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03/04/10 |
          
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Good
News Daily
Sunday, January 4 John 6:41–47 “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes has eternal life.” (v.47 NLT) Jesus had been teaching the people that he is the bread of life, come down from heaven. They were murmuring, “We know Joseph and Mary; how can he say he came down from heaven?” Jesus assures them that everyone who hears and learns from the Father comes to Him. In a recent sermon, the preacher said he felt like anyone who wanted to be with God in heaven would come to faith and be there! I remember a story my late husband told (as a cardiologist, he would offer to pray with anyone going into a heart procedure). When he offered to pray with a rough, tough, older, successful business man, the fellow gruffly replied, “Listen Doc, I haven’t needed God up to now and I sure don’t want Him now.” I remember us remarking that a person like that would not be happy in heaven. Be assured that those of us who do believe in Jesus already have eternal life, and will just pass into a better dimension of it when we go to be with him. Dear Jesus, thanks for giving us eternal life in you. Isaiah 66:18–23; Psalms 66, 67; 1 John 2:12–17 Monday, January 5 John 15:1–16 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit.” (v.5a) Jesus’ analogy of the vine and branches probably made sense to the people who saw vineyards on most every hillside, but for us basically non-agricultural people, we have to put on our “thinking caps.” We know that any leaves or flowers cut off from the main plant wither and die. So it is if we sever our relationship with Jesus. Without his love flowing through us, we cannot love our enemies or serve God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength. But if we are abiding in him through our regular habits of worship, prayer, reading the Scripture, and fellowshipping with other believers, we will produce much fruit for the Kingdom. His Holy Spirit will be sustaining us and leading us in obeying God’s commandments and loving and serving Him. He may prune us so we will produce even more fruit, but our Heavenly Father (the gardener) is watching over us and protecting us as we bear fruit for Him. Dear Lord, help us to be fruitful branches of Your vine. Joshua 1:1–9; Psalms 2, 110:1–7; Hebrews 11:32—12:2 Tuesday, January 6 Isaiah 52:7–10 How beautiful on the
mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of
peace and salvation, the news that the God of Have you ever looked at the feet of your priest or pastor? I admit I haven’t, but, when I was praying over this passage, God brought to my mind all the places our clergy’s feet carry them as they minister the good news of peace and salvation to us: hospitals, nursing homes, cemeteries, jails, mansions, slums, schools, offices, meeting rooms, ball fields, and especially into the pulpit and at the altar—wherever God’s people are, the feet of these messengers of our Lord come. Today, as we remember the Epiphany,
we think in a special way of the wise men from the East traveling through
desserts and mountains to seek the One whose star has guided their feet to Dear God, please bless our clergy as they bring the good news of peace and salvation to us, and thank You for the wise men coming to worship Jesus—may we follow their example. Psalms 46, 97; Revelation 21:22-27; Matthew 12:14–21 Wednesday, January 7 Psalm 103 Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. (v.l) We have just come through the glorious Christmas season with its good news of great joy—God the Father has sent His Son to our planet to save us from our sins. We have loved the beautiful decorations, enjoyed singing the wonderful carols, and proudly watched our children play the parts of Mary and Joseph, the angels, shepherds, and wise men. Perhaps we have heard from friends we had lost touch with, and we have feasted on special foods. Now, as we continue though the new year, let us be like the psalmist who reminds himself to praise the Lord with his whole heart. He continues in the following verses: “never forget the good things he does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my disease…. He surrounds me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things.” No matter what 2009 may bring to our life, remember to praise the Lord. Give thanks in all things! Thanks, dear Lord, for all the reasons we have to praise You. Isaiah 52:3–6; Revelation 2:1–7; John 2:1–11 Thursday, January 8 Revelation 2:8–17 But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life. (v.10d) Today, as Christians are dying for
their faith in Most of us are not facing a gun and being asked if we still believe in Jesus, but we do have to make daily decisions to follow him or forsake him. When Sunday comes with stormy weather, do we decide to stay home from worship? When people at the office are gossiping and bearing false witness against a co-worker, do we join in? We may not murder anyone, but Jesus said that anyone who hates commits murder in his or her heart. How about lusting and coveting? Check the Ten Commandments against your actions this week. Thankfully, Jesus died to redeem us from all our sins and promises us the crown of life for our faithfulness. Dear Jesus, help me walk with you each day. Isaiah 59:15–21; Psalms 117, 118; John 4:46–54 Friday, January 9 Psalm 121 The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade. The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever. (vv.5, 8) In our morning prayers many of us pray for protection for ourselves and our loved ones as we go about our day. It is reassuring to know that “the Lord keeps you from all evil and preserves your life” (v.7) and “He will not let you stumble and fall; the One who watches over you will not sleep” (v.3). As we send our children off to school and our spouse off to work, we pray God’s protection for them, knowing that our “help comes from the Lord, who made the heavens and the earth!” (v.2). The Mighty Creator calls forth legions of angels to guide and protect our loved ones. We can go with confidence into this new year knowing that our Heavenly Father leads, guards, and protects us. Thanks, dear Lord, for watching over us and our loved ones. Isaiah 63:1-5; Psalm 122; Revelation 2:18–29; John 5:1–15 Saturday, January 10 Psalm 139:1–23 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. (vv.13-14) A recent e-mail from a college friend talked about Laminin, a protein molecule that basically keeps our bodies from falling apart. It is a cell adhesion molecule that tells each cell its job in the body—it holds our membranes together. The most amazing things is that when you see it through an electron microscope, it is in the shape of a Cross! Truly we are fearfully and wonderfully made, and as the Scripture says: “in Christ all things hold together!” We are told that God loves us enough to not only know our name, but He also knows how many hairs are on our head. It boggles my mind, but once again proves His great love for us. Dear Father, thank You for our wonderfully bodies—help us be good stewards of our health. Isaiah 65:1-9; Psalm 138; Revelation 3:1-6; John 6:1-14 by
Jacqueline
Littleford
Sunday, January 11 John 1:1-34 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. (v.14a NIV) Struggles and Gifts Think of the Magi on their grueling search for the little Messiah! On camels, following a star, persevering beyond human endurance, they came at last to the destination of all time: “the glory of the One and Only who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (v.14b). There’s a 600 mile stretch of
I-70 across Isaiah 40:1-11; Psalms 146, 147; Hebrews
1:1-12 Monday, January 12 Psalm 1 For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous… (v.6a) Traveling Under Heavenly Protection After a long day, my late husband Jim,
daughter Margaret, and I formed a two car caravan in south Isaiah 40:12-23; Psalms 2, 3; Ephesians
1:1-14; Mark 1:1-13 Tuesday, January 13 Psalm 5 But, I by your great mercy, will come into your house; in reverence will I bow down toward your holy temple. (v.7) Coincidence Incident Mirlene
was driving on She came through the front door at top speed.
