Today Daily Devotional

THE BURNING LAMP

2013-05-24T06:00:00Z

Scripture Reading: Luke 3:1-18
“He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

—Luke 3:16

Fire can be terrifying or comforting. It can be destructive and deadly if it gets out of control, or it can be a great source of warmth, heat, and light.

John the Baptist was known for his fire; he burned for God, bringing the light of God’s Word into a dark, troubled time and urging people to repent as he prepared the way for Jesus’ coming. Jesus said of him, “John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light” (John 5:35).

What caused John to be set ablaze? He was filled with the Holy Spirit from birth (Luke 1:15), lived a life of self-denial, and spent time in the wilderness, where his relationship with God grew.

People were impressed with John, but he pointed them to “one who was more powerful”—that is, Jesus, who is actually “the light of the world” (John 8:12). John prophesied this about Jesus: “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

God’s will is for all his followers to have a burning spiritual passion for him. The question is whether or not we will yield ourselves to him so that he can fill us with that kind of passion for him. As the fire of God enters into us, people and nations will be changed.

Prayer:

Lord, let the fire of your Word enter us so that we will burn for you. Fill us to bring your light into this dark world, that people may see your goodness and have the light of life. Amen.

John Kuperus

CHOOSING A MASTER

2013-05-23T06:00:00Z

Scripture Reading: Matthew 6:24-34
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
—Matthew 6:24

Jesus challenges us to think hard about who our master is. Is God our Master, or is money our master? We cannot serve both, says Jesus.

How do these masters operate in our lives?

God is loving, selfless, and generous. When God is our Master, he speaks words of life so that we do not have to worry. God, our Creator, cares for the birds of the air and clothes even the grass of the field.

Money, on the other hand, says, “If you have enough material possessions, then you will be secure and able to deal with any problem that comes up in your life.” Money calls us to be selfish and do whatever it takes to get ahead. It claims that the person with the most toys wins.

Money and the power of riches (and the people taken in by them) threaten us by saying, “If you do not bow down to me, you will not get what you need or want.” Money is a greedy, selfish, deceiving spirit who wants to steal and destroy.

When God is our Master, we know we are in good hands. We can live from a place of generosity, knowing that God’s kingdom is recession-free. Even as trials come, we stand in faith as Job did, knowing our Redeemer lives (Job 19:25)!

Prayer:

Father, we want to put our faith and trust in you, not in money or possessions. Enable us to be generous and selfless as we grow to be united with you, our good and gracious Creator, Lord, and Savior. Amen.

John Kuperus

ENGAGING WITH JESUS

2013-05-22T06:00:00Z

Scripture Reading: Luke 7:36-50
“Her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”
—Luke 7:47

How do we engage with Jesus? Do we invite him for dinner to have an intellectual conversation, or do we come weeping, seeking forgiveness, and trying to honor him?

Luke shares a story of two people who want to meet with Jesus. One is Simon the Pharisee, who is spiritually interested and wants to learn more about Jesus. The other is a woman who weeps at Jesus’ feet, wipes his feet with her hair, kisses them and pours perfume on them. Simon is a good moral citizen, and the woman is someone who has “lived a sinful life.” Simon approaches Jesus in an intellectual way over a meal; the woman expresses the deepest cry of her heart as she seeks freedom from her sin.

Simon is surprised that Jesus would accept this treatment from a sinner, yet we find that Jesus honors the woman. She receives forgiveness of sins, but we hear of no change in the spiritual condition of Simon.

Do we seek Jesus to affirm our own thinking and gain personal peace, or do we radically pursue him, asking for forgiveness and offering our best efforts in service to him?

Which sins do you tend to notice more—your own or those of others? Are you someone who knows how much you need to be forgiven? Give thanks today for God’s mercy—and for the grace to be merciful.

Prayer:

Jesus, thank you for blessing us with your presence. Hear our cry for mercy, and cleanse us from every impurity in our lives. For only in you can we find abundant life. Amen.

