DAY 100 - Always Pray And Not Give Up

Luke 18:1-7 (NIV) ¹Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. ²He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. ³And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.' ⁴"For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care about men, ⁵yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming!' " ⁶And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. ⁷And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?

Romans 12:1-2 (NIV) ¹Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. ²Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

We have two primary helps in the presence of crisis, and both are seen in the plight of the widow in Jesus’ parable. The first is to pray to have the mind of Christ. There are many ways of renewing the mind of Christ, and certainly prayer is a central and powerful way.

Our second help in the presence of crisis is literally to follow the example of the widow who came and kept on coming to a certain judge. No matter how powerful and impregnable our opposition may appear, there will always be an Achilles’ heel. In the case of this judge it was his love of “taking his ease,” which he could not take because of the wearisome pleading of the widow.

We have an important reason for confidence in the presence of crisis if our cause and case be just: “And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night?” When God wanted the Jews out of Egypt, God called Moses. When God wanted moral, compassionate living among the people, God called the prophets. When God wanted the Good News of the liberating power of Jesus made known and real to the world, God sent the disciples. In these examples, when God wanted something done He called forth people to His cause. He does so still.

In facing crisis, we cannot afford to watch passively. God can do more with complete failure than with complete apathy. We can pray for our enemies, and we can pray for ourselves, most especially for the perspective that comes from the renewal of our minds. Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.

From a sermon preached by Henry Dobbs Pope August 26, 1990

© Rhonda Hinkle Mitchell Broyles

DAY 99 - The Real Energy Crisis

Zechariah 4:2-4, 6 (NIV) ² He asked me, "What do you see?" I answered, "I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl at the top and seven lights on it, with seven channels to the lights. ³ Also there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left." ⁴ I asked the angel who talked with me, "What are these, my lord?" ⁶ So he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty.

Ephesians 3:16, 20-21 (NIV) ¹⁶I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ²⁰Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, ²¹to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Energy of mind, body, and will are needed to meet the daily issues of home and work. But sometimes we run into issues that seem to run over us, and, try as we may, we face a real energy crisis. This is what Zechariah and the people of Israel were facing. They had returned from captivity in Babylon full of zest and zeal to rebuild Jerusalem. But they had run out of steam. The mission had fizzled. The task was too great for anyone to do alone, and no one was able to rejuvenate the people for the task. At that point God reveals to Zechariah what I am going to call the difference between energy and empowerment.

“Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,” says the LORD. Might and power are words for human energy. The word energy literally means “working within,” the source of energy that comes from within us. When facing a difficult obstacle we are often told we’ve just got to dig down deeper. But at some point we hit the bottom of the pit. Human energy is limited because it draws its might and power from a limited source.

'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit.” The Spirit refers to empowerment that comes from God to accomplish those tasks that are ours from God that manifest the kingdom of God. Empowerment succeeds where energy fails for the simple reason of the source. Energy depends on a limited source. Empowerment draws on an unlimited source. This is the meaning of the Lampstand in Zechariah’s vision, continually being supplied with oil from the olive trees.

As the pressure builds in our life, from frustration, from fatigue, from a friend, or from experiencing life as simply going flat on us we are pushed to the wall. Then, by God’s grace, the light goes on. We admit we are powerless. We submit our life to God. We recognize our need and God’s willingness to work within us, empower us, and supply our need. Peace and power invade. Not by human energy but by Divine power the task will be accomplished. God’s purpose will be fulfilled.

From a sermon preached by Henry Dobbs Pope August 19, 1990

© Rhonda Hinkle Mitchell Broyles

DAY 98 - Duty Calls

Luke 17:7-10 (NASB) ⁷"Suppose one of you had a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Would he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, 'Come along now and sit down to eat'? ⁸Would he not rather say, 'Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink'? ⁹Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? ¹⁰So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.' "

Life is demanding, whether the demands come from our work, from being married or being single, dealing with money and time, or from that little voice in our head that constantly nags us with the next thing we have to do. Life isn’t easy. And what if that is the way God wants life to be for us, for our life to be difficult, demanding, even filled with dull drudgery? Listen to what Jesus says. "So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, 'We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.'"

As we hear these words of Jesus let us not miss the smile on His face, because in the background are the grim faced Pharisees who were always embroiled in arguments about what a person had to do for God and whether or not enough had been done, leaving those who felt they had done enough feeling smug, and those who felt they had not measured up feeling like mud or perhaps feeling rebellious against this all expectant God.