We took her to a place apart and let silence emerge
(as per the late Canon Jim Glennon). We prayed for complete surrender, body,
mind and spirit, to praise and seek God for Himself. Is it any wonder that the
Holy Spirit brought His peace and assurance? She left convinced the Lord would
strengthen and help her meet whatever was ahead. Since then, she has come to
Healing Services several times, thanking the Lord for His provision. Isaiah 40:25-31; Psalm 6; Ephesians 1:15-23;
Mark 1:14-28 Wednesday, January 14 Isaiah 41:1-16 “Who has done this and carried it through, calling forth the generations from the beginning? I, the Lord—with the first of them and with the last—I am he.” (v.4) The Lord Decides Maureen came from Three days after Maureen returned home, Carla
received the following from her: “When I arrived home, I found a message from
the Catholic Church which I believe to be a calling from God. I went to the
services and the passages spoke straight to me.” It seems to me, the more we say “I’m finished
with faith,” the more “Oh no you don’t” seems to ring
in the air. Amen Psalm 119:1-24; Ephesians 2:1-10; Mark
1:29-45 Thursday, January 15 Psalm 18:1-20 He reached down
from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me
from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. (v.16) Never Say Never She was positive her husband was a hopeless
case, announcing: “He’ll never accept the Lord.” Her friend has been a prayer warrior long enough to know the Lord
seems to get involved in these cases. It wasn’t long before he who “would
never” was spotted at the Healing Service, deeply touched. In spite of several
false starts and protesting “I’m not going back,” still he can’t help himself
and is coming along nicely. When I pray for one I love to come to the
Lord, especially when they are out there preaching against it (via St. Paul),
I’ve found my best bet is to spend time loving the Lord myself and setting an
example. The Lord will do the work. “He brings princes to naught and reduces
rulers of the world to nothing” (Isaiah 40:23). Isaiah 41:17-29; Ephesians 2:11-22; Mark
2:1-12 Friday, January 16 Psalm 16 As for the saints who are in the land, they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight. (v.3) Receiving and Giving Today I had an appointment in a high-rise building which was still under construction. In the upper parking regions, there was traffic in all directions and I pulled over to get my bearings. A little red truck whizzed around me and came to an abrupt halt. Out jumped a beautiful young lady who came to my rescue and pointed the way. “God bless you,” she sang as she roared away. After the appointment, I entered the elevator along with an impressively garbed construction worker. I asked how long before the building would be finished. He looked at me seriously: “Not long enough, because I don’t have another job coming up.” I had the privilege of giving him a suggestion I knew would work: “Ask Jesus to help you.” I have every confidence this prayer will be answered. Amen. Isaiah 42:1-17; Psalm 17; Ephesians 3:1-13;
Mark 2:13-22 Saturday, January 17 Ephesians 3:14-21 And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (vv.17b-19) Fullness of God This week I’ve frequented the big city hospital, visiting a dying friend. Each time as I leave and go home to safety and fresh air, breathing a sigh of relief, I realize what a hollow specimen I really am. I’ve seen saints of the Lord this week, who
give heart and soul visiting orphan people of all ages. When they go home,
sometimes it’s to unsafe neighborhoods and a lack of stability. Yet they pursue
their journey straight ahead, wider, longer, and deeper in the love of Christ,
steeped in a sphere ever closer to the mighty place our Lord abides. Amen, in
His Name, Amen. Isaiah 43:1-13; Psalms 20, 21:1-13; Mark 2:23—3:6 by Doris Matthews
Sunday, January 18 Hebrews 6:17—7:10 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul,
firm and secure. (v.19a NIV) My father died recently at the young age of
65. I am amazed to think that he is living in the presence of the great high
priest that the author of Hebrews speaks about. Although my father is experiencing this
reality in a different way than I can, we are both living in the presence of
Jesus. I may not see face to face quite yet, but I am no less redeemed. I may
be living on the temporal side of eternity, but my spirit is alive in Christ
(Galatians 2:20). I may be a jar of clay (2 Corinthians 4:7), but my spirit is
already free. Some days, it’s hard to believe all this,
isn’t it? We get discouraged. Somebody hurts us. We get angry. We mess up. Clearly,
we have not yet been perfected, but we have this hope as an anchor for our
soul, firm and secure. We have a great high priest; his name is Jesus. His work
on our behalf is done and it
continues for all eternity. What a mystery! What a gift! What hope! Isaiah 43:14—44:5; Psalms 148, 149, 150; John
4:27-42 Monday, January 19 Ephesians 4:1-16 Make
every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
(v.3) According to Paul, followers of Jesus are
characterized by humility, gentleness, patience, bearing with one another in
love, and striving to keep the unity of the Spirit through peace. Is he describing us? Is our life producing
the fruit of division or unity? Is it more important to be right or to love
consistently? Are we displaying that great mark of Christian maturity, the
ability to speak “the truth in love” (v.15)? Paul reminds us that “to each one
of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it” (v.7). He further implies that
this grace should be exercised by each for the sake of the unity of the body of Christ. The ability to foster and maintain unity is
intimately tied to a stable faith (v.14) and maturity in our walk with Jesus. As
the grace we received flows out of
our lives, “we will in all things grow up” into
Christ (v.15). If we’re not striving for peace and unity in our relationships,
we must wonder if we are living in God’s grace and growing up in Christ. Isaiah 44:6-8, 21-23; Psalm 25; Mark 3:7-19a Tuesday, January 20 Ephesians 4:17-32 Be kind and compassionate to one another,
forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (v.32) Today we see some contrasting marks of the
