Doulos International ~ Robert Barkley

Doulos Meditation on Revelation 22:5
 
Scripture: Revelation 22:5--…they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light…

Reflection: Healthy people sometimes grow weary of darkness. It is during the dark days of winter that depression is more common. In northern countries the inhabitants sometimes go about their work with less than exuberance while yearning for the bright days of summer when their spirits can soar. I observed this first in Hamburg, a great city in northern Germany. When rarely the clouds depart and the sun shines through clear and warming air, there will be no space around the swimming pool not covered with sun-bathing bodies; refugees from cold rains and dismal skies.

What a metaphor! Our God is light: life giving, warming, joyous, clarifying and purifying light. He dispels our depressions and gloom; shines on our human existence in a way that makes not only gives sense and direction, but relieves all those internal yearnings for something besides cold and darkness.

Prayer Starter: Lord, we live in a world of darkness into which you have come as the Light of the world. Instead of hiding our eyes, show us how to bathe in the light and walk daily in the light. We hide in darkness not because it is good, but because of our sins—shine on us in love and show us a better way. Amen.

Doulos Meditation on Genesis 1:1
 
Scripture: Genesis 1:1—In the beginning God…John 1:1—was the Word…

Reflection: I hope you have noticed that two books in the bible begin with the words "In the beginning…" It is certainly no accident that these two authors, though separated by hundreds of years were both on the same page when they thought about origins. In Genesis are the key words "And God said…" while in John it is Jesus who is called the
Word.

Two observations: (a) when we think of beginnings, our minds inexorably bump into God. He is the inevitable answer to questions about beginnings. We can feel some pity for the man who denies the reality of God, faced as he is with the uncomfortable chore of developing a world view from an unexplainable framework. It is not the believer who has problems—it is the person who begins by objecting to the only answer that brings closure and peace to life's most important premises. (b) God speaks—his word flows from his nature and carries his power. The Johanine passage is more advanced in pointing to Jesus through whom God has expressed himself, but it is not different in the two premises—God is the origin and he has spoken.

Prayer Starter: Thank you for your creating power and for making us to be the recipients of your revelation. We love you, our God and Creator. Amen.
 

Doulos Meditation on Revelation 22:27d
 
Scripture: Revelation 22: 27d—Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift.

Reflection: I was in a very large airport yesterday and suggested to my travel companion that we have a cold drink. After looking at the (for us) astoundingly high prices they were charging, I suggested we did not need a drink all that much and we could tough it out until our flight.

The water of life—certainly the most expensive drink the world has known—is given to all takers for free. Scripture certainly teaches that each of us has the power of choice. We can drink or not. But God has provided that price will never stand in the way of our thirst. He has paid the price and a very high one at that—but to the thirsty traveler it is without charge. I wonder if some of the regret in eternity among those who are lost will be remorse over turning down the world's greatest free drink.

Prayer Starter: We thirst for you, O God, for you are the eternal life giving water that slakes every dry throat and satisfies every hunger. May we eternally come to your fountain and enjoy the water of life. Amen.

Doulos Meditation on John 14:17

Scripture: John 14:17—This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive…

Reflection: Jesus promised the Holy Spirit to his followers but told them this God-Presence is available only to believers. The "world" as John terms it, is composed of those who live their lives without regard to the supernatural—those who see no need for God or for the spiritual rebirth he provides. They are their own agents. They live for their own purposes and in their own strength. They cannot receive God's Spirit.

He is not a power that they can manipulate or an artifact of time and space, but the God of all creation to whom they must surrender themselves. Clinging to their own selves and purposes, they are unwilling to surrender themselves to God and receive his Spirit. What is confusing is that some of these worldlings are religious—they inhabit churches and practice ritual. They promote their vision of morality and civility, but their connection with God is a pretense.

Prayer Starter: Father, without your Holy Spirit we are lost. Lead us to the surrender of our wills and the decision of faith that opens up human lives to the rebirth of our spirits and the reception of your Spirit. Amen.

Doulos Meditation on John 14:17
 
Scripture: John 14:17—This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive…

Reflection: Jesus promised the Holy Spirit to his followers but told them this God-Presence is available only to believers. The "world" as John terms it, is composed of those who live their lives without regard to the supernatural—those who see no need for God or for the spiritual rebirth he provides. They are their own agents. They live for their own purposes and in their own strength. They cannot receive God's Spirit.