John Kuperus

BREAKFAST WITH JESUS

2013-05-21T06:00:00Z

Scripture Reading: John 21:1-19
“Come and have breakfast.”

—John 21:12

Have you made a mistake in the past that continues to stand out as a painful memory? Does that event continue to define you? What does God think of your past offenses?

Peter failed miserably by denying that he even knew his friend Jesus. The event was marked by a rooster crowing, Jesus looking at Peter, and Peter weeping bitter tears of remorse (Luke 22:60-62).

Now Peter and Jesus meet again. How will Jesus treat someone who abandoned him in his darkest hour? Will Jesus be angry and want to punish Peter? Does Jesus ignore him? No. As the disciples are fishing, they see Jesus on the shore. He calls to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” “No,” they answer. He says, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” Jesus has not given up on them. Jesus remains faithful and blesses them with a miraculous catch of fish.

Then Jesus invites them to “come and have breakfast,” a warm gesture of friendship and hospitality.

Next comes the crucial part of the story: Jesus addresses Peter’s denial by asking him three times, “Do you love me?” Jesus does not ignore the past; he addresses it. And the denials are canceled out by Peter’s new statements of love for Jesus.

Regardless of what you have done in your past, Jesus calls you to come and follow him too. Will you come, so you too can be forgiven?

Prayer:

Jesus, I want to come. Accept and love me, I pray. In your name, Amen.

John Kuperus

CONNECTING WITH OUR FATHER

2013-05-20T06:00:00Z

Scripture Reading: Luke 15:11-32
“&lsquoMy son,’ the father said, &lsquoyou are always with me, and everything I have is yours.’”
—Luke 15:31

We can have a father, and perhaps even be involved with the family business, and yet have no heart connection with him. This can happen for various reasons.

We can also be robbed of intimacy with our heavenly Father. For some reason we are unable or unwilling to receive love and acceptance from him.

Jesus shares a story of a farm family to illustrate this tragedy: “There was a man who had two sons.” The first son closed his heart to his father and wanted to be independent. He boldly said, “Father, give me my share of the estate.” The rebellious son saw his father for what he could get from him. Then the son moved away and searched for love in all the wrong places. This son came to his senses when all his resources dried up. Lonely and hungry, he returned home to his father.

The other son was obedient. He lived with and worked for his father, and yet his heart was far from him. He saw his father as a master for whom he needed to work. He said, “Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders.” His stubbornness became clear when he would not even celebrate with family and friends. At the end of the story, this son was still sadly outside his father’s house.

Are you living at home with the Father, or are you living as if you are Fatherless?

Prayer:

Father, we thank you for your great love for us. Help us to see your love and to celebrate being your children. Amen.

John Kuperus

THE POWER OF PROMISES

2013-05-19T06:00:00Z

Scripture Reading: Matthew 26:34-35, 69-75
Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.

—Matthew 26:35

When I was dating Helen, on the day after her birthday I asked her this all-important question: “Will you marry me?” Her response was to laugh and laugh, but finally she re-sponded with, “Yes!” Then I began to wrestle with the thought, “I love her today, but how do I know I will be able to love her 10 or 20 years from now?”

We see this kind of fickleness in Peter. Peter says to Jesus before he is arrested, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” Peter makes this promise to Jesus, but later that same night he denies even knowing Jesus. Later, when he realizes what he has done, Peter goes outside and weeps bitterly.

Peter weeps bitter tears because he has broken a promise with his best friend. This is a breakdown of relationship and community. At this point Peter is probably also wrestling with his identity. Who is Peter? Is he the Peter who says he will never disown Jesus, or is he the Peter who blatantly disowns him when questioned?

I love Helen still today because of a promise, a covenant, we made with each other. Our promise is rooted in Jesus, the great promise-keeper, and this anchor gives us identity and creates a rich, joy- and peace-filled community of life.

Prayer:

Thank you, Jesus, for being the great promise-keeper and giving us an anchor in a very fickle world. We praise you for redeeming us, even when we break our promises. Amen.

