Author: toddclifton

Isaiah 51

Outposts of Eden

One of the most amazing truths found in scripture is that God lives in the believer’s heart.

There are many word pictures and metaphors that attempt to describe this intimate reality. From our bodies being the “temple of God” to Jesus being the Vine and us the “branches”, all are meant to communicate the active love, provision and purpose God has for each one of us.

READ: Isaiah 51:1-3

““Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness and who seek the Lord: Look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn; look to Abraham, your father, and to Sarah, who gave you birth. When I called him he was only one man, and I blessed him and made him many. The Lord will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; he will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭51‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Three things (you may see more!) stand out from this passage. First….

1) You are made in the image of God

“Look to the rock from which you were cut…” (v.1). Our beginning is God himself. We were cut from Him. In Psalms it says, “He will call out to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, the Rock my Savior.’” -‭Psalms‬ ‭89‬:‭26‬ ‭NIV‬‬

2) God sees our “ruins” and the “wastelands” of our souls.

He looks on us with compassion. He knows how we tend to make a mess of our life. The broken places.. the dryness and depression or overwhelm of life that can break in at times.

3) God still wants to come and live inside us.

Look at what God did through one man…

“Look to Abraham….he was only one man, and I blessed him and made him many.” (v.2)

He wants to do the same through you and me. How? He wants to build our hearts into little temples.

“Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬ ‭NIV

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;”

1 Corinthians‬ ‭6‬:‭19‬ ‭NIV‬‬

God makes his home now in the temple of our heart. But this temple resembles more of the Garden from its original intention.

“The Lord will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; he will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing.”

Isaiah‬ ‭51‬:‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

We are to be, what John Eldridge describes as, OUTPOSTS OF EDEN or Eden Temples.

““The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands.”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭17‬:‭24‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.””
‭‭John‬ ‭2‬:‭19‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus ticked off the religious scholars because they had such limited understanding. God was up to something extraordinary through Jesus. GOD WAS BEGINNING THE PROCESS OF RESTORING EDEN. Restoring things to their original intent through YOU and ME!

In some quiet time now…read and spend time meditating on the following scriptures. Let the truths sink in…deep in your heart.

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”

1 Corinthians‬ ‭6‬:‭19‬-‭20‬ ‭NIV‬‬

““But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.””

Jeremiah‬ ‭17:7-8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

REFLECT:

How will you honor God with your life and body as an “Outpost of Eden” this year?

Devotions, James 1, Luke 2

Why Christmas is the Answer to Life’s Biggest Problems

Photo by RODNAE Productions on Pexels.com

If you are like me, sometimes the repetitive nature of things can make me a little dull and it can be easy to miss the true impact of certain events or experiences. In all the commercialization and busyness of this season, it is easy to miss how truly amazing Christmas is. So we are going to ask: What is the big deal about Christmas? And why it is THE ANSWER to life’s most pressing problems.

Why Christmas?

Have you or anyone else you know asked the question: “If God is real why doesn’t He do something about all the evil in the world?”

If you watch or listen to the news at all, it will not take long to be confronted and at times overwhelmed by all the unrest and tragedies in our city and the world. You may even wonder what you or anyone else can do about it. The amazing news is that God is not blind to all that is happening. In fact, he saw it coming before it even happened. He set forth a plan, called Christmas, to eradicate all the evil and problems in the world.

Check out part of the story here: ‭‭Luke‬ ‭2‬:‭8‬-‭14‬ ‭NIV‬‬ & ‭‭Luke‬ ‭2‬:‭25‬-‭32‬ ‭NIV

The angels revealed that God was bringing good news and joy (v.10), a Savior (v.11), and peace (v.14).

Likewise, the Holy Spirit revealed through Simeon, a devote man that God has provided salvation (v.30) for not only for people that have grown up in church (aka. Israel or Jews; v.32) but for all people (Gentiles; v.32). Meaning God had rescue plan and Rescuer that is now on the scene to set things right.