life of self and the life of faith. Paul speaks of Gentiles having futile minds, leading to darkened understanding and separation from God because of ignorance and hardened hearts. This all leads to insensitivity to the Spirit of God and a life of impurity, centered on self. By God’s grace, this is not our heritage. Those who have heard the message of Christ and have been taught his ways have entered the path of truth. Yet, we must remain actively engaged in this life, putting off the old self, being made new, and putting on the new self. This new self, Paul tells us, was created to be righteous and holy. This
new life, our heritage, is centered on God and his ways. Paul then shares some actions and words (vv.25-32)
that must accompany this new life, culminating in that rare and selfless act of
love that marked Jesus’ passion: forgiveness. Jesus died on the cross to
forgive us. As he forgave us, so we must forgive others. We were made new to
become like him. Isaiah 44:9-20; Psalms 26, 28; Mark 3:19b-35 Wednesday, January 21 Ephesians 5:1-14 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly
loved children and live a life of love… (vv.1-2a) Yesterday we read many terms describing the
life of self and the life of faith, noticing that the list culminated with the
ability to forgive. Today we learn that love is the motivation behind the life
of faith. Jesus was able to give himself up “for us as a fragrant offering and
sacrifice” (v.2b) because he embodies the Ten Commandments. Jesus loves God
with everything he is and he loves his neighbor without reservation or
condition. What we must notice here is stated in verse
1. We are able to live a life of love to the extent that we receive God’s love,
knowing ourselves to be his dearly loved
children. Only then will we produce the fruit
of light of which Paul speaks. We must be careful how we live, choosing to
be filled with the Spirit of God that empowers us to live for him. Heavenly Father, help us to receive your
unconditional, life-giving love so that we may love as you love. May our words and actions toward one another show that we belong to
you. Isaiah 44:24—45:7; Psalm 38; Mark 4:1-20 Thursday, January 22 Mark 4:21-34 He said to them, “Do
you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it
on its stand?” (v.21) My 3-year-old daughter recently got a
flashlight as a gift from her preschool teachers. Hannah loves it. She
choreographs light shows on the ceiling and stages shadow puppet shows on her
wall. But the flashlight is often found turned on all over the house, using up
precious battery life. What a shame to waste light when it serves
such an important purpose. It is meant to dispel the darkness, “for whatever is
hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be
brought out into the open” (v.22). God wants us to know the truth so that we
may be set free. To that end, he sent Jesus, the light of the world. Jesus is “the true light that gives light to
every man” (John 1:9). He exposes every lie and replaces it with his truth. But
we must be willing to see and hear the truth, and let it change us. As we ask Jesus
to shine his light into our hearts, not a ray is wasted. Isaiah 45:5-17; Psalm 37:1-18; Ephesians
5:15-33 Friday, January 23 Psalm 31 Be merciful to me, O Lord, for I am in
distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and my body with grief.
(v.9) I recently realized my tendency to choose
only uplifting verses when I write, rejecting verses like this one. When we
share the good news, we don’t want to depress one another, right? But I love
the honesty in passages that showcase our human side: our pain, our struggles,
our wounds. No sense denying that these are real. Imagine the Bible without Jonah’s struggles
or Job’s brutal honesty and deep grief. Jesus himself quoted from Psalm 22 on
the cross. The psalmist felt forsaken, and so did Jesus. By praying this psalm,
Jesus also reminds us that he has shared our deepest fears and our most
profound emotions. He was surrounded by darkness, yet he defeated it. There is nothing better than seeing the truth
about who we are and bringing all of it to Jesus. As we come to Jesus, the one
rejected and abandoned by those he loved, we know that he will hear our cry for
mercy as the Father heard his. He knows what we are made of, and he is able to
save, to restore, to heal. Isaiah 45:18-25; Ephesians 6:1-9; Mark 4:35-41 Saturday, January 24 Ephesians 6:10-24 Pray also for
me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will
fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel… (v.19) The apostle Paul, who wore his spiritual
armor continuously, coveted the prayers of the faithful. His main prayer was
not for safety, financial provision, or success. He asked God to give him the
words and courage to share the mystery of the gospel consistently. Above all,
Paul wanted to share Christ. Paul sought to consecrate every conversation unto God, having his
lips cleansed and set apart for God. We need to join Paul in his prayer. So I pray for you, that in every word and
action, more and more, you will boldly make Jesus known. I pray that as you
share your faith, the Holy Spirit will bring healing, renewal, and a fuller
experience of God’s love for you and for those to whom you speak. And I humbly ask that you stop now and pray
for me, that as we pray for each other and commit ourselves to him, we may all
grow up into the head that is Jesus, our Savior and Redeemer. To him be all glory forever and ever. Amen. Isaiah 46:1-13; Psalms 30, 32; Mark 5:1-20 by Amaryllis Sanchez Wohlever
Sunday, January 25 Hebrews 10:19-31 And let us consider how to provoke one another
to love and good deeds. (v.24 NRSV) Provoke: to arouse to a feeling or action
to call forth (as a feeling or action)
to provide the needed stimulus for I was provoked by a trusted friend to get on
a roof as we repaired a house after a hurricane. My supervisor in chaplaincy
training provoked me to help a man face his impending death instead of just
making a nice pastoral visit. My husband provoked me to go on missions in towns
and cities where I dared not get seriously ill. In retrospect, I appreciate
their provoking me—maybe not so much at the time. If we belong to Christ, the one who truly
does the provoking is His Holy Spirit. We, however, are called to assist Him in
the lives of those we touch as they listen and go forth. Isaiah 47:1-15; Psalms 63:1-11, 98; John
5:2-18 Monday, January 26 Galatians 1:1-17 Nor did I go up to A writer suggests that this solitude in Solitude with the Bible is a time when, if we
really pay attention, God is able to put newness into our hearts from His Word.
