Take the Money and Run

By Jarrod Spencer –

There is a new TV show that had a short run this summer titled “Take the Money and Run.” Its premise is that two people are given a briefcase with $100,000 inside. They are given one hour to hide the briefcase anywhere they want. At the end of that hour they are picked up by two investigators and taken to individual holding cells for 48 hours. During this time, two interrogators get to question them as much as they want as with various methods. The investigators and the interrogators are provided the GPS coordinates of their route, phone records and any receipts they may accumulate during that one hour time.

The people try to lie and tell the truth. They try to keep their stories straight. They try to keep the investigators as far away as possible. Ultimately, the people are trying to outfox the investigators and interrogators for the sake of greed. In the context of the sport, they are greedy, not wanting the other people to have the money.

The premise of that TV show made me think about the story of the ten lepers in Luke 17. Jesus comes in contact with ten men who had leprosy. They cannot come close to Jesus, due to their uncleanness. He tells them to go show them to the priests. Along the way, they are healed. Only one comes back with appreciation. Jesus asked about the other nine.

There is a lesson in that the one who came back was a Samaritan. As some know, Jews and Samaritans did not get along well. However, I want to focus a bit on the fact that the other nine “took the money and ran.” They were greedy. They received what they were looking for and then took off.

I have been one of the nine. Whether it was after I received some money from my parents or grace from God. Either way, there have been times I was taking it and running. Glad that I received what I wanted, but took off with it without expressing thanks.

I would guess you’ve been “one of the nine” also. You have probably been “the one” too. However, may we be challenged to be “the one” more than “one of the nine” with both God and with others.

PRAYER: Father, though I may “take the money and run” more times that I would like, thank You for your forgiveness in times of my greediness. May I strive to be “the one” more than I have in the past.

BIBLE VERSE: “Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?” (Luke 17:17 NIV).

Incredible Grace

By Cheri Cowell –

With the temperatures climbing like they have been lately, I was reminded of a group of people from an area church who decided to take bottles of ice-cold water to people who were working outside. They thought this simple gift of love and compassion might be a chance to witness and would also be something  “Jesus would do.” Two team members set out on a Saturday with four bottles of water to give away. They were very discouraged after several hours. No one was mowing their lawn, walking their dog, or washing their cars. It was too hot.

Just when they were about to give up they drove by a laundromat and saw two women who looked a little weary from the heat. When they gave them the bottled water they discovered the women were living with their families out of a van parked out back. The two water-bottle-missionaries were able to help this family find shelter and a meal in addition to giving them water. Not the opportunity they thought their day would provide, but it would be what Jesus would do. God desires us to extend grace to the weary.

In the book of Romans, Paul encountered a lot of people who thought they were safe and secure because of their lineage, their wealth, their position in life, their deeds of charity, or their allegiance to Paul. Paul wanted to make it very clear that although the Jews were the chosen people, it wasn’t their heritage that saved them. It was God’s grace. And His grace is given freely to those who deserve it and to those who don’t. If we are to do as Jesus would do, we need to look on the needs of others as an opportunity for us to share grace, especially when those who need it don’t really deserve it.

PRAYER: Thank You, God, for the opportunities You give to share Your grace and love with those around me. Help me broaden my view of those who are in need so that all Your children might come to know Your incredible grace.

BIBLE VERSE: “’I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.’ So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace” (Romans 11:4-6 NIV).

Audience of One

By Elaine James –

I woke up this morning with a whisper from God.

“Read Proverbs 3.” Before I did so, I asked God to tell me what I personally need to understand from the word. I became an audience of one.

Whenever this happens, I get excited to see what God has for me to read and learn.

Read Proverbs 3 for yourself and ask like I did “What do you want me to learn?” Proverbs 3 has the famous verses 5-6, which begins “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding,” which is great to memorize. But today I was compelled to concentrate on the words “Don’t assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil! Your body will glow with health; your very bones will vibrate with life!” (Proverbs 3:7-8 MSG)

Do I think I know it all when it comes to the knowledge of the Bible? Am I humble? Answering many Bible questions frequently and being deeply passionate about Christ is great, but I need to stay humble about that knowledge/wisdom.

I stopped, reflected and prayed a prayer of repentance that I would stay humble. So many times I find myself alone about moral subjects and I speak out and many don’t agree with me. I ask God “Am I coming on to strong?  Do I have too high of expectations for others?”

I could always use wisdom to know when to speak up and when to remain silent. I do want to stay humble.