The birth of Jesus (aka Christmas) was Gods response to the pain and problems of the world. It was His great rescue plan to bring people out of darkness.

Why is there still pain in the world?

You may be thinking…”well that’s sounds great and all, but why is there still pain and trouble in the world?” What has helped me is knowing that God’s thoughts and ways are higher than mine (‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭55‬:‭8‬). Meaning His overall plan is greater and better. Also, what we have to realize is God’s salvation plan is happening….it is in motion. It has not fully culminated yet.
How can we know this? All we need to do is look around a little closer.

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”
‭‭James‬ ‭1‬:‭17‬ ‭NIV‬‬

In other words…just look for love. Where have you seen some “good”? Where have you seen some kind of “perfect gift” in your life? Whatever good or beauty we see or experience, we can know that God had a part in it.

Action:

  • When you see all the Chrismas lights and decorations, try to reframe them as a celebration signally the reality that God has given us an answer to the problems of the world.
  • And that when we ➡️see love and ➡️act love out, we can join in with God’s rescue plan.
Devotions, Matthew 20, Uncategorized

Look…Your Deliverer and Victory has Come!

Ask yourself these questions…

  • What do you want to change in your life?
  • What is the situation you have found yourself in that you are tired of?
  • What thing do you keep on doing that you know is wrong?

Paul talks about the human condition we all find ourself in:

“So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭7:21-24‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Sometimes the situation or condition we find ourself in is not because of our sin….it is the result of living in a fallen world. Checkout this interaction Jesus had with two guys.

READ: Matthew 20: 29-34

Jesus asked them “WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO FOR YOU?”

““Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.” Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.”

Matthew‬ ‭20:33-34‬ ‭NIV‬‬

But Jesus is setting up for the main event here…the thing he was ultimately going to do that would give everyone a chance to be free and have victory over their situation.

READ: Matthew 21:1-9

“The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!””
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭21:9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Hosanna means SAVE! The people wanted to be free from the oppression of the Roman Empire. But Jesus knew that they needed to be ultimately be save from their sinful nature.

READ: Titus 2:11-14

“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.”
‭‭Titus‬ ‭2:11-14‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Gods grace has appeared in the form of Jesus that offers a way out….and saves us from our sin and situations. When we have faith in Jesus and what he did for us on the cross, His spirit saves us, forgive us and purifies our hearts so that we are “eager to do what is good.”

ACTION POINTS:

  • What do you want Jesus to do for you?
  • Go to church this week and expect to receive a word or blessing from Jesus.
  • If you have never asked Jesus to save you, then make that be this week…today. Ask Him to come into your heart.
Devotions, Luke 2

“Do I really have Jesus in my life?”…and other thoughts Mary and Joseph might have had during Christmas.

READ: Luke 2:1-40

DO I REALLY HAVE JESUS IN MY LIFE?
AM I REALLY CARRYING JESUS IN MY HEART?

Honestly…have you ever wondered this?

If so, be encouraged that you are not alone in those thoughts. Many people who had vital roles in the revelation of God’s work in this world, had doubts too. 

Mary and Joseph are examples of this. Think of it…

This is most likely the first time since the original time the angel appeared and told Mary how she was going to carry the Messiah. Imagine how she may have been feeling and the realities they were dealing with:
– Difficult travel to Bethlehem 
– No room at a hotel…crowded town
– No proper baby provisions

Maybe she might have been thinking “is all what God promised true?” But look at how God brought three different kinds of people in her life to encourage her…and others.

The Shepherds: The “Working-Class” Faithful –Luke 2:8-20

In verse 12 it says, “This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

This was a sign not only to the shepherds, but to Mary and Joseph. They may have been thinking… “did we miss it, why are we having so much trouble in our lives if the Christ is in our life?”

I think that is why it says that Mary “treasured all these thing in her heart”. God brought encouragement to Mary.  

