This devotional guide includes questions from James and Psalms 15 and 19. I'm combining some of the wisdom psalms with our study of James. The download link is below.

Please share this devotional guide if you find it useful. Permission is given to print and distribute to others.

In his new book, Radical Together, David Platt touches on an idea that I've often considered: that churches encourage their people to so many good things that sometimes the best things get left out. He encourages us, when we evaluate an existing program or consider a new one, to ask "Is this the best way to accomplish our mission/goal/objective?" Sometimes, the good gets in the way of the best.

For example, consider the activity of many churches that have multiple meetings each week. You arrive early on Sunday morning for Bible class and stay longer for worship. You return Sunday evening for another worship time. You have a small group on the weekend. You teach a Bible study on Wednesday night. All of these things are good, but they may discourage you away from what's best because they take so much time and energy that you are left with little when you consider what your goals and objectives really are.

If Jesus taught us to make disciples of all peoples, how are we accomplishing this through what I call "meeting bloat" (as seen above)? While we are accomplishing many good things, the best thing--making disciples--may be going by the wayside even as we grow personally in our own faith.

So how can we fulfill this command of Jesus to make disciples? In my opinion, we do not do so by adding more commitments to our already (too) busy schedule. Consider this: what if we subtracted one commitment each week in order to convert that time to disciple-making time? What if you gave up teaching the Wednesday night Bible class (but still attended)? Suppose you only spent a couple hours each week preparing. Now that you've freed that time up, you have an extra two hours each week that you were already committing to Christian ministry that you can now commit to making disciples. Or suppose that you stopped attending Sunday evening worship service or your small group. Each of these choices can free up an hour or more that you can commit to making disciples.

Obviously I am not advocating that we stop supporting the programs of our churches. But it is not feasible to keep asking Christians to do more and more and become busier and busier. I am advocating that we take Jesus' command to make disciples seriously and that we do not allow the busy-ness of many churches (most of which is not commanded) to get in the way of that command.

Many of us already commit a large chunk of time to ministry activities. Consider how you can reallocate some of your already-existing ministry time towards an intentional and serious effort to make disciples.

This is for those who have ears to hear.

Absalom's conspiracy against David (beginning in 2 Samuel 15) reminds me of many modern church-based conspiracies. Conspiracies form because people are insecure about their standing or themselves. They are a way to avoid direct conflict (though they create indirect conflict). They always begin with someone selfishly seeking power or trying to consolidate whatever power they think they already have. They do so by meeting people's surface needs, pointing out inadequacies in the system (and how they can fix them), building other up with shallow praise, and assigning blame and fault to those who are leaders. But a conspiracy of this type is always wrong.

In Absalom's case, he conspired against the Lord's anointed, David. Ultimately, Absalom lost. David was successful in outlasting Absalom for two reasons: 1) God was with him and for him; and 2) he was self-aware of what was going on around him. When he was criticized by someone from Saul's clan, he permitted the criticism. He said, "Who knows if the Lord told him to say this?" David  knew that some criticism was justified and valid...and this man went straight to David with his criticism; he did not form a conspiracy.

In Matthew 18, Jesus taught us not to conspire with others against an enemy or build ourselves up at their expense. Rather, he taught us to go to the one who wronged us and work it out by talking to them.

If you find yourself refusing to talk to someone you have a problem with directly (indirect forms of communication such as letters and emails do not count) you may be close to committing sin. Be careful not to conspire or to triangulate others in to your problems with another. As Jesus taught us, love God and love your neighbor as yourself.

The story of King David in 2 Samuel is fascinating. David comes literally from the fields to the kingship because of God's election in his life. And as I wrote about previously, David ends up receiving a promise from God that God's love will never leave him and that he will have a descendant of his on the throne forever.

When David received this promise, he was very humble and respectful. But something obviously changed in his life and he became more selfish and followed his passions. When he saw a woman (Bathsheba) bathing, he brought her in to have sex with her. When she became pregnant, he finally arranged to have her husband killed so he could marry her. He engaged in a conspiracy in order to protect himself. As a result, God made another promise to David: David's family would always have strife in it. This played out immediately in David's family, as one son raped his step-sister and then was killed by another son.

David went from high to low, from promise to peril. He received two promises from God, one of favor and of strife. Why? Because he failed to follow God with all his heart but followed his passions instead.