John Kuperus

ABIDING IN THE VINE

2013-05-18T06:00:00Z

Scripture Reading: John 15:1-8
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
—John 15:5

If you want to make your life count, Jesus wisely explains how. He says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

The challenge is to be devoted to living in and for Jesus, in a way like a branch is attached to a vine and depends on it for life. This takes our whole heart.

How can we accomplish this? Only by the power of Christ himself. He makes that clear when he says, “Apart from me you can do nothing” in the way of bearing fruit. And he adds, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last” (John 15:16).

In the verses of our Scripture today, the words “fruit” or “fruitful” occur seven times. God’s primary concern is not our comfort or happiness, but that we bear fruit. We need to let the gardener prune the self-centeredness and selfishness out of our lives so that we can truly remain in Jesus and bear fruit for his kingdom—“fruit that will last.” Then others will enjoy God’s goodness and be drawn to him also.

Christ is our lifeline, and he calls us to abide in him. Rather than living our own way, we grow to live his way, and he supplies all we need in order to do that. It’s the only way to truly live—forever.

Prayer:

Lord, you have called us to live in and for you. Fill us with your life, that we may bear fruit and share your goodness. Amen.

John Kuperus

FRIENDS OF GOD

2013-05-17T06:00:00Z

Scripture Reading: John 15:9-17
“I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”
—John 15:15

We generally live up to expectations and titles. If we expect our teenagers to live irresponsibly, there is a good chance they will live up to that expectation. On the other hand, if we expect them to be responsible young adults, then they will seek to fulfill that expectation.

Jesus models expectations for us with his disciples. He tells them, “I no longer call you servants.” That was a major change of understanding for his disciples. The role of a servant was to be obedient to commands from the master and to give attention to the task at hand. But Jesus changed the expectation by saying, “Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”

Friends experience an intimate, personal relationship with one another. To be a friend of God means to have access to the very heart of God. To know what the Master is doing and to have access to his heart is a tremendous privilege.

As we live and work within this relationship, our perspective changes because we are able to see through our Master’s eyes, and our heart beats in tune with his. We work with the Lord and have this incredible anchor that gives us stability through any and every situation that comes our way in life. What a tremendous blessing!

Prayer:

Jesus, thank you for framing our relationship with you as friends. Thank you for showing your friendship by becoming one of us and for setting us free by dying for us and giving us new life. Amen.

John Kuperus

SELF-DENIAL

2013-05-16T06:00:00Z

Scripture Reading: Matthew 16:24–28
“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny them-selves…”
—Matthew 16:24

Believers in Christ face the challenge of being desensitized to the filth in the world around them. The line between what is holy and unholy often becomes unclear. In the midst of the corruption and sin in our world, how can we be re-sensitized to live holy lives for the Lord?

Jesus explains, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves…”

And what does it mean to deny ourselves? It means putting to death our sinful nature and putting on the spiritual nature of new life in Christ (Ephesians 4:14-5:20). We cannot do this on our own, but all of this is made possible because Jesus came to live among us, fully human, and to die in our place so that we can be freed from the slavery of sin and the curse of death.

In Christ we are called to put sinful ways behind us—all immorality and impurity such as hatred, discord, jealousy, envy, rage, selfish ambition, greed, drunkenness, brawling, gossip, slander, and any kind of malice. Instead, we are to walk “in step with the Spirit” of God, bearing good spiritual fruit: “love, joy, peace, forbearance [patience], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-25).

Jesus is our example. He gave up his whole life for our sake, so that we might live. Will we give up our old, corrupt nature to live the full life God wants us to enjoy? In Christ we can!

Prayer:

O Lord, our souls thirst for you, the living God. Guide us to live for you. Our hope is in you, our God and Savior. Amen.