I am reminded of another scripture “humble yourself in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up.”(James 4:12)

I sense a deep connection with God from reading Proverbs. I love to be reminded of God’s wisdom and passion to have us close by Him to learn. Why do I need to know it all? I mean, do I lack faith to just trust God? What about you? Do you need to know it all or can you let go and let God?

Being the audience of one allows you to discover such wonderful truths as in verse 8: “Your body will glow with health and your very bones will vibrate with life!”

I think I will make some popcorn and read some more.

PRAYER:  Lord forgive me for not always being humble. Help me to have Your peace-loving wisdom.

BIBLE VERSE: “Don’t assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil! Your body will glow with health; your very bones will vibrate with life!” (Proverbs 3:7-8 MSG)

Time For A Good Soak

By Rosemary Flaaten –

I recently pulled out a familiar cookie recipe, and upon reading through it, discovered that I had previously missed a step. I am used to simply giving the raisins a quick rinse before adding them to the batter, but the recipe actually called for the raisins to soak for an hour. I scoffed at the notion, thinking that raisins are dried fruit and should be simply eaten as dried fruit. But I decided to follow the recipe’s directive and covered the raisins with water and let them soak. The cookies that resulted were incredibly moist and much more flavorful than the previous batches. Soaking the raisins had a profound effect not only on their cleanliness but on their tastiness.

I wonder how often we simply rinse off in Scripture rather than soak in it? Daily reading programs help direct us through the Bible and gain a overall perspective. Serious studying helps us delve into a deepening knowledge. Wherever we are on the scholarly scale, at some point we must move from being a student to being Christ’s disciple, choosing to meditate and soak in God’s Word. Soaking produces heart change.

Jan Johnson, in her book, Savoring God’s Word, describes the difference between typical Bible study and  meditating on Scripture. “When we study, we dissect the text; when we meditate, we savor the text and enter into it. When we study, we ask questions about the text; when we meditate, we let the text ask questions of us. When we study, we read and compare facts and new ways of applying facts; when we meditate we read to let God speak to us in light of the facts already absorbed.”

What is your habit? Do you have a tendency to simply have a quick rinse in Scripture?  Do you dissect, ask questions and compare facts? Or, do you sit and soak in God’s holy words, allowing their truth to seep into your soul. The God-flavors that will then permeate through us and emanate out of us into our world, will be rich and life changing.

Is it time for a good soak?

PRAYER: Lord, May the truth of Your words, soak deep into my soul to make me more like You.

BIBLE VERSE: “Blessed is the man… (who) delights in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.  He is like a tree planted by streams of water which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither” (Psalm 1:1 – 3 NIV).

 

 

 

Talked Into It

By Cynthia Ruchti –

“Whoa! That is…that’s a unique color combination.”

I stood in my friend’s kitchen, trying to stave off the nausea induced by the wild, highly unappetizing faux painting technique on what she called the “accent” wall.

“You don’t like it?” she asked, eyebrows tented.

I used a trick I learned when my kindergartners brought home creative but unrecognizable artwork. “Tell me the story behind this.”

My friend burst into tears. “There’s no story! It’s a disaster! I hate it!”

“We agree then.”

“It’s not just me? It really is horrible?”

“You needed to ask? Jen, those garish colors just aren’t you at all! Who talked you into this?”

She paused for a moment. “The kitchen designer. Not only did she talk me into the circus-tent-in-a-tornado technique, but it cost me more than the glass-tile backsplash!”

Sympathy oozed out of me.

I’d been talked into a few bad ideas before, things I’d regretted a lot more than an accent wall that could be painted over. “Hon, what made you say yes to this? Didn’t the designer show you a sample first?”

“Oh, I saw a sample. Didn’t like it. But I thought I was the wrong one, the uptight one, the person with no taste. So I caved.”

“Love to talk to you more about this, Jen, but could we discuss it in the living room where I’m less likely to lose my lunch?”

Throughout time, God’s people have often been talked into things they knew were dumb ideas, or even spiritually dangerous ideas. No doubt they, like my friend, felt intimidated by the apparent—and false—wisdom or intelligence or good sense of the person insisting, “This is perfect for you. You need to try this—everybody’s doing it. Okay, you can hang onto that faith idea if you insist, but at least don’t let yourself go overboard.”

Regret doesn’t come from listening to God, but from listening to others who talk us into things that go against the wisdom of God.

PRAYER: Father God, I don’t want You to have to ask, “Who talked you into the pursuit of this nonsense?”(Isaiah 57:11—The Message). By Your Spirit, keep my head on straight and my ears tuned only to You.

BIBLE VERSE: “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure, then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere” James 3:17 NIV.

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