But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. -Luke 2:19

Simeon – “The righteous and devout” and “Spirit-led man” –Luke 2:22-35

Simeon confirmed to Mary and Joseph what was spoken to them months ago was true. When he said, “my eyes have seen your salvation”, they had to know again that God was truly there now in their life. 

The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. -Luke 2:33

Anna- The Prophet –Luke 2: 36-38

Think about how God used Anna to encourage everyone there. She was able to look at Mary and Joseph (and others) and say, “God has not forgotten you….God sees how you have longed for Him in your life…The King Jesus is here now!…Whatever you are going through now, He has overcome it.”

Our Encouragement Today

So if you are having doubts right now in you life or don’t sense His presence like you have in the past, take time to remember some people who God has brought into your life in the past to encourage your faith. The same God who worked in the past, is working now.  

Once we realize this, everyday is an opportunity for us to be encouragement too. Who is coming to your place…your space this Christmas? What encouragement will you find…or give this week? Will we openly share the Good news of what God has done in the world? Are we expectant of how God might encourage us?

The same God who worked in the past, is working now.  

Articles, Devotions, John 6

A Small Thing That May Get You Called Out In Church

I knew I was in trouble when I saw my pastor look directly at me in the middle of his sermon.  

Trust me when I tell you your heart starts pumping pretty fast when in a church of 8000 members, the attention is on you.  But it wasn’t out of embarrassment or fear of getting exposed for something I did wrong, it was because I knew I was about ready to ball my eyes out.

You see my pastor was preaching out of John 6 where Jesus used the “five SMALL barley loaves and two SMALL fish” that a boy had, to feed over 5000 people. He shared that the small things we give to Jesus and we do in His honor to serve others, God will multiply and do great things from it.

And so when my pastor looked at me and told the congregation who he really loved and appreciated..and that it was me…my eyes started welling up tears. He mentioned the “small thing” I had done to impact his son Josh back when he was a teenager, and how even today it has impacted his son. 

You see Josh was a PK. He absolutely loved..and dare I say almost worshipped the band Pearl Jam and Eddie Vedder.  We were introduced when his father first came to our church as the pastor back in 1993.  Josh was incredibly smart and generally cordial to everyone but you could tell he had some reservations about who he let into his world.  

I intentionally started trying to connect with him. We would go to the gym regularly in the mornings, grab lunch and even one time we drove to St. Louis for a concert of another favorite band of his.  We had many great conversations where we talked about his life and spiritual things.  He thought deeply about all these things and it required great discernment, love and patience to take care of what God was doing in his heart.  

As he went off to college we only saw each other every once in awhile.  I do remember a time when he was back working at the church part time on the custodial staff. He shared with me how much it meant to him and that out of all the people he knew, I showed him the love of Jesus like he had never experienced.  

And recently, 26 years later, as a husband and father himself, he reached out to me to tell me how he realizes even more the impact our time together had back then on his life.  What a treasured gift that was to have Josh share those words with me!

I share this not to call attention to myself, but rather to highlight what God taught me again that day…and when his father called me out in church as well.  It is this…

that small things matter.

Small things. That is, seemingly little, perhaps mundane or obscure things we may do, can have lasting impact well beyond their initial act.  

Getting called out and encouraged like this in such a public setting, I knew God wanted me and others to always remember that  “the small things” we do in love that honor Him, He will multiply. 

So what “small thing” do you feel God calling you to do.  Whatever it is….do it.  Do it and know He will multiply it many times over!

ACTION IDEAS:

  • Read John‬ ‭6:1-13‬. Put yourself in the interaction. How would you feel if you were the boy or others…before and after…after the miracle?
  • Reflect if there was time you did something small for someone else.  What kind of evidence of God’s multiplication happened because of your small act.  Give thanks to God for that!
  • What small thing do you sense God might want you to do for Him and others this week?
Devotions, Genesis 1, Psalm 139

Look!…A Human Being!