John Kuperus

INTIMACY IS POSSIBLE

2013-05-15T06:00:00Z

Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:11-21
God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has commit-ted to us the message of reconciliation.
—2 Corinthians 5:19

What is God’s response to human sin, and to the brokenness, corruption, and violence that spread because of it? Does God give up on his good creation? Does God explode in anger because of Adam and Eve’s disobedience, or because of the wickedness of their descendants, including us?

No, in effect God says, “I did not create you to perish. I created you for life and to be in fellowship with me. I will not abandon you, and I will not forsake you.”

How can reconciliation between God and a fallen humanity be possible? On the one side is the triune God with holy intimacy, complete wholeness, and perfect love. On the other side is the corrupt, broken, fearful human race.

An invasion takes place when the Father sends his Son to form a union between God and fallen humanity. Jesus, the Son of God, becomes human in every way—except that he is without sin. He becomes a second Adam, and he does not fail to obey God. To complete the reconciliation, the Son has to pay the price of Adam’s disobedience and die. By his death he breaks “the power of him who holds the power of death” (Hebrews 2:14) and reconciles all who will believe in him as Savior. The Lord our God has done this so that we can live!

Prayer:

Father, we stand in awe of you and your commitment to your creation. You have provided salvation for us through your Son, our Lord Jesus. We are eternally grateful! Amen.

John Kuperus

HARD HEARTS

2013-05-14T06:00:00Z

Scripture Reading: Luke 8:4-15
“A farmer went out to sow his seed… Some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up.”
—Luke 8:5

Jesus tells this parable about everyday farming to teach a spiritual truth. “The seed is the word of God,” he says. And for people who represent the hard-packed soil of the path, the Word does not sink in and take root. It is not understood, it is ignored, and the devil comes and takes it away “so that they may not believe and be saved.”

If we are hardened against God’s Word, we are unable to understand it. So a heart check is good for all of us.

Farmers remedy the hard ground by plowing it up. Spiritually we are called to the same remedy. In ancient Israel the prophet Hosea had to remind the people, “Break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers his righteousness on you” (Hosea 10:12).

The city of Nineveh during the time of Jonah stands as a model moving from a place of hard-heartedness to breaking up the unplowed ground and seeking the Lord. When Jonah preached in Nineveh, the people believed God and declared a fast (Jonah 3:5). They humbled themselves, prayed, sought God’s face, and turned from their wicked ways. And God forgave their sins and did not bring the destruction he had threatened.

How are our hearts? God’s remedy still works today.

Prayer:

Father, may your kingdom come and your will be done as our hearts grow fully devoted to you. Grant us courage to humble ourselves when our hearts are hard. Amen.

John Kuperus

HEARING GOD’S WORD

2013-05-13T06:00:00Z

Scripture Reading: Matthew 7:24-27
“Everyone who [puts] these words of mine … into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”
—Matthew 7:24

In the story of the wise and foolish builders, Jesus explains that it’s not enough to hear God’s Word. We also have to put it into practice. We need to obey the Lord and seek to follow him with all our heart.

Picture the two kinds of people in the illustrations Jesus gives here. Both hear his words, but one puts them into practice and the other does not. One hears and obeys; the other hears and ignores. Both have had the same basic instruction. But while one follows the proven practice of building on a firm foundation, the other ignores that wisdom and builds a house that has no foundation at all.

Jesus is using a simple illustration that even children can understand. Among his listeners, everyone knew that only a fool would try to build a house without a foundation. A house like that would fall apart in the path of a heavy storm. But a house with a firm foundation would withstand many storms.

Similarly, Jesus was saying, we must put God’s words into practice. The only way to build a life that will last is to base it on the firm foundation of God and his Word. As the psalmist had said many years earlier, “The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge” (Psalm 18:2). Can we say that?

Let’s not only hear the Word, but also obey it. In God’s strength we can!

Prayer:

Father, we are listening to your Word. Help us put it into practice. Shape and mold us, we pray, so that our lives may honor you and last forever. Amen.