Paul stayed alone for an extended period of time. For us, time to settle down,
separate ourselves from the demands of daily life, and put ourselves into a
frame of mind to truly hear Him from His Word may be a challenge. Think about putting “a retreat” on your
calendar or in your day timer. Then follow through. Isaiah 48:1-11; Psalms 41, 52; Mark 5:21-43 Tuesday, January 27 Mark 6:1-13
On the Sabbath he
began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They
said, “Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given
to him? What deeds of power are being
done by his hands!” (v.2) The people in the synagogue had an
appreciation for wisdom. Wise King Solomon was one of their heroes. The book of
Proverbs, in their literature, was “for learning about wisdom and instruction
and understanding words of insight” (Proverbs 1:2). But this was a hometown man
who had played with them, learned by their side. The only way they could accept
his wisdom was to believe that He and the Father God were one (John 14:11).
Then they could have known that Proverbs 2:6 had come true in their own ears:
“For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come
knowledge and understanding.” I accept that Jesus and the Father are One. I know that the Lord is the source of all wisdom. Yet,
I am prone to look to earthly wisdom first, when The Source is waiting for me
to listen and obey. Teach me, Lord. Isaiah 48:12-21; Psalm 45; Galatians
1:18—2:10 Wednesday, January 28 Isaiah 49:1-12 “I will give you
as a light to the nations that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”
(v.6b) Jesus repeated this idea when He said to His
followers that they were to be light in the world (Matthew 5:14). There are
many nations beyond our own which need the light of His love and His salvation. Last year, high school students from our
church went to How good it is to have another nation
imprinted on their hearts at such a young age. They have many years to shine in
our needy world. If God calls a nation to mind for you, stop and pray for those
people that their hearts may be turned to Christ. Psalm 119:49-72; Galatians 2:11-21; Mark
6:13-29 Thursday, January 29 Isaiah 49:13-23 Can a woman
forget her nursing child, or show no compassion for the child of her womb? Even
these may forget, yet I will not forget you. (v.15) Not responsible for laundry left over thirty
days! Scratch and Dent We live in a world of undervalued things and
objects which are “never called for” just forgotten. Sometimes we are tempted
to feel that way about ourselves. Tell me once again, Isaiah,
that I’m the beloved of God. Psalm 50; Galatians 3:1-14; Mark 6:30-46 Friday, January 30 Mark 6:47-56 When they got out of
the boat, people at once recognized him, and rushed about the whole region and
began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. (vv.54-55) “Well,” I thought, “I’ll never get these devotionals
written if my phone doesn’t quit ringing.” Then, I really paid attention to
these two verses. My callers were sharing their needs or the
needs of family members or friends. They were telling stories of brokenness,
stories of new hope, stories full of pain. Each person asked for prayer. I
realized that intercessory prayer was like “bringing the sick on mats to
wherever they heard he was.” Blessed interruptions! They trusted me with
their pain, trusting that I would not try to “fix it,” but would join them in
bringing everything to Him, the healer, in prayer. Isaiah 50:1-11; Psalms 40, 54; Galatians
3:15-22 Saturday, January 31 Mark 7:1-23 Thus making void the word of God through your
tradition that you have handed on. And you do many things like this. (v.13) Have you ever gotten your cleaning stuff out
to wipe a smudge off your wall, and then seen another smudge, and then another?
Sometimes, you just decide you will have to repaint the whole room. Jesus is pointing out a big smudge (sin) in
the lives of his listeners. They are disregarding their parents, ignoring their
welfare in total abandonment of the commandment of “honoring your father and
mother.” But that was just the tip of the iceberg. He added, “And you do many
things like this.” So maybe He figured, “There are so many smudges, I will just
have to repaint the whole room.” And He did. 1 John 1:9 tells us, “If we confess our sins,
he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.” Isaiah 51:1-8; Psalm 55; Galatians 3:23-29 by Carolyn Byrd
Sunday, February 1 Isaiah 51:9-16 Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of
the Lord! Awake as in the ancient
of days, in the generations of old. So the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Recall that human composition is spirit, soul, and body (1 Thessalonians 5:23). The Spirit of God, through the prophet Isaiah, is calling our entire being to awaken from slumber. What does a slumbering spirit look like? If I am sleeping, I’m not looking for the nudging of His guidance in all aspects of my life: relationships, work, church, and ministry. His Word also looses its edge in my life. It ceases to be that living Word that changes me and those I touch. I begin to have lazy love instead of alive, agape love that is always reaching for the other. So, I turn my face to the Father in this call to awaken my spirit and enter into a land of promise whose builder and maker is God. Everything changes then. Tasks that once were gray and lifeless now become joy building experiences. “The Lord will give strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace” (Psalm 29:11). Psalms 24, 29; Hebrews 11:8-16; John 7:14-31 Monday, February 2 Isaiah 51:17-23 “Awake, Awake! But I will put it into the hand of those who afflict you, who have said to you, ‘Lie down, that we may walk over you.’ And you have laid your body like the ground, and as the street, for those who walk over.” (vv.17a, 23) Why would God’s people (the Israelites) let others walk over them? They had forgotten their identity as His chosen people. How do I let others walk over me? In our present culture, Christian values and the teachings of the Bible are often put down as ignorant and lacking in political correctness. If I don’t press against these attitudes, I let others walk over me. God’s call for them and us is to awaken and come back to Him who delivers us from our Enemy. Lord, I throw myself at your feet. You alone have the plan and the power for me to walk rightly in this culture.
“Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in you”
(Psalm 56:3). Psalms 56, 57, 58; Galatians 4:1-11; Mark 7:24-37 Tuesday, February 3
Isaiah
52:1-12 Awake, awake! Put on your strength, O I am listening for this God who speaks.
“My Precious
Child, thank you for coming into my secret place today. You’re the One My heart
is longing for. I have planned many special appointments for you today. Look
deep into the hearts of those I have chosen to enter your life. Have compassion
for each one as I had compassion on the thousands. They are hungry for the
truths of my Kingdom. Feed them.” “My soul waits silently for God alone” (Psalm 62:5). Psalms 61, 62; Galatians 4:12-20; Mark 8:1-10 Wednesday, February 4 Isaiah 54:1-17 “Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; do not spare; lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes.” (v.2) Ed Delph states in his book Church @ Community: “The church is the only organization in the world that exists primarily for its non-members.” The prophet encourages us to enlarge the place in our lives and hearts where community members will be welcomed. Those that may not be welcome anyplace else like: those socially unacceptable, addicts, prostitutes, mentally handicapped, those from every tribe and nation. In Mark’s gospel, the disciples were looking at the physical need for bread, but every human being (whether they know it or not) is seeking love from the Living Bread, Jesus the Christ. Lord, please make my life that living bread today. “For He will deliver the needy when he cries, the poor also and him who has no helper” (Psalm 72:12). Psalm 72; Galatians 4:21-31; Mark 8:11-26 Thursday, February 5 Isaiah 55:1-13 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” (vv.8-9) In agreement with Isaiah, Proverbs 3 instructs me to lean not on my own understanding. My own understanding, my thoughts, and my ways confine me to that low earthly thinking instead of seeing life through heaven’s eyes. What is the practical application of that truth in my life today? In a couple of days, I am preparing to visit family in another state. My heart longs to see their true heart and character, not their faults and failings. Lord, please give me the grace and the courage to see everyone through your eyes. “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled with a yoke of bondage” (Galatians 5:1). Psalms 70, 71; Galatians 5:1-15; Mark 8:27—9:1 Friday, February 6 Isaiah 56:1-8 “Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on My altar; for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.” (v.7) My heart and mouth are filled with praise for my wonderful, healing God. I thank Him for all the people He has sent to our “little house of prayer.” Each day I am allowed to participate in His interaction with those who come for prayer. The stories vary greatly but it all boils down to one main thing: He delivers them from a lifetime of fear to a place of security in knowing His love for them. As I am accustomed to saying, “It’s the best seat in the house.” “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25). “I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving” (Psalm 69:30). Psalm 69; Galatians 5:16-24; Mark 9:2-13 Saturday, February 7 Psalm 75 We thank you, God, we thank you—your Name is our favorite word; your mighty works are all we talk about. (v.1 The Message) Because the Spirit of God lives in me, I have entered into another realm of existence. My feet are no longer tied to this earth. With my spirit connected with God’s Spirit, He begins to allow me to see my life from His perspective. I soar like an eagle above the storm. That perspective changes everything. I no longer live in confusion concerning the meaning of my life. I can believe that everything that happens to me has a purpose. I may not grasp with my mind all the purposes, but I can rest in knowing that my Abba loves me passionately and has only good plans for me. I bless your spirit in the Name of Jesus the Son, Father and Holy Spirit with the deep knowledge of His love for you. Amen. Isaiah 57:3-13; Psalm 76; Galatians 5:25—6:10; Mark 9:14-29 by Charlene Laird
Sunday, February 8 John 7:37-46 On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was
standing there, he cried out, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let
the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, ‘Out of the
believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.’” (vv.37-38 NRSV) There are days when I seem to “run out of steam” as the saying goes, and begin to feel parched and tired. It is then that I realize I’m trying to do certain things in my human strength, and have forgotten that my strength is in Jesus Christ, and that he is with me. At these time I must go to him, be quietly in his holy presence, reconnecting to my Source of strength. It is then that I am reminded to practice his constant presence with me, drinking deeply, allowing his living water to renew and restore me.
As I delve into
and feast on His Word, and allow it to permeate my heart and mind, I am
refreshed and strengthened. “As a deer
longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God” (Psalm 42:1). Isaiah 57:14-21; Psalms 93, 96; Hebrews 12:1-6 Monday, February 9 Mark 9:30-41 He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” (v.35) Here Jesus responded to the disciples who argued about which one of them is the greatest. How like the disciples we are! In our brokenness, we seek to be noticed, affirmed, and recognized for our actions. We desire to have our “glittering images” polished and out there for all to admire. In the church perhaps we seek to cater to the most powerful among us! Jesus repudiates our tendency to seek and strive to be center stage, or an established part of the elite in our midst. Perhaps the Lord would have us notice the quiet ones who do not stand out, or the everyday servants who help us maintain our lives: the clerks, custodians, teachers, etc., and to respond to them with appreciation and joy at their contributions. As for ourselves, we must put aside our desire to be affirmed and “never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Galatians 6:14). Isaiah 58:1-12; Psalm 80; Galatians 6:11-18 Tuesday, February 10 2 Timothy 1:1-14 For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline. (vv.6-7) We tend to want to put God in a box, which we only open at convenient times—when we think it (He) might be acceptable. We fear conversations about God, because we don’t want to offend others. Yet Paul challenges us to not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord (v.8). As followers of Jesus, we are to unabashedly proclaim the Gospel Truth, not in a self-righteous or condemning way, but in love. Wherever we work or reside, there are lonely, hurting people around us.