Jesus calls “slaves” those people He is setting free, and He does so still. In a world where we are captured by the demand for “my rights” and trapped by the disdain that says “that’s not my job,” the call to duty sets us free for a renewed commitment to the common task. In a world where we hear proclaimed “I’ve done my part,” the call to duty robs us of superficial self-satisfaction that we might be led into deeper levels of fulfillment. In a world where we are searching for maximum enjoyment in return for minimum effort, the call to duty lifts us from lives that are soft and flabby in mind, body, and spirit. In a time when we complain about being “caught in the rat race,” the call to duty gives direction to our life as we do the next thing God has given us to do. Duty, when done out of a sense of responsibility to God, is the drudgery that sets us free.

Is that not the truth we have seen with our own eyes? When we think of the lives of the finest people we have known are they not men and women who have simply lived their lives as best they know how, doing their duty without much fanfare and in a way that has made their lives deeply satisfying and literally carefree? Do you hear the freedom?

From a sermon preached by Henry Dobbs Pope August 12, 1990

© Rhonda Hinkle Mitchell Broyles

DAY 97 - Stormy Weather

Matthew 8:24-27 (RSV) ²⁴ And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. ²⁵ And they went and woke him, saying, "Save, Lord; we are perishing." ²⁶ And he said to them, "Why are you afraid, O men of little faith?" Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. ²⁷ And the men marveled, saying, "What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?"

Isn’t life great … especially when everything seems to be going our way? That is the way life had been for the disciples. As they set sail with Jesus the gentle breeze bathed their spirits in peace and serenity. But then things changed. The wind picked up. The waters grew choppy. The sails came down and the oars came out. The choppy sea turned into a raging storm. The winds and waves lifted the boat high into the air and then slammed it down beneath the waves. The disciples lost control. The fierce force of the storm was driving them under the waters. Most of us know how they felt even if we have never set foot in a boat. Stormy is a word we still use to describe difficulties of life, or of feeling swamped by daily responsibilities. What do we do when caught in one of life’s storms?

The first reaction of the disciples was to deal with the problem as best they knew how. Most of them were seasoned seamen. They had the knowledge, the skill, and the experience to deal with most of the difficulties the sea might throw at them. But not this one. This storm was proving to be too much for them. So they turn to Jesus in desperation, looking for help. And what do they see? Jesus is asleep, oblivious to the storm and to the danger they were in.

How many of us deal with the storms in much the same way? We do the best we can, not giving God much thought, but believing we have the knowledge, the skill, the determination to put an end to the storm or at least to survive. But sometimes the storm grows too great for us. We are in over our heads and we know it. In desperation we turn to God for help, and what do we find? Nothing? Or perhaps that God doesn’t seem to care about our plight as much as we do.

Jesus rebukes the disciples for their fear that has made their faith so small, but does not reject their plea. God respects even that small faith still left buried beneath the surface. Jesus arose and rebuked the winds and the sea. The winds ceased. The sea was calm. The air was still, and the disciples were silent. This is the way God usually deals with us. First, God calms the storm within us, and then deals with the circumstances surrounding us. But we can be assured that the calm within will always have an effect on the storm without.

From a sermon preached by Henry Dobbs Pope August 5, 1990

© Rhonda Hinkle Mitchell Broyles

DAY 96 - When There Is Work To Be Done

John 4:36-38 (NASB) ³⁶"Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal; so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. ³⁷"For in this case the saying is true, 'One sows and another reaps.' ³⁸"I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored and you have entered into their labor."

We have opportunities to know God through Scripture, through prayer, through the person of Jesus, and through sacrifices and suffering. We also have the opportunity to know God through the work that we do. I am referring primarily to the job we do for a living, but the same truth applies to any work that involves the investment of our time, energies, and efforts.

Sometimes we can catch a clear glimpse of God at work. We can see His will triumph. We can see peace brought to conflict. We can see a life touched by love, power, and conviction. Yet sometimes God’s work is not obvious at all. How can we know God when we are more involved with computers than with people, when we work more with our minds and pencils than with a hands-on project, when we see no connection between the work we do and the work Jesus did?

