Time Out! Devotions

(from the February 2010 issue of In Touch devotional magazine)

The Kind of Gift That God Values Most

Luke 7:36-50 (NCV)

³⁶One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him, so Jesus went into the Pharisee’s house and sat at the table.³⁷A sinful woman in the town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house. So she brought an alabaster jar of perfume³⁸and stood behind Jesus at his feet, crying. She began to wash his feet with her tears, and she dried them with her hair, kissing them many times and rubbing them with the perfume.³⁹When the Pharisee who asked Jesus to come to his house saw this, he thought to himself, “If Jesus were a prophet, he would know that the woman touching him is a sinner!”

⁴⁰Jesus said to the Pharisee, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”

Simon said, “Teacher, tell me.”

⁴¹Jesus said, “Two people owed money to the same banker. One owed five hundred coins and the other owed fifty. ⁴²They had no money to pay what they owed, but the banker told both of them they did not have to pay him. Which person will love the banker more?”

⁴³Simon, the Pharisee, answered, “I think it would be the one who owed him the most money.”

Jesus said to Simon, “You are right.” ⁴⁴Then Jesus turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? When I came into your house, you gave me no water for my feet, but she washed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. ⁴⁵You gave me no kiss of greeting, but she has been kissing my feet since I came in.⁴⁶You did not put oil on my head, but she poured perfume on my feet. ⁴⁷I tell you that her many sins are forgiven, so she showed great love. But the person who is forgiven only a little will love only a little.”

⁴⁸Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

⁴⁹The people sitting at the table began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

⁵⁰Jesus said to the woman, “Because you believed, you are saved from your sins. Go in peace.”

It’s easy to recognize Christ’s love as extravagant—after all, He gave everything He had. But what can we give back to Him to show our love and gratitude? Many Christians make sure they do what they believe is expected of them: being involved with church, gaining knowledge about the Bible, and avoiding immoral behavior (as well as those who engage in it). But is this what makes God feel truly loved?

Luke 7:36-50 tells of a sinful woman who anointed Jesus’ feet at a Pharisee’s home. In this account, the Lord teaches us what showing love for Him looks like—and what it doesn’t look like.

Unafraid of drawing criticism or looking undignified, the woman demonstrated gratitude and love by sacrificing all she had. Her lavish deed far surpassed the cultural courtesy expected of the host—who, in fact, actually shirked his responsibility for the sake of reputation and appearance. The kind of love God desires is heartfelt and focused on glorifying Him, not on looking super-spiritual or “respectable” (Luke 21:1-4).

Only the “broken in spirit” grasp how vital and priceless the Lord’s forgiveness is. The issue wasn’t whether the woman’s sins were greater than the Pharisee’s. Rather, she understood her desperate need for Christ, which allowed her to love Him more. God is after authenticity; if we want a deeper relationship with Him, we must come as we are (Psalm 51:17; Matthew 5:3; 9:11-13).

Self-sufficiency and spiritual pride blind us to what God truly values. Humbling ourselves brings us closer to His heart (Psalm 138:6; Matthew 23:12-15; James 4:6-8).

The woman came to Jesus labeled by her sins, but she left with a new identity: forgiven, loved, and accepted by the Lord. When we come to Him without pretense and fully receive His forgiveness, He gives us freedom from our old identity (Ephesians 2:4-9; 2 Corinthians 5:15-17).

Questions for Reflection

1. How do you show your gratitude and love for God?
2. Are you quick to repent and admit when you are wrong, or do you consider it more important to appear righteous or even superior to others?
3. What would giving your best to God and “laying down your life” look like in your current circumstances?

Genesis 21:1-7 (NIV)

¹ Now the LORD was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what he had promised. ² Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him. ³ Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore him. ⁴ When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God commanded him. ⁵ Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.

⁶ Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” ⁷ And she added, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”

Who could believe Abraham would have a son at 100 years of age – and live to raise him to adulthood? But doing the impossible is everyday business for God.

Our big problems may not seem so impossible if we let God handle them.