Years ago, when
I was working outside the church, I would pray daily that the Lord would use me
to speak to those who needed to hear about Jesus Christ. Many times I had to
remind myself that He had not given me a spirit of fear to allow myself the
courage to speak out. People responded not to me, but to the Spirit speaking
through me. Isaiah 59:1-15a; Psalm 78:1-39; Mark 9:42-50 Wednesday, February
11 Mark 10:1-16 “Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the We often approach others with our guard up, i.e., wearing a mask. Sometimes we may pretend we have it all together among our peers and try to articulate faith when we are really hurting inside. Putting on a façade before other people and not being real sometimes carries over into our relationship with God.
Jesus wants us
to come to Him as a little child, open and honest, sharing our burdens as well
as our thanksgivings. As we pour out our hearts in His Presence, He takes the
wounded child within us to His breast, comforts us and heals our hurts. We
allow Him to apply the medicine (truth) from His Word to our hearts as a
soothing balm which heals and restores us. “You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word” (Psalm
119:114). Isaiah 59:15b-21; Psalm 119:97-120; 2 Timothy 1:15—2:13 Thursday, February 12 2 Timothy 2:14-26 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but
kindly to everyone, an apt teacher, patient, correcting opponents with
gentleness. God may perhaps grant that they will repent and
come to know the truth, and that they may escape from the snare of the devil,
having been held captive by him to do his will. (vv.24-26) I’ve learned that sharing the truth is done not only with words, but also through our behavior. Leading someone to Christ is to be done prayerfully, gently, and with love. I’ve seen people attempt to make a point through intimidation, judgment, and harsh words, which only results in a person being resistant. How can one come to know God’s love when the guide is harsh and punitive?
When
encountering someone who seems argumentative, I try to look past the behavior
to the hurt child within. In a climate of love and acceptance, the person will
feel safe to share the hurts and pain behind the mask he or she presents. Then
the Lord can touch those hurts and bring healing and hope! “The Lord sets the prisoners free; the Lord opens
the eyes of the blind” (Psalm 146:8). Isaiah 60:1-17; Psalms 83, 146, 147; Mark 10:17-31 Friday, February 13 Psalm 88 O Lord, why do you
cast me off? Why do you hide your face from me? (v.14) We’ve all been there in the depths, lamenting to the Lord. How do we crawl out of this despair, or help someone else escape it? Self-pity and sympathy from others keeps us in bondage. By receiving prayer for the hurts of the past, allowing Jesus to touch and heal the pain, and applying the medicine of God’s Word to our faulty thinking, we can be set free! Jesus understood and proclaimed that He was the fulfillment of Isaiah’s Prophecy: “The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners” (Isaiah 1:1).
Come together
and pray for one another. Receive God’s precious promises and be healed. Accept
that God has for all of us “the oil of
gladness instead of mourning, a mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit” (Isaiah
61:3). Isaiah 61:1-9; 2 Timothy 3:1-17; Mark 10:32-45 Saturday, February 14 Mark 10:46-52 Then Jesus said
to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man said to him, “My
teacher, let me see again.” (v.51) Have you ever meditated upon this particular Gospel story and said, “Lord, let me see clearly”? This can be a powerful prayer experience as you wait upon the Lord to clarify whatever dilemma with which you are struggling. As you rest in His presence and submit to Him, pray that He will remove the faulty perceptions you hold and reveal the truth to your heart. I like to practice this discipline when I am stuck in a particular place, holding some negative ideas about someone or something. As I hold the person or situation before the Lord, he allows me to see the hurt of the other individual, the truth about the situation, and/or my own stubbornness and negativity. Then I can go forward prayerfully in love and acceptance, instead of in judgment. Isaiah 61:10—62:5; Psalms 87, 90; 2 Timothy 4:1-8 by Carolyn Petersen
Sunday,
February 15 Psalm 66 He
would not have listened if I had not confessed my sins. (v.18
TLB) How badly do I want God to listen
to my prayers? There is a price to pay—being honest enough to come clean before
Him, to confess my sins. That is why I often begin my prayer with a plea to forgive
my sins so that I may have an open channel to God’s Throne of Grace. The
pipeline is closed otherwise by my transgressions, of which I am most keenly
aware. But how joyous it is to be cleansed according to His promise: But if we
confess our sins, he can be depended on to forgive us and to cleanse us from every
wrong (1 John 1:9). Hallelujah! Isaiah 62:6-12; Psalm 67; 1 John 2:3-11; John
8:12-19 Monday, February l6 Psalm 89:1-18 Mercy and Truth walk before you as your attendants. (v.14b) This verse was already
highlighted in my Bible as being especially precious. I do a little acrylic
painting, and Truth and Mercy is the title of one of my pieces. It’s a large
Lion and Lamb painting, wherein the Lion is Truth and the Lamb is Mercy. The
Lamb is licking the Lion’s cheek, thereby expressing the connection between the
dual natures of God—Judgment (or Truth) and Mercy. Yes, we are living in a period of
God’s Grace, with multiple chances for forgiveness. But obedience is also
expected, and a willingness to do the will of Him who saved and forgave me. God
forbid that I should accept the Grace and not follow the commands of my Savior
who loves me. Isaiah 63:1-6; 1 Timothy
1:1-17; Mark 11:1-11 Tuesday, February 17 Mark 11:12-26 Listen to me! You can pray for anything, and if you believe, you have it;
it’s yours! (v.24) Very recently I was “babysitting”
overnight with my seven-year-old grandson, just him and me. He ran through the
family room and fell into the corner of a glass coffee table, gashing open his
forehead close to his eye. He bled a lot, and we were both scared, but I was
finally able to pull the wound together with a sports bandage and get the
bleeding stopped. Later, as he was getting settled
down to sleep, he wanted to pray—and he did so, for his own healing, for his
momma and daddy to be safe, and for all people who were hurting in the world. I
joined in at the end, feeling very humbled in the presence of such authentic
faith. The next day I warned his momma
that stitches might be necessary. Much later that day, however, I got a call