All God asks us to do is surrender our little contributions to His will and then watch what He will do. We surrender our seeds of contributions by making God the reference point for the decisions we make and the actions we take. We develop sensitivity to the voice of God in our thoughts. We learn to discern God’s hand engineering the circumstances about us. We seek an obedient heart that knows when to take charge and when to let go and trust. We act in obedience in the face of doubt and often without any infallible word from the Lord.

All of this and more is involved in making the God we see in Jesus the reference point for the decisions we make and actions we take on the job to make our contribution. Who knows when someone might see the spirit of God in the way we carry out our work. Opportunity is everywhere for us to know God in our work and to share our seed of contribution. May God work in us that our eyes might be opened for us to see God’s work all about us and to see what small but significant contribution you and I can make.

From a sermon preached by Henry Dobbs Pope February 25, 1990

© Rhonda Hinkle Mitchell Broyles

DAY 95 - What Is Important?

Luke 13:22-29 (NIV) ²²Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. ²³Someone asked him, "Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?" He said to them, ²⁴"Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. ²⁵Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, 'Sir, open the door for us.' "But he will answer, 'I don't know you or where you come from.' ²⁶"Then you will say, 'We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.' ²⁷"But he will reply, 'I don't know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!' ²⁸"There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. ²⁹People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God."

Hebrews 12:1-2 (NASB) ¹Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ²fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

What makes us believe that one thing is more important than another? What shapes and influences our sense of what is important? According to Jesus, there is only one thing that should stamp “important” on the decisions we make and the actions we take, and that one thing is the will of God. The will of God is the one thing that can guide us through the labyrinth of deciding more important and less important. Jesus consistently called men and women to focus their life on doing the will of God. But Jesus also consistently said that in every life there would be something that would hinder us from entering the narrow door. For the rich young ruler, it was his wealth. For the sinful woman at the well it was her denial of guilt. We can become so buried in the load we carry that the will of God simply is not important to us any more.

When is the Lord of the house going to rise and close the door? Any day? Every day? There is a sense of urgency and importance to making the daily decision to lay aside our encumbrances and to focus on God’s will.

It is the grace of God that slams the narrow door in our face and awakens us to the way we are weighing down our life. How does this slam of grace actually happen in our daily life? It happens in many ways, but primarily by urgent things replacing important things. When we focus on God’s will we begin experiencing the door being opened to banquet bliss – God’s clarifying guidance, forgiveness, love, freedom, power, and courage.

From a sermon preached by Henry Dobbs Pope June 3, 1990

© Rhonda Hinkle Mitchell Broyles

DAY 94 - A Lifestyle of Light

Ezekiel 22:22 (NIV) As silver is melted in a furnace, so you will be melted inside her, and you will know that I the LORD have poured out my wrath upon you.' "

Ephesians 5:3-5, 7-14 (NIV) ³But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. ⁴Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. ⁵For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 7Therefore do not be partners with them. ⁸For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light ⁹(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) ¹⁰and find out what pleases the Lord. ¹¹Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. ¹²For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. ¹³But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, ¹⁴for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."

The wrath of God comes not merely to condemn, but to call us to that life seen and given in Jesus Christ. Paul gives only a sketch of this life inherited from Christ, but each generalized word has a very specific meaning here. Goodness refers to a kind, gentle, sensitive lifestyle, as opposed to one that is coarse and callous. Righteousness means looking out for the rights of others and has the connotation of having the freedom and power to do that as opposed to those enslaved to seeking and demanding their own rights. Truth means transparency, no cover-ups, no pretense, no hypocrisy, no phoniness, just real, open, honest people who are neither ashamed of their flaws nor proud of their beauty.

Learning the life-style of light is a matter of some trial and error, but God is with us in the trials and does not hold the errors against us, because of knowing the desires of our hearts. Live as children of light and find out what pleases the Lord. I wish Paul had stopped there, but he says, have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them (KJV). I like the word reprove because it means “prove again.” Prove again and again that this life seen in Jesus Christ is the way God meant for us to live.

If we have tasted the goodness of life in Jesus Christ, we have both the responsibility and the power to pull up those being dragged down by the darkness. Believe that no matter how far short we may be of God’s goal for our lives we are children of light, we have tasted some of our inheritance and we have learned a little of what is pleasing to God. Believe it and Christ will shine on you.

From a sermon preached by Henry Dobbs Pope May 13, 1990

© Rhonda Hinkle Mitchell Broyles