Life1

with

s a c u l

Daily readings throughout the year

JEFF LUCAS

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Copyright © CWR 2007 The excerpts in this compilation were taken from issues of Lucas on Life Every Day now Life Every Day, previously published as Jan/Feb, Mar/Apr, May/Jun, July/Aug, Sep/Oct, Nov/Dec 2005.

First published in this format 2007 by CWR, Waverley Abbey House, Waverley Lane, Farnham, Surrey GU9 8EP, UK. Registered Charity No. 294387. Registered limited company No. 1990308.

Reprinted 2008, 2012.

The right of Jeff Lucas to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, sections 77 and 78.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission in writing of CWR. See back of book for list of National Distributors.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture references are from the Holy Bible: New International Version (NIV), copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by the International Bible Society.

Other Scripture quotations are marked: AV: The Authorised Version.

NASB: New American Standard Bible, © 1977 Lockman Foundation.

The Message: Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2005. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Concept development, editing, design and production by CWR Cover photos by Roger Walker Printed in Finland by WS Bookwell ISBN: 978-1-85345-440-0

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Contents

Introduction

5

Friends rediscovered

7

Stop looking for the will of God

59

Faith on the far side

115

The Church – a blushing bride

169

A walk on the wild side

225

Unsung heroes change their world

279

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Introduction Thank you for taking the first step in a year-long adventure together with me! I hope and pray that this journey will be coloured with warm hues of encouragement; that there’ll be times of laughter and tears, some pauses for pondering as we mull over some of life’s mysteries and, most of all, gain clear glimpses of who God really is and what it means for us to be so loved by Him. We’ll be tackling a variety of topics.

There’s a reluctant prophet who hotfooted it away from God – and then turned around and preached one of the most effective (and brief) sermons in history.

We’ll look at how we ‘do’ church (and what it sometimes does to us) and learn from Jesus how He wants His Church to live – and just how much He loves her.

Together we’ll look at the life of that great hero of the faith, Daniel, who lived and served his God in the arid desert of exile. We’ll discover too the unquenchable faith of many unsung, often unknown, ‘saints’ of the Bible – men and women like Andrew, Benaiah, Caleb, Hannah, Joanna, Joseph, Josiah, Puah and Shiphrah. We’ll see that all the great people of the Bible – the famous types, together with the unnamed, unsung heroes – were ordinary people,

just like you and me. Yet with God they did extraordinary things.

And we’ll start our year with two vital themes. First up, friends – those most important people who make our lives richer, stand with us through the ups and downs, and help to fill our days with laughter and brighten the tearful times that come to us all. Looking at some of the greatest friendships in the Bible, may we be challenged to become better at friendship.

Then we’ll look at guidance, a tricky subject that’s tripped too many of us up.

We’ll dispel some popular myths about knowing the will of God and see the One who’s wanting to partner with us in our lives, every day. More than a cosmic GPS, He is our Father.

Thanks again for taking the journey – and may God meet us both as we take the trek together.

Jeff Lucas

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Friends rediscovered

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Friends rediscovered After a very difficult lunch, I sensed the throes of seismic indigestion ahead.

A stranger had persistently pursued me. In the end, I gave in, wondering what he could want that was so very important. What he demanded was a huge chunk of my life.

His eyes were eager. ‘Jeff, I sense that you are lonely. You really need a best friend – and God has told me …

I’m to be that friend. Here I am. When do we get started?’

My face flushed with panic. I was desperate to tell him that, far from feeling lonely, I already felt rich with vintage friendships that I was so very grateful for – so there wasn’t a current need for a self-appointed best friend, or even a vacancy. But instead I just sat and listened and wondered at the bizarre way in which we Christians sometimes do life.

Friendship is one of the most valuable gifts we can enjoy. Without it, our days are walked in subdued black and white rather than in the warmth of colour. How priceless are those relationships that have long-term trust, easy laughter, and the comfortable sharing of silence as well as the delight of relaxed chatter. What a wonder to feel that a friendship will be too short,

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even if it runs to the end of life itself.

But those relationships don’t just drop out of the sky, or get produced by announcement. It takes time, tears, and perhaps a shared stroll through the autumnal lanes of tragedy to form something that begins to look like authentic friendship.

And so to our first topic, ‘Friends Rediscovered’. For the next two months we’ll consider the friendships that Saul (later Paul) enjoyed – and occasionally endured. A great friend to many, Paul specifically names dozens of his closer companions in his various writings.

As we consider how the great apostle did friendship, as well as his teachings about relationships, I hope that we’ll be challenged, encouraged, entertained and confronted. And it’s my prayer that our readings may nudge you to laughter – and perhaps prompt an occasional tear.

May God bless you with the priceless gift of having true friends – and of being a better friend to others.