He is not a power that they can manipulate or an artifact of time and space, but the God of all creation to whom they must surrender themselves. Clinging to their own selves and purposes, they are unwilling to surrender themselves to God and receive his Spirit. What is confusing is that some of these worldlings are religious—they inhabit churches and practice ritual. They promote their vision of morality and civility, but their connection with God is a pretense.

Prayer Starter: Father, without your Holy Spirit we are lost. Lead us to the surrender of our wills and the decision of faith that opens up human lives to the rebirth of our spirits and the reception of your Spirit. Amen.

Doulos Meditation on 1 John 2:23 (2 of 2)
 
#2 of 2 Meditations on 1 John 2:23
Scripture: 1 John 2:23…everyone who confesses the Son has the Father also.

Reflection: No person in the history of the world has been more discussed, argued about, praised or bad-mouthed than Jesus of Nazareth. Isn't that strange—that a young man from a poor family in an insignificant country should be such a center of controversy and conversation? He never did any of those things we would think bring
fame. This is a giant dilemma for the unbeliever.

The believer, on the other hand, has a different answer. Daniel-Rops commented, "The mystery of Jesus is neither more nor less than the mystery of the Incarnation. The multitude of minor puzzles on which so many glosses have been written is unimportant. What does it matter if we do not know the exact year of his birth or the particular village he came from, or whether he had any brothers or cousins? Seen in the proper perspective, all this is of very little importance; what matters is that this man like us, whose words and actions have unleashed such immeasurable forces, reveals through his agonized countenance the visage of God." (Jesus and His Times)

Prayer Starter: Father you have entered our world and become incarnate in Jesus our Savior. We respond to your revelation with awe and praise. Give us greater faith that we may comprehend more your gift to all humankind. Amen.

Doulos Meditation on 1 John 1:10
 
Scripture: 1 John 1:10—If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. Sirach 15:20—He has not commanded anyone to be wicked, and he has not given anyone permission to sin.

Reflection: Sin is rebellion toward God who demands righteousness from his people. Sin is incompatible with righteousness. What a mistake is the rationalization that we are merely human and a little sin is to be expected! In our delusions we sometimes think that God doesn't really condemn sin or mind if we sin just a little—as long as we sincerely repent occasionally.

What rubbish! The eternal God is the infinitely holy God and he tolerates no sin. "In him there is no darkness at all" wrote John. Yet we are all sinners and stand guilty before God. Woe is us—what shall we do? The message of the gospel is that though God is holy, he has offered the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Through surrender and trust we receive what we could never accomplish or deserve. God allows no compromise with sin, but through Jesus he offers us complete victory over sin.

Prayer Starter: Father, thank you for dealing with sin in your universe. Out of love you have intervened and brought us hope where there was no hope. Amen.

Doulos Meditation on 1 Peter 1:24
 
Scripture: 1 Peter 1:24—All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass.

Reflection: Have you ever stood in a meadow of green grass and flowers in springtime? I can't recall a more memorable feeling than seeing the glory of God and thanking him for his world. Then I reflect on countries I have visited whose year is divided into only
two seasons—rainy season and dry season.

The grass and flowers, so beautiful after the rains, soon begin to wilt and turn brown and long before the rains come again have become little different from the dusty earth on which their dead leaves reside. Biblical writers spoke of humans as being like the grass—green and living today, sere and brown and dead tomorrow. Isaiah wrote that unlike the grass which perishes, ""the word of our God will stand forever." (Is 40:6-8)

Prayer Starter: Dear Father, you have made all things beautiful in their season but their temporary nature reminds us of the contrast between creation and Creator. Teach us to rejoice in your glorious creation but to see behind its fragility the eternal God whose word abides forever. Amen.

Doulos Meditation on the Righteous Branch (4 of 4)
 
#4 of 4 Meditations on the Righteous Branch. Scripture: Jeremiah 33:20—Thus says the LORD: If any of you could break my covenant with the day and my covenant with the night, so that day and night would not come at their appointed time, only then could my covenant with my servant David be broken, so that he would not have a son to reign on his throne, and my covenant with my ministers the Levites.

Reflection: I'm over my head when I think about the relationships between creation and eternity. Eternal things have to be spoken of as earthly things—or else we would have no understanding whatever—but how Jesus' kingship plays out is only dimly perceived. Nevertheless we trust in God's purposes and know that all authority resides in the Incarnate God who walked among us.

