Do You Know The
Rules of the Road On The Highway To Holiness?
Good Morning Friends,
With Halloween just around the corner I was reading a little of the Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis and I found that it is an amazing book but not easily digested. It is dedicated to J.R.R. Tolkien. It tells of a story of an older demon, Wormwood, teaching a younger demon the ways of messing up people’s lives. It is amazing just how easily these demons go about keeping us from helping one another keep to God’s directions.
In the beginning of the book and throughout, Screwtape emphasizes materialism, a focus on the physical world, as a demon’s best tool. Here a preoccupation with the physical side of reality and ignorance of the spiritual becomes the foundation for a diabolical strategy for creating car wrecks of people’s lives. It got me to thinking that if Christians had a bumper sticker on their vehicles asking others to call in to a number to rate their effectiveness as witnesses to Christ’s commandments perhaps we would respond with greater obedience. Do You Know The
Rules of the Road On The Highway To Holiness?
Scripture: Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or abuse for abuse; but, on the contrary, repay with a blessing. It is for this that you were called–that you might inherit a blessing. For “Those who desire life and desire to see good days, let them keep their tongues from evil and their lips from speaking deceit; let them turn away from evil and do good; let them seek peace and pursue it, for the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” Now who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good? But even if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated, but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and reverence. Keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who abuse you for your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if suffering should be God’s will, than to suffer for doing evil.
1 Peter 3:8-17 (NRSV)
Jesus said, “By this, everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
John 13:35 (NRSV)
Do not love the world or the things in the world. The love of the Father is not in those who love the world; for all that is in the world—the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, the pride in riches—comes not from the Father but from the world. And the world and its desire are passing away, but those who do the will of God live forever.
1 John 2:15-17 (NRSV)
Message: Ever wonder if the world would be a better place if Christians needed a license to practice our faith? Wouldn’t that be absolutely awful? Today’s message is not about legalities…as the title implies so much as how to have a life that matters. It is about living a changed and different life than the world. It is about responding to the call of our Lord and Savior. Here we are to be relational not reactive, we are to be active in love, directional and part of a greater movement so as not to get trapped in the heavy traffic. We are to learn how to not fall to the demons of misdirection and road rage. We are to stop making excuses to avoid doing the right thing. We are to treat each other with love. We are to find hope together and share it for that is how we relate to the Lord. On God’s Highway of Hope we are to realize that nothing under God’s control is out of control. The temptation on the road to perdition is the allurement of sin… of what Hollywood and advertisers want us to believe…of what our demons want us to believe. We need to understand that our response to them will be based on what we value. This has to be thought out in advance in order to power our vehicles in the right direction. Of course there are divine appointments we need to get to, but on the journey to them we need to realize that we still must witness on the way. We must protect what in our mind we think about. We must understand what drives us.
Pray with praise for contagious Christians that live out their Christian life for others to see. Pray that our actions today would be obedient to God’s rules of the road. Pray that our actions would reveal our Christian faith and love. Pray we share a little hope. Pray we live by convictions and priorities and not just convenience, selfish pleasure and financial gain. Pray we are willing to go against the grain of society and follow the road less travelled of righteousness and truth. Pray we read the instruction manual. Pray we are prepared to demonstrate the hope in us with gentleness and respect. Pray we know the rules of the road and practice them. Pray we avoid the trap of carnality. Pray we realize that sin separates us from God. Pray we follow the way of Jesus.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 