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WEEK 1 weekend Acts 22:3–11 James 1:5–7

...achingly hungry... for authentic

Weekend

friendship

High noon for Saul What’s the very first thing that you would say to Jesus if you (literally) bumped into Him today? I’m not talking about meeting Him in prayer by faith, but rather having one of those physical, blinding, ‘close encounters of a God kind’ meetings that Saul had with Jesus. Face down in the dirt, and dazzled by the light, he claws the earth and clamours for help. And the first statement out of Saul’s mouth (once he had worked out the identity of the One who had shown up unannounced) was to ask ‘What shall I do?’ (Acts 22:10). Suddenly the stricken persecutor becomes a disciple, one of God’s apprentices: now he knows who God is, he immediately wants to know what God wants.

The world, achingly hungry as it is for authentic friendship, desperately needs to know that friendship is God’s idea and He has a lot to say about it. If you and I are to build true kingdom relationships, then we need to begin by going to the One who really does know how human hearts tick. So Saul’s prayer was a great start. Let’s join him and ask for direction and wisdom for life – and particularly our relationships too.

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WEEK 1 MON

Warning: religious people are about BIG PICTURE:

Acts 7:55–8:3 1 Timothy 1:15–17 FOCUS:

‘Saul was there, giving approval to his death.’

(Acts 8:1)

Millions of wonderful actions will be done ‘in Jesus’ name’ today. Food will be handed to the hungry; the sick will be comforted; prisoners will be visited: countless acts of kindness and grace will take place that have been prompted and inspired by God; most of them unnoticed except by heaven.

But history has also been smeared by people who jumped both feet into ‘doing something for God’.

Churches and people are often wounded by the most sincere religious zealots, who bruise people and think that they are doing God a favour as they do. Relationships are often clumsily shattered ‘in His name’.

As we ask the Lord for direction and help in the way we approach relationships, we need to be careful what we do for God, and for what we credit Him. Saul was ablaze with religious fervour – before he met Jesus, and havoc, tears and bloodshed were the tragic results of his misguided zeal. The atrocities that he committed as Saul the persecutor were done, ironically, because he was genuinely trying to please God. He ponders the twisted passion of his past as he writes to friends in Philippi – ‘I was a fiery defender of the purity of my religion, even to the point of persecuting Christians’ (Phil. 3:6, The Message).

He was the eager spectator who ‘gave approval’ to the frenzied blood-letting that was Stephen’s execution (Acts 8:1), and the bully who, as The Message puts it, ‘went wild’ in his ferocious attacks on Christians. And all of it was done … in the name of God. So, let’s pause for thought before we wade in with ‘The Lord wants me to …’

Prayer: Lord, save me from misguided zeal, from my own ideas – and show me what You want me to do.

Amen.

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The presence of an older brother would have been very helpful to me during my secondary school days. As a somewhat scrawny specimen (I was surely shortchanged when muscles were being distributed), I took my share of playground beatings. One memorable skirmish involved an inordinately large chap who sported Doc Marten boots the size of his head. Sadly, there was no big brother at my side to defend me, hence my casualty of a nose, which enables me to smell around corners.

But the predator Saul bumped into the ‘older brother’ of his traumatised Christian victims, a brother to surely be reckoned with: the risen, ascended Christ (Heb. 2:11–12).

On the Damascus Road, as Jesus asked, ‘Why are you persecuting me?’ the terrified Saul suddenly realised that, as he had victimised helpless Christians, he had actually been taking a swing at God; not a good idea.

The key to understanding how to do relationships is to know that God is profoundly affected by the way that we act towards those around us. The way that we treat ‘the least of His’ is the way that we treat Him. So our relationships are part of our worship, which is about so much more than getting together at weekends to sing songs or affirm creeds. We move and affect the heart of God by the way that we treat people every day. When we choose to bless, we ultimately bless Him: and when we select the pathway of sniping unkindness, we take pot shots at Him too. Look again at that one you are tempted to hurt: they have a Brother standing next to them.

Prayer: Father, teach me this difficult lesson, that to serve another, is to serve You. Amen.

WEEK 1 TUE

You did it to me BIG PICTURE:

Acts 9:1–10 Matthew 25:31–40 FOCUS:

‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.’

(Acts 9:5)

God is profoundly affected by the way we act towards those aorund us 11

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WEEK 1 wed

A tale of two brothers BIG PICTURE:

Acts 9:10–19 Acts 22:12–21 FOCUS:

‘Brother Saul, the Lord – Jesus … has sent me.’

(Acts 9:17)

Sometimes the Christian practice of calling each other ‘brother’ and ‘sister’ can be useful – particularly if you tend to forget people’s names … but the term ‘brother’ opened a whole new world of relationships to the temporarily blinded Saul.

As Ananias and Saul meet in that house on Straight Street, we witness not only an epic power encounter, in the recovery of Saul’s eyesight and his being filled with the Holy Spirit, but something very beautiful and tender, as Ananias whispers ‘Brother Saul’.

The wild bully is now a welcomed brother. And Saul now sees Ananias, a fellow Christian, in a brand new light: not someone to be hunted down, arrested and locked up – but a blood relative, because of blood shed

by Jesus.