In some way creation reflects the world of Spirit. The fixedness of the material universe somehow is redolent of the eternal nature of God and his purposes in eternity. The size and scope of creation somehow speaks of the complexity and depths of the Divine nature. The predictability of matter and energy somehow tell us of the faithfulness of our God. Time and eternity are not subdivisions of reality—they are co-working partners in the unified plan of God.

Prayer Starter: Father, we bow before you, praising you for the beauty and power of creation. Help us to see in your universe glimpses of heaven itself. Amen.

Doulos Meditation on the Righteous Branch (2 of 4)
 
#2 of 4 Meditations on the Righteous Branch. Scripture: Jeremiah 33:16…Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this is the name by which it will be called: "The LORD is our righteousness."

Reflection: The great gospel themes of God's grace did not wait until the preaching of the Apostles to be announced and accepted. The distortions of the legalists, secularists, idolaters, and atheists never deter those who trust in God from seeing that the final
outcomes of human existence have always lain in God's hands. Righteousness has never been a human achievement. All that God did in creation and atonement had this at its root: "The LORD is our righteousness."

That is simply to say that if I am to be righteous it will be God who makes me that way. If I am forgiven of sin, it is God who forgives. If I have the hope of eternal life, God is my hope. The salvation of Judah lay in their recognition of God alone as the source of their
salvation. It is no different for the Christian born long after the coming of Jesus.

Prayer Starter: Lord, your grace alone is the source of our hope, our joy, and our confidence. Make us strong in your love and for your glory. Amen.

Doulos Meditation on the Righteous Branch (3 of 4)
 
#3 of 4 Meditations on the Righteous Branch. Scripture: Jeremiah 33:17 For thus says the LORD: David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel and the Levitical priests shall never lack a man in my presence to offer burnt offerings, to make grain offerings, and to make sacrifices for all time.

Reflection: Two of the roles of the Messiah were to be King and Priest. As King, he is pictured as the Almighty Creator God who comes down to inspect and bless his own creation. As Priest, he provides atonement for sin, being not only the one offering the sacrifice but being himself the sacrifice.

That this found complete fulfillment in Jesus was not difficult for the earliest Christians to see. They had seen enough of petty kings and false religions to know the real thing when they encountered it. They called Jesus the Messiah which meant "anointed." God had given him the role of anointed King and anointed Priest for the entire universe. His followers become in Jesus "a royal priesthood" (1 Pet 2:9), that is both kings and priests within the kingdom and priesthood of the Incarnate God.

Prayer Starter: Father we are overjoyed that in Jesus we find our true selves; the kings and priests you intend us to be. In Jesus' name, amen.

Doulos Meditation on the Righteous Branch (1 of 4)
 
#1 of 4 Meditations on the Righteous Branch. Scripture: Jeremiah 33:15—In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.

Reflection: The coming of the Messiah fulfilled God's covenant promises to King David, a man said to be "after God's own heart." This is thematic of Matthew's gospel who labels Jesus "son of David, son of Abraham." (Mt 1:1) When Jesus appeared he was hailed as "son of David" and spoken of as the "king of Israel."

Jesus' earthly family and Jewish contemporaries debated whether he was divine or human, servant of God or Beelzebub, deceiver or judge of the universe. But for those who receive him, Jesus is God's Messiah—infinitely righteous and executing justice on the earth. Uncertainties flow from our position in time—we no longer look forward to his coming, but we have not yet seen the process of salvation completed. We are mid-story—the suspense is building and the characters are delineated—but the final outcomes are not yet in view.

Prayer Starter: Father, deal kindly with your children who have put their trust in you. We are sometimes confused and frustrated in our desires to see more clearly the Messiah and our role in your purposes. In Jesus, Amen.

Doulos Meditation on the Great Commission (6 of 6)

 
#6 of 6 Meditations on the Great Commission. Scripture: Matthew 28:20b—And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

Reflection: Do you believe Jesus is with you? Or is your "religion" a compliance with denominational tenets, arguing your opinion about doctrines or attending a church service once a week? Most of us would give a "yes" answer but arising unfortunately on the basis of our claim to believe the bible—not from living relationship with the Savior. I'm asking if Jesus is for real. Am I to take him literally or is all this insane? Was he a wild eyed nut case who thought he was God? His detractors say so, but their brash egocentrism rings hollow. I know in my heart this is the Creator God of the universe and he is not kidding around or trying to humor me and so it shakes me to see how lightly we take his words.

