking about this for awhile and had to laugh when I came across this Psalm and this sentence: “So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices.” Obviously, the Psalmist had no idea of any tech devices as we experience them today, but I wonder if the Lord, given His Word is timeless, is not saying something here about our own context.
Notice that the people were not listening or willing to hear. They were too into their own lives and what was important to them. Is it really any different today? This brings me back to the notifications. Are we as in tune with the notifications to us from the Spirit of the Lord as we are to those from our phone? When we have a sense of the Lord saying something, do we immediately turn our attention to it?
If you are unfamiliar with what I mean, here are some examples: Recently, a student told me she felt the Lord wanted her to pray for a newly-arrived international student. As I was praying last week in a small group, the Lord impressed on me to get together with a certain student. And years ago, at a student retreat, I felt the Lord saying to give my Bible to a student. Just as the Lord continued to give notifications to the Israelites, hoping they would listen, I am convinced He continues to give us notifications as well. The question is, are we willing to give them the same attention as to the ones coming through our devices?
Today, consider how attuned you are to the notifications from the Lord regarding your life. Does it match the attention to those from your phone? If not, then realize, just like the Israelites, you are missing out on the blessings the Lord desires to give you.
© Jim Musser 2018