from her: “Not sure what you mean about the cut—I’ve taken the bandage off and there’s
nothing under the bandage but a little abrasion or something.” “Honey,” I said,
“We’ve just had a miracle!” Indeed, my grandson had prayed, believing, for his own healing, and it
was accomplished! Praise God! Isaiah 63:7-14; Psalms 97, 99, 100; 1 Timothy 1:l8—2:8 Wednesday, February 18 Isaiah 63:l5—64:9 How briefly we possessed This lament is reflective of Thank God, however, who is always
willing to take me back if I’m willing to confess. This is another reason I
appreciate the liturgy of the Eucharist—I am reminded quite forcefully of my
need to regularly acknowledge my sin and seek forgiveness. Psalms 101, 109; 1 Timothy 3:1-16; Mark 11:27—12:12 Thursday, February l9
1 Timothy 4:1-16 But
the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some in the church will
turn away from Christ and become eager followers of teachers with
devil-inspired ideas. (v.1) My wife and I were heartbroken
recently because of a dinner conversation we had with some very old friends. We
had known the husband of the couple since college days, and he had always been
a “pillar” in his church and an outspoken believer in Jesus. Apparently they
had come under the spell of a Bishop from the Northeast, and gradually
everything they had always understood and accepted about their faith became
suspect. The virgin
birth? (We can’t be sure.) The miracles
and healings? (Who can say?) His death and
resurrection? (How can we really know?) His coming
again? (Mere speculation?) After awhile, my wife had enough
and very gently told them that the proof to her was her own personal relationship
with Jesus, which she counted on daily. That essentially ended the
conversation, but our grief continues for the emptiness and detachment our
friends are experiencing. We continue to pray. Isaiah 65:1-12; Psalms 105:1-22; Mark
12:13-27 Friday, February 20 Isaiah 65:17-25 I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still
talking to me about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers.
(v.24) In January of 2001 I had open
heart surgery with two bypasses. I had been told something looked suspicious so
that I needed a “heart cath,” but that probably only
a stent would be required, if that. I was somewhat apprehensive about what was
really needed, but two days before the
procedure was scheduled, while taking a short afternoon nap (I’m good at that!),
the Holy Spirit appeared and told me to have no fear. The peace I had that week
before the tests which told of the
need for consequent surgery was so strong that I was able to minister to my
family and even the priest who visited me before the surgery. Truly the Lord answered me before
I even called to Him. He knew how great my need would be and perfectly prepared
me! How great is our God! Psalm 102; 1 Timothy 5:17-25; Mark 12:28-34 Saturday, February 21 Isaiah 66:1-6 My hand has made both earth and skies, and they are mine. Yet I will look
with pity on the man who has a humble and contrite heart, who trembles at my
word. (v.2) Every night when I take out the
garbage, I look up at the moon and stars (weather permitting) and marvel at
those heavenly bodies just hanging out there in a predetermined celestial
space, the moon in its orbit around the earth and the stars staying properly in
place without bumping into each other or wandering aimlessly. Then I think of
my earth just hanging in space, traversing its orbit around the sun, and I
worship with my arms in the air the God who made all this come to pass. And I
think, “How can anyone believe all this just happened by chance?” Hopefully God looks upon me with
pity as well as love as I humbly and contritely praise Him for his handiwork
and tremble at His Word. Psalms 107:33-43, 108; 1
Timothy 6:6-21; Mark 12:35-44 by Larry Carroll
Sunday, February 22 Deuteronomy 6:1-9 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. (v.5 NIV) Valentine’s Day is all about communicating love in tangible ways. Cards, flowers, and candy are the most common expressions. But the more creative among us look for novel ways to say “I love you!” In today’s passage, Moses offers suggestions for conveying our loving adoration to God. If we love Him with our entire being, we will spend time in God’s presence rehearsing His promises and His cautions. We will be careful to guard the glimpses of truth He has given us. If we have children at home we will talk about God’s goodness throughout their day and throughout their lives as a way of bequeathing our faith to them. It will take some creativity to express our love for God to those who share a common last name with us. But our willingness to tangibly communicate our devotion to the Lord will pay off. According to this wonderful passage, our ability to return God’s love begins by us treasuring His Word in our hearts and then letting our hearts lead the way. God longs to know that His overtures of love have been received and He longs to be loved in return. Psalms 148, 149, 150; Hebrews 12:18-29; John 12:24-32 Monday, February 23 Deuteronomy 6:10-15 Be careful that you do not forget the Lord,
who brought you out of When you’re in love, you realize just how aware you are of the other person. You are quick to admit that (Valentine’s Day aside) the reason you want to express evidence of love to the other has everything to do with their worthiness. Today’s passage reminds us that our expressions of love for God are not out of the blue. They are reasonable and appropriate responses to God’s initiating love that has enriched our lives and given us the ability to love Him. For the ancient followers of God, success and accomplishments were gifts from the Lord, not the fruit of hard work. Upon entering the land of promise, the Israelites inherited wells and vineyards and ready-built homes. They had no cause to boast. Rather, they had every reason to give praise and worship to God who had lavished on them a multitude of wonderful blessings. The New Testament writers remind us that even our faith is a gift from God that we cannot take credit for. “We love God because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). Psalm 25; Hebrews