Prayer Starter: Lord Jesus, what failures we are! What power you afford us and how shamefully we have treated you. Forgive us, change us, have mercy on us. Remold us into powerful disciple makers for the sake of the lost and for your eternal glory. Amen.

Doulos Meditation on John 6:69
 
Scripture: John 6:69—We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.

Reflection: One epithet for God in the Old Testament was the "Holy One." Early in Jewish history, the prophets saw that only the one true and eternal God was holy and that human claims to holiness were sham and failure. When God became flesh in Jesus the Christ, his disciples began slowly to see that their Master was truly the Creator
God of eternity—the Holy One.

This certain knowledge on their part came only after they placed their trust in Jesus. Humble trust always precedes certain knowledge. This passage is one of many which indicate this sure knowledge that flows from faith. The disciples through personal interaction with Jesus had not only arrived at the intellectual identification of Jesus with the Creator God, but they had (in stumbling and intermittent fashion) begun to trust him in faith. As they began to trust him more and more completely, their own assurance increased until they knew without doubt that he was the Holy One of God.

Prayer Starter: Father, you are our God Most High, the only true, living and ever present God who loves us and has saved us from eternal death. Amen.

Doulos Meditation on the Great Commission (5 of 6)
 
#5 of 6 Meditations on the Great Commission. Scripture: Matthew 28:20--…and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.

Reflection: Living in Christ is learning obedience—not keeping rules or imitating some example. The changed life the believer experiences when the Holy Spirit humbles and energizes him results from "new birth." Fleshly man may keep rules or go through motions, but true obedience is possible only when the Holy Spirit works in the believer. Paul wrote, "…those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you." (Rom 8:8, 9)

All things Jesus spoke of begin to happen in the disciple but they do not originate in him. This is not flesh trying to comply with a spiritual standard but the natural outflow of the Christ-Life in the disciple. Our role as disciple makers is Show and Tell. Showing in my own life must be a total surrender to death in Christ on the cross and the power of God's Spirit in me. Telling of God's love in the atonement and the "riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what the immeasurable greatness of his power is for us who believe…" inevitably follows. A soul winner is mentor, coach, friend; one who cares immensely.

Prayer Starter: Father, show me how to truly be a disciple and how to bring others to discipleship. Make us effective in sharing your gospel. Amen.

Doulos Meditation on the Great Commission (4 of 6)
 
#4 of 6 Meditations on the Great Commission. Scripture: Matthew 28:19--…baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit

Reflection: Genuine disciples find themselves avidly seeking to understand and obey the Master—not so they can be a part of some religious organization, but because Christ in them brings forth obedience to the will of God and abandonment of every other goal. This early baptismal formula is strongly Trinitarian—characteristic of orthodoxy from the beginning. The singular "name" refers to the plural persons in the Trinity—a practice predating the Council of Nicaea or subsequent councils dealing with the nature of God.

The decision of faith opened the seeker up to the "birth from above" and made him a disciple. He was led in baptism to openly commit to the ultimate destiny of discipleship—a picture in flesh of what the Incarnate God had done in Spirit. For the disciple it was a birth announcement; the internal now becoming externally expressed—the end point of counting cost—the beginning of paying the price.

Prayer Starter: Father, thank you for all that baptism means for believers. Teach us to obey more and argue less. Amen.

Doulos Meditation on the Great Commission (3 of 6)
 
#3 of 6 Meditations on the Great Commission. Scripture: Matthew 28:19—Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…

Reflection: As a disciple I am to bring others into discipleship. Most of us instead act out our denominational mindsets—bringing others to be like us, share our creed and way of doing things, learn our denominational vocabulary and way of interpreting scripture;
emphasizing what we stress as doctrinal niceties; helping others select the correct political party and social choices.

Making a disciple for Jesus means very little of the above. It means helping others to see Jesus as the Incarnate God; receive the Spirit and feed on his words; praise God and share fellowship with the Savior. A disciple hung on the Master's every word, eating and sleeping where the Master was, loving and serving and committing to the Master's way. Paul said, "We preach Christ crucified." Our message is more often "We preach us."