READ: Genesis 1:27; Psalm 139:13-16`

Have you ever considered how amazing you are?

 Really? 

Granted if we consider all the species of animals and plants, types of geography, vastness of the cosmos or the complexity of the cellular world, there is much to marvel at that could last a lifetime for sure. 

But when you think about it, the human being kind of blows everything out of the water. 

For starters just think about what we as humans have created on this planet. The ingenuity is incredible. Or how about the things we have discovered?  What other species has gone to the moon and back and can tell you what kind of material is on Mars? No monkey has ever done that. Oh wait…take that back…he may have gone into space but it wasn’t his idea!

But the real, real incredible part of a human being is our humanness. What in all creation feels what we feel? Thinks like we think? Or loves like we love?  As amazing as dolphin is I don’t think he sits around and imagines what we he wants to do with his life. 

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made!

Psalm 139:14

With all our uniqueness it gets one wondering some things. For example: “Why are we like this?”…”How did we come to be?”  Did you know with all our amazingness, we humans still don’t really know.  There are theories for sure.  But no proofs.  

That is why many choose to look outside of mere human thinking or scientific logic for answers.  As Christians, we believe God, our creator, has revealed most these deep questions through the person of Jesus.  In fact, as we learn from the One who created us, we learn how to treat each other, be more creative, have more joy…basically be more human.  

So give thanks to the One who made you today.  Make a simple prayer out of Psalm 139:14 back to God. Remember you are amazing because of all the things on this planet, you are the only thing made in His image.

Devotions, John 1

Use Your Reputation for God

READ: John‬ ‭1:19-23, 25-39‬ ‭

John the Baptist had a reputation.  He was very popular in certain circles.  Just like you, people knew him for certain things he did.  You maybe known as the baseball or other sport guy…or smart guy in class…or church and music guy like I was.

Even though he was known for certain things, he knew of someone greater than he:

“He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”

http://bible.com/111/jhn.1.27.niv

What did he do?  He pointed them to Jesus.

“When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.”

http://bible.com/111/jhn.1.36-37.niv

Why did he do this? Because he knew a secret. He knew what God was up to.  He knew God’s plan to give every man and woman what their heart was really looking for…namely Himself!

So John knew if he really cared for the people around him, the best thing he could do with his influence is point them to Jesus.  Jesus was the one they should follow most to find the life they really wanted.

You Have Followers

Believe it or not, you have followers.  Every person has someone that looks up to them and has some sort of influence with them. The question you should ask yourself is:Where are you leading them?

Will you point them to the Greatest Destination and person…the Greatest Man Jesus?

Ok, so what do we do?

First off, are you following Jesus? If not, what will you do this week to get to know Him better? And then could you invite a friend to go to church or a youth group or start reading the Bible with you?

👋

Devotions, Proverbs 16, Proverbs 19, Psalm 20, Psalm 94

Plans

What are your plans for this school year?  Is your vision short sighted or does it contain wisdom to see further down the road beyond what a normal high school guy walks right now?  Are your plans all about you or do they have a greater goal that transcends beyond your life?
READ:
“Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.”
“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.”
“May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.”
“The LORD knows all human plans; he knows that they are futile.”
“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.”
Take Aways:
  1. God wants us to commit our plans to Him.
  2. He is the decisive factor if they succeed or fall short.
  3. We should seek and pray that our heart and plans line up with God’s purposes.
PRAY: Jesus I need your help.  What do you want for my life today…this week…this year? Lord would you order my steps?  I don’t want to make plans that are not preparing me or leading me to Your purposes for my life. So I ask that you would change my heart and my plans to match and reflect Your heart and plans for me.  I trust and believe you will do this.  Amen.
Devotions, John 5