“Who would have dreamed!” After several promises, a visit by two angels, and the appearance of the Lord himself, Sarah finally cried out with surprise and joy at the birth of her son. Because of her doubt, worry, and fear, she had forfeited the peace she could have felt in God’s wonderful promise to her.

The way to bring peace to a troubled heart and mind is to focus on the promises of God. Trust Him to do what He says!

(from The Life Application Bible  – Living Bible edition)

(continued from previous post)

(from – http://www.intouch.org/site/c.cnKBIPNuEoG/b.5281195/k.210D/Feature_Article__Conquering_Your_Fears.htm)

While we are facing very serious times in our nation’s history, we are not alone. God is with us, and He is never out of control.

The apostle Paul discovered this in a fresh way during a very difficult time in his ministry. Somewhere near the end of his second missionary journey, he was staying in the city of Corinth. He had left Athens to go to Macedonia, but something happened that almost caused him to stumble in his faith. The Jews resisted his teaching to a point where they “blasphemed.” Paul was fed up with their stiff-necked ways. He declared that he would no longer go to the Jews first, but instead would preach God’s message to the Gentiles (Acts 18:5-6).

At every turn, Paul faced opposition from the Jewish leaders. On several occasions, his very life had been threatened. He was tired and likely felt alone and worn thin emotionally—vulnerable to the destruction of fear. One night as he drifted off to sleep, God’s Spirit spoke to him, saying, “Do not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking and do not be silent; for I am with you, and no man will attack you in order to harm you, for I have many people in this city” (Acts 18:9-10).

There we have it: one of the greatest apostles who ever lived, battling fear. But the verses that follow do not mention this again. Why? Paul changed his focus. He came face-to-face with the reality of his fear and chose to abandon it. Was this something he could do on his own? Absolutely not. There was no way he could move past the anxiety he felt without the assurance found in Jesus Christ. Once God’s Spirit spoke to his heart, the issue was settled, and Paul knew there was only one thing for him to do: complete the work God had given him.

The Enemy uses many things in an effort to distract us and prevent us from reaching our full potential—and fear is one of his choice weapons. He usually follows it with words of discouragement and accusation: “You can’t do that”; “You haven’t been trained”; “What would people think if you fail?” And that was his strategy in Corinth: Satan knew he would face ultimate defeat if Paul succeeded, so he tried to keep the apostle fearful. The Lord’s faithful promise, delivered at just the right moment, was all the encouragement Paul needed to continue preaching the truth of the gospel.

The right steps to overcoming fear

If you are going to overcome fear, the first step is to acknowledge and admit your anxiety. Confess, “Lord, I feel fearful, and I don’t know what to do. Please show me how to go forward from this point.” Next, ask God to enable you to conquer your fear. The more you understand your relationship with God, the more intimately you will relate to Him. Your level of trust will increase, and you will begin to notice the many ways He is at work in your life and circumstances.

Shortly before his death, Paul wrote an interesting word of instruction to Timothy. He reminded his young protégé, “God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power and love and discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7). Fear doesn’t fit who we are as believers. It usually surfaces when we have the wrong response to disappointment and trial. God wants you to be victorious, not harassed or tormented by anxiety.

Let God remove fear from your life. He may choose to do this by placing you in a frightening situation where you feel out of control. But you do not have to worry, because the One who has promised never to let you go is holding your life in His omnipotent hand.

After you have given your worries to the Lord, meditate on His Word. David understood the power that was available to him through God’s personal promises. He wrote, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; whom shall I dread? . . . My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell. Though a host encamp against me, my heart will not fear” (Psalm 27:1-3).

If you want to keep your confidence strong, study the Bible, apply God’s principles to your life, and walk with Him each day by faith. When you hide His Word in your heart, you will have the light of His truth to guide you—not only for your present circumstances, but also for eternity.

Fix Your Mind on Christ

Too many Christians experience fear because they focus on their circumstances instead of on God. Dr. Stanley teaches that maintaining a proper perspective will help you rest in the Lord.

How to Handle Fear
CD | $12 (U.S.)
DVD | $25 (U.S.)