Advent Conspiracy Devotional: Thursday, December 9th

Scripture: Mark 6:8
These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts.

Reflection: In our world we need money for just about everything.  But in a life lived seeking to follow God’s call, sometimes you will be called to go without. 

            In this passage Jesus is sending out pairs of disciples to go and prepare the way for him and the gospel of God.  Jesus sends them out by first instructing them to basically go without taking any of the things a normal person would take with them. No money, no change of clothes, no food – not even shoes. 

            The point is that Jesus wants the disciples – and us - to trust in him and to allow God to work through them in clearly miraculous ways.  No matter the subject or topic, even when it comes to money, we are supposed to have faith that God will provide and that God has a plan for us that is good. 

            It is hard for us, but sometimes it is only by trusting in God that we are able to open our lives to experience the full grace and blessing of God.

Question: What is the hardest part for you about trusting God to provide?

Have you ever had a time when God provided unexpected grace and blessing to you?  What happened?

Advent Conspiracy Devotional: Wednesday, December 8th

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:10
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

Reflection: We often hear this verse misquoted simply as ‘money is the root of all evil’.  That version doesn’t quite get at the point of what is being said.

            It is the love of money, not money in and of itself, that is a danger to us.  It is when our love of money – and because of that love then a desire to have (more and more of) that money that gets us into trouble. 

            Note that the love of money is dangerous and evil not because God doesn’t want us to have nice stuff or to be happy, but because that a focus on money or a love of money have caused some to wonder from the faith and the love of money has caused some ‘many griefs’. 

            Money is an unfaithful partner and one that will never lead us to fulfillment and satisfaction.  The love of money will always ‘end badly’ and the hurt and wreckage will be in our hearts and lives. 

Question: What is the difference between using the money you have and ‘loving money’?

How can you make sure that you aren’t falling into love with money?

Advent Conspiracy Devotional: Tuesday, December 7th

Scripture: Matthew 6:24
“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.

Reflection: Money is often a taboo subject in church, even when many other very sensitive matters are routinely and casually shared over coffee or during the prayer concerns. 

            I think this is because we often think of money and God or our faith as opposing forces somehow.  This isn’t quite true though.  The truth is that God makes it clear that we have to decide what is most important to us and what is going to be our driving and underlying motivation.  Is it going to be God and God’s will for our lives or is it going to be the pursuit of money, wealth and possessions. 

            What Jesus is making clear in Matthew 6 is not that we have to hate money or that we can’t have it or even want it.  But that they can’t be equals in our lives or in our hearts. 
            We are called to love and serve God with all of our heart, mind, strength and spirit.  With all of who we are and what we have – this includes our money, so we can’t be trying to serve it too.

Question: What or who are you serving right now in your life? 

What would it take to really begin to serve God first?

Advent Conspiracy Devotional: Monday, December 6th

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 5:10
Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless.

Reflection: Nelson Rockefeller, when he was one of the wealthiest men in the world, was asked the simple question: ‘How much money is enough?’  His reply was telling: ‘A little more.’ 

            When money or material possessions – or anything other than God’s will and plan for your life is your goal or the driving force behind your life or your actions you will never be satisfied.  There will always be someone with more money.  There will always be someone with something you don’t have yet.  And even when you have it all, there will be new versions of what you already have. 

            In this season, when we so often get consumed with buying the next big thing, it is important to remember that no material gift – no matter how great, new, fancy or expensive – will ever truly satisfy us or anyone else.  The things we can buy, will not ever lead us to happiness. 

Question: What is the thing that you always want ‘a little more’ of?

How can you take the focus off of ‘how much’ this Christmas?

Advent Conspiracy Devotional: Sunday, December 5th

Scripture: Isaiah 55:1
Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.

Reflection: ‘Money makes the world go round’ is one of those clichéd phrases that is also true.  No matter what we would like to think or pretend, there is just no avoiding the truth that we need money. 

            We need money to provide for our basic necessities: food, clothing, shelter, transportation.  We need money to get many of the things that we want: a (nice) car, entertainment, etc.  If the world of advertizing and our culture are to be believed, we need money – and lots of it – to have friends, have fun and to be happy. 

            But the eternal salvation of Jesus Christ is not something we can buy – or even earn.  The transformed and whole life that is found in relationship with God cannot be bought.  It is, in fact, priceless. 

            God offers to us that which we are incapable of obtaining on our own and something greater and more valuable than all of our possessions put together: a saving connection to and relationship with Jesus Christ. 

Question:  When have you tried to ‘buy’ happiness or fulfillment?  Were you disappointed with the results?  

Advent Conspiracy Devotional: Sunday, December 4th

Scripture: Luke 24:52 

⁵² Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.

Reflection: In the above verse the ‘they’ are the disciples that saw and interacted with Jesus after his resurrection and immediately before his ascension to heaven. 

            What is interesting and important here is that that while the disciples got so many things wrong in their time journeying with Jesus, their response to the resurrected Jesus here is just perfect and it is a model for us.  When you encounter the resurrected Jesus Christ, savior and Lord of all creation the only appropriate response is to worship him.

            The other interesting thing is the affect that worshiping Jesus had on the disciples.  They went back to Jerusalem, where they would share the story of their encounter with the living God with all who would listen, eventually receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. 

            But these misfit fishermen and tax collectors did not go back to Jerusalem lost and fearful.  After worshiping the living God Jesus Christ they were filled with joy.  Joy is happiness that isn’t dependant on circumstances.  Joy is what comes from the worship of God.

Question: Where do you find joy in worship?  Where have you encountered God recently?

Advent Conspiracy Devotional: Friday, December 3rd

Scripture: Psalm 95:6
Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker

Reflection: There is a key or central element of worship that we often overlook or ignore, but that is essential to true worship.  To really worship something or someone we must willingly submit to it.  We have to make a choice that says with our words, thoughts, actions and our lives in the words of Jesus: ‘Not my will, Lord, buy yours be done.  We have to make a decision that it is God’s plan and desire for our lives and the world that matters most, not simply what we want or what we think is best. 

            This idea of submission is what so much of what God calls us to is really about.  God doesn’t need our money to somehow ‘make ends meet’, but in submitting to God by returning a portion of what we have been given we recognize that God’s plans and not our own are paramount. 

            When we open ourselves up to be used and directed by the Holy Spirit we enter into a relationship that transforms our lives and allows us to live a whole and full life in the kingdom of God – now and forever.

Question:  Do you find it easy or difficult to submit to God?

What area of your life to you need to submit to God before you can fully worship God?