Prayer Starter: Lord, forgive us for losing our focus on you and wasting our time promoting our organizations, methods, and biases. Rescue those who trust in you from futility and self centeredness. Amen.

Doulos Meditation on the Great Commission (2 of 6)

 

#2 of 6 Meditations on the Great Commission. Scripture: Matthew 28:18—And Jesus came and said to them, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore…

Reflection: Christians believe Jesus is the Incarnate God. Those surmising he was merely a good man were excluded from the orthodox faith from its very beginnings. For those of you who fully accept that Jesus is God in Flesh, I would ask, what is the greatest authority in the universe? Would it come from the creator of the heavens and the earth, the eternal and holy God, the only Rock?—you mean from this Jesus who is talking?

Finally, I ask, if God says "go," by whose authority are you staying--yours?—your parents—your spoiled psyche, now comfortable in your warm home, with your nice family and good car? Are you the authority you are obeying as you serve yourself with all the good things you can dream of—the clothes, I-pods, computers, and surround sound TV? What part of "go" do you not understand?

Prayer Starter: Father, why don't I respond in obedience to your will? Is it because I don't truly believe? Or is my Christian façade a mere social cover-up for my willful disobedience to your commands? Change me I pray. Amen.

Doulos Meditation on the Great Commission (1 of 6)
 
#1 of 6 Meditations on the Great Commission. Scripture: Matthew 28:16—Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.

Reflection: Mountains are central to Jesus' ministry—and to salvation history in general. (Think: Sinai, Pisgah, Sermon on the Mount, Mount of Temptation, Mount Zion or Moriah, praying on the mountain, mount of temptation, Mount Moriah, Mount of Olives). Now the Commission for the disciples and by extension for every Christian is to be delivered on a mountain.

Look at the interesting mix of disciples—some worship, some doubt—after experiencing the resurrection there are still some who doubt! That's incredible! But that's human and that's sad! This is speaking not of the crowds, but the remainder of the twelve disciples. Jesus puts up with a lot, doesn't he? It addresses our definition of faith. Is it faith to be convinced of facts—or is faith a willingness to trust and obey Jesus?

Prayer Starter: Lord Jesus, you have given your marching orders to the church and we are ready to go out into the entire world. What's wrong with us Lord? We hear your words but so few take action. Touch our hearts for the lost. Amen.

Doulos Meditation on the Death of Abner (3 of 3)
 
#3 of 3 Meditations on the Death of Abner. Scripture: 2 Samuel 3:31, 32—Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, "Tear your clothes, and put on sackcloth, and mourn over Abner." And King David followed the bier. They buried Abner at Hebron. The king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept."

Reflection: Note a couple of important details: 1. David wept over what needed weeping for. It was probably not personal friendship lost, but sorrow that Abner's life had been needlessly taken for the destructive, self centered, and ineffective motive of revenge—and that this, rather than God's purposes had prevailed. 2. David did not (as far as we know) censure, punish, or seek revenge on Joab for killing Abner. Had David taken revenge on Joab for taking revenge on Abner, we would see David no longer as a man after God's own heart. Implicit in David's actions are forgiveness, seeing the bigger picture, and feeling as God feels. Jesus said, "Blessed are those who mourn…" not saying that sadness is happiness, but saying that in God's cosmos certain things demand our humility and regret—who knows but what God himself mourned the death of Abner?

Prayer Starter: Father, teach us the self discipline of turning the other cheek and refusing to seek revenge when others wrong us. Amen

Doulos Meditation on the Death of Abner (2 of 3)

 
#2 of 3 Meditations on the Death of Abner. Scripture: 1 Samuel 3:21—Abner said to David, "Let me go and rally all Israel to my lord the king, in order that they may make a covenant with you…" So David dismissed Abner, and he went away in peace.

Reflection: It appeared Abner was to be an asset to King David, in whom God was establishing the Davidic Covenant with Israel. But the larger purposes of God and of his anointed king David were thwarted by personal anger, hatred, and the desire for revenge. Joab, David's general, killed Abner before Abner could be of use to David or to God.

How often could God use me if I did not allow some personal agenda to interfere? It's really difficult to put the big picture of God's purposes first and relegate my own desires to last place. Is this some of what Jesus meant when he said, "Let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me?" Could revenge be one of those masters Jesus spoke of when he said "No man can serve two masters?"

Prayer Starter: Lord, open our eyes to the wasteful and destructive nature of revenge; strengthen us to leave vengeance to you and seek only to do your will in all things. Amen.