Good Guys and Jerks

“Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.” John 5:23
Have you met him?  You know, the guy that everyone seems to love.  He is winsome, intelligent, articulate and just plain fun to be around.  Most people would say, “Man, he is just a really good guy.”
Then there is the “other” guy.  The guy is a jerk.  He treats everyone like dirt and because of it, his life is out of control.  Substance abuse, trouble with the law, and fights are just a normal part of his life.
So my question is: Which of these guys needs God more in their life?
Yes, as you probably guessed already, this is a trick question.  They both need God.
From a human perspective, if we line up these two guys and judge their behavior, there is no doubt that most would say that the jerk needs God and greater change in his life. However, God does not just look at the behavior…the outward life, He looks at the heart…the inward life (1 Samuel 16:7).
The greatest sin in our life is not based off one certain behavior. The greater sin is how we fail to acknowledge or honor God. This is how even the “good guy” can miss it.  John Piper says it like this:
“The true measure of the greatness of sin is not the way it ruins human life, but the way it dishonors God.”
Think about it. Don’t we as guys hate it most when other people show us disrespect?  That is why we would prefer to fight guys face to face rather than have people turn their backs on us or ignore us.
So the questions for us are:
  • Does my life honor God?
  • Have I been ignoring God?  Have I turned my back on Him?

Okay, so what do we do?

Talk to God now.  Tell Him how you are sorry for ignoring Him without really meaning to. Tell Him your sorry for turning your back on Him when you knew better. Find comfort that through the ages many guys ignored or flat out disrespected Him or people, but because they humbled themselves and turned back to God, He restored them and even used them in great ways. If this is you, He is not mad at you. He is happy to forgive you and glad to have you back home.  God welcomes all…good guys and jerks.
Articles, Ephesians 2, Philippians 2

Don’t Fail the Growth Test

So have you ever bombed a test?

Well your not alone.  I did it just the other day.
Now the test I’m talking about isn’t a school test…God knows I have struggled a lot with those in the past.  No, the test I am referring to is the kind that helps us grow in character and our calling.
The other night, a few of my friends and I were in the kitchen talking. One of my friends saw that he had not shut the door fully behind him as we came in earlier. He, with a rather direct tone said, “Todd shut that door will ya?” Now I know that seems like a simple request, and honestly as I write this I feel like even more of a dork, but guess what I did?  Instead of fully shutting the door, I closed it only half way to where it was not fully latched.  Needless to say, he noticed as he stared me down with a look that urged obedience while at the same time wondered why I did the job only half way in the first place.
So what was I thinking?  And why did I behave like a jerk you ask?  Well, in only one second, I thought three things:  1) “I don’t like his direct tone toward me”  2) “I prefer the door partly unlatched anyway so that when you come in from the garage it is easier to just push open than turn the handle too.”  3) “I will just close it half way like I like it.”
Do you see why I know I failed my test? To state the obvious, it was about ME and what “I wanted.”  It was a test to help me overcome my own pride and selfishness.  You see that same morning in my devotion time I read the verses in Philippians chapter 2 where it talks about imitating Jesus’ humility, valuing others above yourself and not looking to your own interests but the interests of others.  God trained me up with this scripture and got me ready for the test, but I bombed it.

Retakes for Growth

The good news is that God allows you to retake the test if you want too. The bad news though is that if we don’t want to retake the test, you and I will remain where we are….in the same grade.  It doesn’t mean he doesn’t love us, it just means He can’t advance us.
You see God doesn’t want us to just know something; He wants us to become something. And by allowing challenges to come our way, He desires that those circumstances help define and build our character. And when our character grows guess what happens?  Our life grows.
When our life grows it means we have moved to another level in our journey to become all that we were created to be.
Ephesians 2:10 states that we are God’s handiwork:
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
We were created “to do”.  So that means it has to be more than just knowing some scripture. It is there for us to know so that we become it.
Plants just like people have stages of growth, we can’t skip any stages. We can’t fool ourselves to think that God’s spiritual growth design can be bypassed. We must be mature at each stage of growth before we can move onto the next.
What area in your life have you sensed you have failed to pass the test? Will you allow God to show you what you need to do to move forward to your next growth level?