What about you? How do you view yourself before God? Are you humbly seeking to follow him with your whole heart all the time? Or do you give God your best just some of the time while following your passions the rest of the time?

God wants our whole heart. He wants complete, sincere, and pure obedience that springs from love for him. David gives us an example of the spirituality of moving from promise to peril. We can learn from him how to live in God's favor and avoid God's disfavor.

I was reading in 2 Samuel this morning and came across one of the most grace-filled passages in the entire Bible. It's the story of when David wanted to build a "house" for God. Once David recognized the splendor he lived in and the paucity of what God lived in, he desired to build a new house (a temple) for God to dwell in. Yet, when the prophet Nathan inquired of God about this, God turned down this offer. God stated that he never asked for a better house to live in.

But then God went further. In a tremendous show of grace, God reminded David of his humble beginnings and how God called him from the pasture, from tending flocks, to be his ruler over his people. God promised that he will make David's name great and that God will provide a house for David!

The house that God spoke of was a royal lineage that would last forever, because God will be the father of that lineage and it will be his son. God promised that his love will never be taken from David's line. This is what God's covenant love is about--him fulfilling his obligations to us. David's only response to this was humble praise and thanksgiving. What else could he do?

Have you ever felt like this? Have you ever wanted to do something great for God, only to realize that God didn't need you to do something great for him but that he was actually doing something great for you?

I'm overwhelmed every time I think about the process of transformation God is effecting within me and the grace that he extended me in my conversion.

We need to keep our obligations in God's covenant. Keep working for God, yes, but don't assume God needs your great works. All God needs is you. And in his covenant, as part of his covenant obligations, he promises to be with you (us) with a love that will never leave (Matt. 28:19-20; Romans 8).

This devotional guide completes a study of Malachi and 1 John. The questions are from Malachi 3:13-4:6 and 1 John 5. The download link is below.

Please share this devotional guide if you find it useful. Permission is given to print and distribute to others.

The texts and questions are from Malachi 3:6-12 and 1 John 4.

This devotional guide is intended for home use, specifically for use among families, though you can use it by yourself. I recommend that you gather your family together, and for 15-20 minutes read scripture, discuss scripture's teaching, and pray for each other. The guide focuses on the scriptures we use on Sunday morning.

Download link is below. Please use this, share it, distribute it. Permission is given to download and make copies for yourself or your church or organization.

As a supplement to my post yesterday, examining whether 1 Corinthians 16:2 is a command for us, I'm posting the text of a Bible study that I taught on giving, using 2 Corinthians 8-9 and 1 Corinthians 16:2. There is a downloadable link below if you'd like to download it.

What are your thoughts?

1. “Benevolence”

Benevolence has to do with acts of service, both monetary and non-monetary (see Acts 4:32-37 and 6:1-6). But the word itself rarely, if at all, appears in modern translations. Thus, it is probably better to talk about a theology of giving, what the church does with the money given, and how to give.

2. Theology of Giving (2 Cor 8-9)

• 8:1-6. The Macedonians gave out of their extreme poverty so that what they gave was a “wealth of generosity.” The giving was an act of their own free will as a result of giving themselves first to the Lord. The chronology is very important. They even gave beyond their means.
  
• 8:7. Giving is seen as an act of grace—God’s work within us.
  
• 8:8. Giving is not a command but a way for us to evaluate our love for others—don’t give out of obligation, but think through it.
  
• 8:12. Giving should be done according to your means. That is acceptable, Paul says. No one should place a hardship upon himself or herself by giving regularly beyond their means.
  
• 8:13-15. Giving should be equitable. The principle is that you help others when they need it and they will help you when you need it.
  
• 9:6, 10. Spiritual principles about giving. 
  
• 9:6. You reap what you sow. Jesus said something similar to this in Mark 4:24—“The measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given you.” God rewards you based on your commitment to him.
  
• 9:10. God will help you give. Paul says if you are good with the money you have God will give you more money to do good with!
  
• 9:7. The attitude of giving. When you give, make up your own mind what is appropriate. Don’t give reluctantly because God loves your cheerfulness.
  