Doulos Meditation on the Death of Abner (1 of 3)
 
#1 of 3 Meditations on the Death of Abner. Scripture: 2 Samuel 3:30—So Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.

Reflection: Revenge is both natural and tragic. It is natural in that it arises from the fleshly nature of the soul—that part of us that comes to hate, desire to destroy, and sops the ego with the appearance of strength and right (though in reality weak and wrong). It is tragic in that it operates without God's sanction; it is blind to the nature of God and what He wills for mankind; it removes any possibility for forgiveness and reconciliation—postponing until God's Judgment Day any resolution of conflict.

Jesus often spoke to his disciples about this sin. He taught them to pray "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive others…" In response to a question he said forgive someone "seventy times seven." Paul wrote "Vengeance is mine says the Lord," and "return good for evil."

Prayer Starter: God, we harbor in our hearts envy, jealousy, hatred and the desire for revenge far too often and your love far too little. Amen.

Doulos Meditation on John 5:39-40
 
 

Scripture: John 5:39-40—You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that testify on my behalf. Yet you refuse to come to me to have life.

Reflection: Jesus is God's greatest message to humanity. He is what God has to say about himself; the content of God's self revelation. Scripture, on the other hand, is a record, a tool, a vehicle for revelation—German theologians might say a record of
the "heilsgeschicte"—the "holy history"—the story of God's doings and man's responses over centuries of God's dealings with our race. Scripture serves a utilitarian role—it is our helper for seeing Jesus more clearly. All of scripture can be thought of as Paul termed the Law—it is our "guardian" to bring us to Christ.

In a way, scripture is ambivalent in its value—it is valuable and succeeds when it brings us to Christ. If we do not through the scriptures find the Savior, it becomes for us mere paper and ink. CS Lewis wrote, "It is Christ Himself, not the Bible, who is the true
word of God. The Bible, read in the right spirit and with the guidance of good teachers, will bring us to Him." (Letters of C.S.Lewis)

Prayer Starter: Father, show us the magnificent richness of scripture. Let us open ourselves up to scripture that we might be lead to Jesus; to know and serve Him who is the eternal Word. Amen.

Doulos Meditation on Deuteronomy 13:1-3
 
Scripture: Deuteronomy 13:1-3—If prophets…promise you omens…and the omens declared by them take place, and they say, "Let us follow other gods"…you must not heed the words of those prophets…

Reflection: Each seeker becomes a believer as he is confronted by God and surrenders himself to God. This implies seeing there is only one True God, almighty and eternal. There is no competitor-god or lesser-god. Then I need to know, How do I live this day; deal with the practical and small things here and now? Anyone can make an amulet,
omen, good-luck charm, promise or prediction, but shall I use the human to dictate the Divine—the fortune cookie to control the Spirit? All that flows from human mouths must be judged in light of who God is and who we are. All things are judged in light of the One God—and he is not judged in light of human word or thought—ever!

Prayer Starter: Father, help us to be discerning when we hear others give religious advice and claim to deliver a message from you. Keep us both from blind rejection and servile acceptance. Grant us your Spirit. Amen.

Doulos Meditation on Ephesians 6:7

Scripture: Ephesians 6:7—Render service with enthusiasm…

Reflection: I had two experiences this week that illustrate Paul's admonition. I heard a mother ask her grown son to help with a tiny little chore in the kitchen and the boy with all the maturity of a spoiled three year old did the chore while complaining it was not his
responsibility. He's too big to spank and besides that wouldn't be politically correct. He only served under duress.

My wife sent me to the store for two kiwi fruit to go in her fruit salad—a small and rather minor task that would help the meal. This was at a large supermarket with ownership rooted in the Christian heritage and I asked an employee if they had the fruit I needed. They did not, so I said "Thank you" and moved on to something else. In a couple of minutes, I heard the store intercom ask the customer who wanted kiwi fruit to please return to the produce department. There, the fellow I had talked with presented me with the two pieces of fruit—he smiled and explained he had called another department of the store and an employee there had found only these two and brought them. I said "Thank you" again with a new kind of feeling—the knowledge that I had been served with enthusiasm.

Prayer Starter: Lord, make us servants of all people, not grudgingly or with complaining, but cheerfully and with enthusiasm that you may be glorified. Amen.