John Kuperus

WALLS

2013-05-12T06:00:00Z

Scripture Reading: Nehemiah 1
“The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.”
—Nehemiah 1:3

An ancient city without a wall was wide open to be plundered by thieves or enemies. A city’s walls helped to protect people and their households, as well as the blessings they had been given. Walls provided security.

Nehemiah was grieved when he heard that the exiles who had returned to their homeland were “in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem [was] broken down.” He begged God to change the situation, and God called him to rebuild the walls (Nehemiah 2).

Often today we talk about walls that need to come down: walls of deceit and corruption, walls of racism and favoritism, barriers that prevent people from opportunities that all should be free to enjoy.

But there are also good walls that can protect us from harm and evil influences. In our lives, we need walls to help us guard our hearts so that we can be loyal to our spouse and faithful to our family, friends, and community. Our spiritual lives also need walls to protect our relationship with God. Our walls crumble if sins like unforgiveness, selfishness, compromise, and rebellion take over in our lives.

Do any walls need to be rebuilt in your life? In your family? Your community? Do some walls need to come down, and others go up—so that sin can be cast out and kept out? Ask God for the wisdom to build a life that honors him faithfully.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank you for your grace. Cleanse us from our sin, and build us up to stand firm in you. For your sake, Amen.

John Kuperus

STANDING

2013-05-11T06:00:00Z

Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 10:6-9
At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi … to stand before the LORD to minister and to pronounce blessings in his name.
—Deuteronomy 10:8

In today’s culture, what kinds of events make us rise to our feet? We stand in excitement when a goal is scored in a close game on the soccer or football field. We join in a standing ovation when we see an amazing performance. We rise when an honored guest enters the room.

In ancient Israel the tribe of Levi was set apart for another kind of standing. The Levites were chosen “to stand before the Lord to minister and to pronounce blessings in his name.” This was a call to serve the Lord in the many duties required to help people worship God, and to share the good news of God’s blessings for all. While this involved everyday work and routine, it also involved heart-stirring responsibilities to stand up for and honor the amazing Lord of heaven and earth who had delivered his people. So the Levites were in this way like the angels of heaven. The angel who came to announce the birth of John the Baptist later said, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to … tell you this good news” (Luke 1:19).

God calls us to stand by putting on his armor so that we can “be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.” Our enemy, the devil, wants to knock us down, but in God’s strength we can “stand against the devil’s schemes” (Ephesians 6:10-11), using God’s gifts to honor our Lord in all we do.

Prayer:

Lord, we stand in awe of you. Help us to serve and speak faithfully for you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

John Kuperus

HEARING THE VOICE OF GOD

2013-05-10T06:00:00Z

Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 3:1-10
Samuel did not yet know the LORD: The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.
—1 Samuel 3:7

I am presently serving with Youth with a Mission (YWAM) in Kona, Hawaii. We have 22,000 staff around the world serving voluntarily. How can one mission recruit so many volunteers? The co-founder of YWAM, Darlene Cunningham, says the key is hearing the voice of God. When someone hears God calling them to work for him, they are willing to make great sacrifices. This is a foundational teaching for the mission, and it is reflected in a book titled Is That Really You, God? written by the other founder, Loren Cunningham.

We see in Samuel’s life that hearing God’s voice is something to be learned. Samuel was being mentored by Eli to be a priest in the temple. He learned about ceremonial washings, food laws, prayers, and reading the Law. His training would also have included offering sacrifices of sheep, goats, bulls, and other animals. But in all this training Samuel had not learned to hear God’s voice.

Three times God called Samuel, but Samuel thought it was Eli who was calling him. So Samuel went to Eli, and eventually Eli realized that the Lord was calling Samuel. So he instructed Samuel to say, “Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.” In this way Samuel was mentored to know the Lord and the power of his Word. And God used Samuel in powerful ways to lead his people as a prophet of the Lord.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, speak to my heart. Prompt me to listen and obey. By your Spirit, guide us to hear your call today and to serve you faithfully. Amen.

John Kuperus