Saul begins to see himself in a new light, too. Ananias had every reason to hate the infamous persecutor; but now he accepts Saul, cares for him, and Saul joins the community of the forgiven. In later years, Saul (become Paul) would write powerful words about grace – and part of his understanding of grace came because he had begun to taste it first hand at an address on Straight Street.

Grace will always be an abstract and possibly irrelevant idea to us if we don’t see it simply, beautifully modelled in a grace community. Only when we experience grace; as we are welcomed, forgiven, encouraged and helped by visible human beings, can we begin to fathom the wondrous grace of the God that we can’t yet see.

Will we live today as a working model of grace in action – or will our lives and words contradict the doctrines that we say we believe?

Prayer: Father, through word and deed, may grace be seen in me today, leading others to understand You more. Amen.

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Years ago we used to sing a little song that I was never really convinced about: ‘He is all I need, He is all I need, Jesus is all I need’.

It all sounds very pious, but the words don’t stack up well with a Bible that affirms that we actually do need each other. Paul affirmed that one member of the body cannot say to another, ‘I have no need of you’ (1 Cor. 12:21, NRSV). Of course, there are those times when we just don’t want each other – when we’re burned out by church, drawing back into solitary isolation, feeling that it’s easier to be a friend of Jesus than it is to befriend those who say they love Him too. But we must think again.

Saul attached himself to the family of believers in Damascus. From that day on, Saul knew that he needed Jesus – and more. He also needed Jesus’ people too. He lived the rest of his days building friendships, knowing that relationships were such a vital part of his life and ministry.

His friends prayed for him, encouraged him, supported him, fed him, housed him, met his financial needs, provoked him, followed him, led him, shaped him, were mentored by him, irritated him, imitated him, travelled with him and helped the Lord (through blessing or challenge) to mould Saul into the apostle who became Paul.

Fellowship is a costly, frustrating, exhilarating, boring experience. At times it seems tempting to abandon the effort and head for the hills and the hermit’s cave. But we were designed for togetherness, with all of its joys and pains. He is not all I need.

Prayer: Lord, I need You today, and I need Your people. Save me from the easy but hollow temptation of isolation. Amen.

WEEK 1 thu

Saul embraces the Church BIG PICTURE:

Acts 9:19–22 1 Corinthians 12:12–26 FOCUS:

‘Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus.’ (Acts 9:19)

We actually do need each other

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WEEK 1 fri

Proving a point

BIG PICTURE:

Acts 9:22–31 2 Corinthians 11:30–33 FOCUS:

‘If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.’

(2 Cor. 11:30, NASB)

At first glance, Saul’s escape from Damascus in the stillness of a moonless night looks exciting, brave even.

This episode, where Saul was lowered down from a window in a wicker basket by some of his followers and friends, could have been lifted from a swashbuckling adventure film, with Saul as the hero making a smooth exit.

But the man who became Paul viewed it as a negative moment in his history, listing it as a primary example of his weakness in his famous ‘fool’s speech’ to the Corinthians. Some have thought that Paul had a wellknown proverb on his mind as he reflected on his own great escape: ‘A wise man scales the city of the mighty and brings down the stronghold in which they trust’ (Prov. 21:22). Paul only managed to be bundled quickly through a window, and let down in a fish-basket, unable to do anything other than trust in the strong hands of his friends who gripped the rope from above. As he bobs down the wall in a basket, he is an object of weakness – which is the only thing he will boast about (2 Cor.12:5).

So many conflicts emerge in our relationships because of our obsession to prove that we are someone; that we are better, stronger, brighter, ahead of the pack. Just as the tempter invited the wildernessweary Jesus to prove Himself (Luke 4:1–13) so we face a similar temptation daily.

To be set free from the need always to appear the first or the best is not only utterly liberating, but will oil the wheels of our relationships.

Prayer: Father, save me from the need to prove myself to others every day. Heal my insecurities and fears. Amen.

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WEEK 2 weekend Acts 4:36–37 Romans 1:12

Encouragement comes as a welcome lifeline

Weekend

to us all

What’s in a name?

What have been the darkest and most difficult few seconds of your life up until this moment? For me, it was that moment when my father died. As I held his cooling hand I knew that he was on his way to be with Jesus; but how I longed for him to stay with me for a while longer. And then, just seconds after he breathed his last, the telephone rang at his bedside.

It was my best friend, Chris, phoning from Canada, right on time. Sensing that he should call, his gentle words of encouragement brought a dawning of hope into my bleak night.

Encouragement comes as a welcome lifeline to us all. And Saul surely needed plenty of it – he would have to navigate his way through more than his fair share of storms, death threats, misunderstandings and disappointments. So much of his strength came, not from a guardian angel, but from his great friend, Barnabas. His real name was Joseph, but he’d been dubbed ‘the son of comfort’, such was his superlative gift as an encourager. Barnabas played a vital role in Saul’s early Christian life and ministry.

But that doesn’t mean that there was never any friction between these two, as we will see …

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