I think we all can admit that it feels good to be better than someone else at something. Better golfer, smarter, richer, in better shape, our child’s school is better, company is better; there are an unlimited number of ways we can find to try to compare ourselves to others in order to pump ourselves up. Though it is great to work hard and strive to make ourselves better, boasting about our advantages shows that our focus is in the wrong place.

Jeremiah 9:23-24 says, “This is what the Lord says: “Don’t let the wise boast in their wisdom, or the powerful boast in their power, or the rich boast in their riches. But those who wish to boast should boast in this alone: that they truly know me and understand that I am the Lord who demonstrates unfailing love and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth, and that I delight in these things.”

There is only one thing we can rightly boast about and be proud in, and that is our Lord God.

Dear Lord, it is your awesome power that made everything we know, and all the while you care about each of us individually. Help us put our pride in you and be grateful that you called and loved each of us. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

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Most have heard the story of the Golden Calf in Exodus 32, where the Israelites built a calf made of gold, while Moses was away with God in the mountain. The people became impatient, and created their own God made of gold.

Exodus 32:1-4 says, “Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.” Aaron answered them, “Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.” So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.”

Where would they have obtained the gold? You may recall from Exodus 12:36, “The Lord caused the Egyptians to look favorably on the Israelites, and they gave the Israelites whatever they asked for. So they stripped the Egyptians of their wealth!” God provided this wealth (gold) to them through the Egyptians.

There are many parallels we can draw between this story and modern times. Even though we do not call them gods, how different is it for people in today’s world to take the resources God gave them and create their own Gods in the forms of sports cars, homes, boats, cottages, sports, or other activities that become the object of their attention, time, and money. Rather than thank God for the circumstances that allowed them to have these things, they displace God with the things he provides.

Dear Lord, you provide all that we have and these blessings should be reason for us to worship, praise and thank you with our attention, time, and money. Help us recognize the blessings we have that they may reinforce our faith in you. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

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E=MC2

I think we are all familiar with this famous equation. It appears pretty simple, but the ideas that resulted from this simple concept were the seeds of what became the incredible power in nuclear bombs and nuclear power.

In a similar way, Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 1 about the simple, and what the world considers “foolish” plan, of salvation through Jesus Christ, but that is the most powerful and amazing expression of God toward people.

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 1:23-25, “So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended, and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense, But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength.”

Dear Lord the magnitude of your simple plan, saving us for eternity by accepting what you did through Jesus Christ, dwarfs any discovery we, as people, can make. Help us appreciate the simplicity and the power of this for ourselves and share it with others. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

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One of the questions people have about the accuracy of the Bible is, how can we be sure there is no transmission error, meaning error in the message between the time the events occurred and when they were recorded in the writings we have today.

I came across an interesting way to answer that question in “Why Trust the Bible?” by Greg Gilbert, he uses the following example.

Can you recite the words to the nursery rhyme “Jack and Jill?” “Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch…..” Did you learn this by reading it? Most of us learned this by hearing it told to us by our parents, and we told it to our children, but we remember the words verbatim. Do you know when this was originally composed? 1791, over 200 years ago.

So we obviously have a clear example of people’s ability to maintain the original words of a story for many years without having to have the original text available for reference. Giving us more confidence in what 2 Timothy 3:16 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.”

Dear Lord, thank you for giving us the wisdom in the Bible. Help us to find strength and confidence in its teaching. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

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Do you ever wonder why God causes some people to go from completely “anti-Christian” to incredibly devout productive Christian authors, pastors and evangelists?

The most obvious from bible times was Paul who God turned from persecuting Christians to being instrumental in the rapid growth of the early church.

Some others are CS Lewis, the author of Christian books including the Chronicles of Narnia, Mere Christianity, and many others. He writes of being an atheist until his 30’s then God used him to write some of the best non-fiction Christian books and Novels.

Another interesting person that made a dramatic conversion is an author named Lee Strobel, a Yale educated lawyer and journalist, who was an avowed atheist until his wife became a Christian. He began researching Christianity in order to disprove it to his wife, and found himself accepting Christianity. He has subsequently written many Christian books including, The Case for Christ, and The Case for a Creator, evangelical programs and speaks on Christianity and Evangelism around the world. His story was recently turned the movie The Case For Christ.

It is truly amazing what God can do with people. In Philippians 2:12,13 Paul writes, “..Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” It is God working through these people and us that makes the difference.

Dear Lord your power is amazing. Help us never forget how, if it is your will, you make dramatic changes that we would never expect in people. Help us obey you and give us the desire and power to do your will, as well. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

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