• 9:11-15. Spiritual growth happens through giving. Giving refocuses us on what is really ours and what we are really about as Christians. Notice the interchange between the giver and the receiver—you give and the receiver prays for you in thanks. Through all this, God is glorified and many thanksgiving are offered to him.
  
• 8:9. The theology of giving is wrapped up in Jesus and his gospel. Jesus completely gave us his riches and became poor to make us wealthy. What Jesus did for us completely refocuses us around what is really important.

3. How to Give (1 Cor 16:1-2)

This is a principle, not a command. Since Paul commanded this for a one-time collection, we can only draw a principle from it. It is most helpful for the church to continue this principle on a weekly basis, to take care of ongoing needs. That’s why we take up a collection each week. Paul teaches us to set some money relative to our income. Paul’s point is to take care of your needs first and then consider what you can give beyond your needs. The principle is this: You decide how much to give, within your means, and then give cheerfully.

4. What does the church do with the money that is given?

We use the money to meet the needs of people in the church and of people who call the church with needs, to support missions and ministry, to pay a minister, and to maintain a building.

5. Biblical teaching on how the church uses money.

• The church gave money to meet the needs of their own. (Acts 4:32-37; 2:42-47)
• Individuals gave money to the church.
• The money was distributed by the leaders (apostles).
• The church uses money to support ministry and missions.
• Acts 11:27-30. In this passage, the churches took up money to help the believers who were dealing with a famine.
• Phil 4:15-16. The church uses money to support missionaries, just like the Philippians supported Paul.
• The church uses money to support ministers and elders whose job it is to proclaim the gospel.
• 1 Cor 9:1-14. Paul insists that those who sow spiritual good should expect to reap material benefits (a living). He even says the Lord commanded this (v. 14).
• Luke 10:7. In describing how the seventy missionaries are to be supported, Jesus says, “Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for workers deserve their wages.”
• 1 Tim 5:17. Paul uses Luke 10:7 to teach that elders and teachers should be supported financially.
• The church also uses money to maintain our building. While there is no clear teaching about this in the Bible, the building does give us a place to meet to proclaim the gospel at.

I read about half of 2 Corinthians this morning and found some really challenging material. I'm posting it here the way I wrote it in my journal, as observations and questions to myself that you might find useful as well.

• "...the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life" (2 Cor. 3:6). Strong words from Paul about the old covenant. It's inferior (3:7-18) and does not lead to transformation. But will we let it go? Will I let it go? It is much easier for me to practice my faith by holding myself and others to lists of rules, biblical or otherwise, that can be controlled. Far more dangerous to trust the Spirit and his leading.
• We "are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory" (2 Cor. 3:18). The transformation comes as we contemplate the Lord's glory, which we can only do when the "veil" is lifted from us, that is, when we turn to the Lord. The old covenant is a veil and it hides the freedom that exists in the Lord from us. But the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit is, there is freedom. But will I lock on to this freedom, or do I seek the "comfort" and "control" of the veil?
• Paul's commendation of his ministry in 2 Cor. 6 is powerful. He lists the ways he has suffered and taught and lived as a servant of God. How do I primarily view myself--as a servant of God or as something as else? Do I think that honor is due me, or do I reflect honor back to the Lord? Will I embrace suffering and hardship if it comes, or try to run from it? Will I simply be a simple servant of God?

What are your thoughts?

In my tradition (Churches of Christ--Restoration Movement), 1 Corinthians 16:2 is often used as a command for weekly congregational giving: "On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made" (TNIV). More typically, the one presiding over the collection says something like, "We have a command to give back to the Lord each week," or, more traditionally, "We have a command to lay by in store" (see 1 Cor. 16:2 in the KJV).

But is it a command for us? My answer is "No," for several reasons.

1. This section in 1 Corinthians (16:1-4) is clearly about a specific situation in the first century. A collection was being taken up by the churches for believers in Jerusalem who were suffering from a famine.
2. Therefore, the collection was not to benefit that local church, which is what we take up a weekly collection for today.
3. The "weekly" stipulation was commanded by Paul so that all the money would be present and accounted for when he stopped by to pick it up to be sent on.
4. The collection was what we would call today a "special collection," something we do from time-to-time to help in special circumstances.

For these reasons, the "command" is not normative or binding for us today. Of course, for some, this will immediately raise a red flag: Are we to give at all?

What are your thoughts?