Doulos Meditation on Philippians 3:13b,14
 
Scripture: Philippians 3:13b, 14…forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on…

Reflection: Isn't it great to start a new year? Each January I have the feeling the problems of last year are behind me. I ask God to design a New Year in which I can do it all better than last year. My intentions are serious—to read far more this year (scripture, language, history, some Christian writers I hold dear); to win more people to Christ and bear faithful witness to his love and power; to get some things done in mission that have proved elusive—expand the people network, communicate better, organize another country, serve more and complain less.

Do you block out an emphasis for the year; or do you just see time sliding by endlessly eating, sleeping, working and watching TV? I'm a failure at resolutions, but I find my general emphases for the year usually come to pass. To make resolutions or not isn't the question. More important is surrendering this year to God's will and letting His Holy Spirit lead me in all things. Surrender is never complete, denial of self is never absolute—but I'm grateful for another year of opportunity to trust God in all things.

Prayer Starter: Father, thank you for this New Year. I place it at your feet and pray you use it for your glory. Make me a more humble and effective servant this year and use me to tell the world about Jesus the Christ. Amen.

Doulos Meditation on Luke 1:80                   
Scripture: Luke 1:80—The child grew and became strong in spirit…

Reflection: Are there different ways to be strong? I remember the son of a friend who went in for body building. He began in Junior High as an ordinary looking kid slightly on the short side. By his graduation from High School he had magnificent biceps, triceps, and other "ceps" ordinary mortals dream about. He did well in several body building
meets—he was champion weight lifter in his school.

His strong muscular body resulted from effort, dedication and persistence—it did not just happen. Paul advised, "Train yourself in godliness, for, while physical training is of some value, godliness is valuable in every way, holding promise for both the present life
and the life to come." (1 Tim 4:7) Does your spirit need exercise? Does a strong spirit come from constant discipline of mind, body and soul—requiring effort, dedication and persistence? Does deliberate kindness, truth telling, encouraging, prayer, fasting, taking up a cause, sitting up with the sick, and obeying authority strengthen the spirit?—vitalizing, energizing and building spiritual muscle? Is there such a thing as a spiritual couch potato?

Prayer Starter: Father, each day let me practice with deliberate intention those things that pump iron into my spirit that I may glorify your name and serve you on this earth with a new vigor and effectiveness. Amen.

Doulos Meditation on Job 16:3

Scripture: Job 16:3—Have windy words no limit? Or what provokes you that you keep on talking?

Reflection: Welcome, Job. We understand your frustration. Your buddies are not much different that our associates forty or so centuries later. My wife speaks of a person at the office who talks continually—not a bad person, but how much nicer she would be if she conceived of conversation being both speaking and listening.

So, what provokes you to keep on talking? Or writing emails? Or posting your opinion on a chat group? Don't misunderstand—we need to be communicating people. But what about focusing on quality instead of mere quantity of words? In the New Testament, James wrote, "let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak…" (1:19) In the Old
Testament Apocrypha, Sirach commented, "Some people keep silent because they have nothing to say, while others keep silent because they know when to speak. The wise remain silent until the right moment, but a boasting fool misses the right moment. Whoever talks too much is detested…" (20:6-8a)

Prayer Starter: Lord, help me control the continuous outflow of my mouth. Teach me to listen at least as much as I talk. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Doulos Meditation on Genesis 1:3

Scripture: Genesis 1:3—Then God said "Let there be light" and there was light.

Reflection: I've been slow-reading the creation stories of Genesis one and two, trying to understand the significance of God's creative activity. Only the Omnipotent God could bring matter and energy, time and space into existence ex nihilo (from nothing). With these raw materials in place He proceeded to bring order out of chaos, purpose out of meaninglessness and life out of non-life.

God's initial move is to call this wonderful electromagnetic energy we call "light" into play in our cosmos. More than mere radiance, it formed some expression of the Creator himself. The Johanine writer was grasping at it when he wrote, "God is Light and in him is no darkness at all." (1 Jn 1:5) Creation was God's first multi-media lecture to humanity about himself. Symbolism, metaphor and myth interwove to produce the tapestry whose design portrays the Creator—and some ancient story teller deep in his psyche thought, "And there was evening and morning, the first day."

Prayer Starter: Our Creator, may all creation praise you in the heavens and on the earth. And may mortals join with the heavenly hosts in celebrating your works. Amen.