1:1-14; John 1:1-18 Tuesday, February 24 Deuteronomy 6:16-25 In the future, when your son asks you, “What is the meaning of the stipulations, decrees and laws the Lord our God has commanded you?” tell him: “We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt but the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand.” (vv.20-21) One of the longest running game shows on television is Jeopardy. The format is unique. Unlike most trivia shows, contestants don’t answer questions. Instead they are given the answers and they must then ask the questions. Long before Alex Trebek, Moses hosted his own version of Jeopardy. Reminding the Israelites of all they knew to be true about God’s faithfulness, Moses told them to anticipate the answers they would give to the questions future generations would ask about their pilgrimage of faith. When our children and grandchildren observe our spiritual values, their curiosity will be piqued. As they hear us talk about prayer, worship, church, or “trusting the Lord,” the Holy Spirit will be creating a spiritual thirst within them. And when the time comes when they will verbalize their interest, questions, and doubts, what will we say? Doesn’t it make sense for us to rehearse in advance in our minds how we will answer them? Psalms 26, 28;
Hebrews 2:1-10; John 1:19-28 Wednesday, February 25 Luke 18:9-14 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. (v.14b) Remember playing Ring Around The Rosie as a child? Do you recall what we said just before we collapsed to the ground? “Ashes, ashes, we all fall down!” That is an appropriate image as we reflect on what it means to be God’s person this Ash Wednesday. We humble ourselves before God by assuming a posture of humility with our faces to the ground and the sign of the cross etched on our foreheads with ashes. Now that the journey to the empty tomb has begun, we would be wise to walk the path before us cautiously. As we trace Jesus’ steps let’s be aware of the difficult terrain and the shadows of suffering in which our Savior proceeded to procure our salvation. Recognizing our tendency to fail the one who was nailed to the cross for us, we’d do well to walk the Lenten trail in a self-deprecating, humble manner. According to Jesus, humbling oneself is to be chosen over being humbled by another. It is a way of signaling to ourselves (and those around us) that we are grateful for all the Lord has provided us. Denying ourselves is an unmistakable mark of discipleship. Jonah 3:1—4:11;
Psalms 95, 32, 143; Hebrews 12:1-14 Thursday, February 26 John 1:19-34 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” “I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God.” (vv.29, 34) My kids never got into playing Ring Around The Rosie like I did when I was younger. But they did enjoy spending hour after hour looking for a little man with red and white stripes and black horn-rimmed glasses in the Where’s Waldo books. Once they found Waldo in the convoluted clutter of each page, they never misplaced him again. Once you see Waldo, you know where to look. The same is true with Jesus!
John the Baptist
drew crowds on the banks of the For us, it all begins with identifying Jesus Christ as God’s solution to our sinful state. When we join John in admitting that Jesus is Lord and submit to God’s plan we truly become Christ’s disciples. Deuteronomy 7:6-11;
Psalm 37:1-18; Titus 1:1-16 Friday, February 27 John 1:35-42 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). (v.41) Another childhood game most of us played was Tag. You could play Tag anywhere because it didn’t require any equipment. To play Tag you just need someone who is “it” and people to “tag.” The object of the game is to run fast enough to reach those around you and touch them. Once Andrew met Jesus he was determined to run and find his brother Simon. Andrew was not content to simply keep a good thing to himself. He wanted to share his discovery. If you read this passage through the filter of your imagination you can sense the childhood enthusiasm of one brother racing to find his other brother to let him in on a secret that is too good to be true. Another mark of discipleship on the path to an Easter faith is a desire to tag others with God’s love. Those who have been touched by Jesus (in the words of the old Negro spiritual) “gotta tell somebody!” Once the Lord tags you, your life is never the same. Deuteronomy 7:12-16;
Psalm 31; Titus 2:1-15 Saturday, February 28 John 1:43-51 “ Did you ever play Mother May I? Quite simply, the designated “Mother” issues commands to do certain things, but you can only obey once you have asked her permission and permission is granted. “Mother, may I take three steps forward?” “Yes, you may!” But the key part of playing this old-fashioned childhood pastime is to actually do what you’ve been given permission to do. Still another mark of discipleship we’d do well to look for in our lives is “responsiveness.” When the Lord makes clear what it is we are to do, the person with a growing faith obeys. The journey of Lent (though arduous) can be journeyed with confidence if we simply follow the Lord’s invitation to follow Him. When Nathanael quizzed Philip about Jesus’ reputation, he was really asking permission to take three steps forward. In Philip’s response we can hear the Lord himself granting permission to “come and see.” And what makes this passage of Scripture so significant is that Nathanael was quick to respond. May we do the same? Yes, we may! Deuteronomy 7:17-26; Psalms 30, 32; Titus 3:1-15 by Greg
Asimakoupoulos
Sunday, March 1 1 Corinthians 1:17-31 For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” (vv.18-19 NIV) I call myself a problem-solver. At least, when my wife has a problem, I try to solve it. The attempt usually results in “vigorous fellowship” (a phrase from a former pastor) between us before I realize that hugs are needed more than my “solution.” Once again the “wisdom of the wise” is thwarted. Too often I forget to seek the power of God in such situations. The Holy Spirit, through God’s Word in Scripture, reminds me that “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10a); that by keeping the commandments of the Lord God by walking in His ways and by fearing Him (Deuteronomy 8:6), I draw upon His wisdom and power in dealing with all aspects of my life. As I continue to commit myself to a deeper relationship with God, Jesus’ conversation with the woman at the well of Sychar comes to mind. Drawing upon God’s Holy Spirit is like “a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:5). He directs my steps and supports me through the problems of this life, and welcomes me to God’s eternal home. Deuteronomy 8:1-10; Psalms 63, 98; Mark 2:18-22 Monday, March 2 Hebrews 2:11-18 Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. (v.11) Why am I called Jesus’ brother? Bible heroes (and heroines) such as Moses and Mary Magdalene “fell facedown” when confronted by God’s presence. Yet Jesus, in today’s lesson, is calling me “brother” and we are “of the same family”! To quote Nicodemus, I ask, “How can his be?” In the Book of Deuteronomy, I see two ways in which God the Father treats me as a member of His family. First, He provides for me as a Loving Father does, protecting me, disciplining me, and loving me. Secondly, God gives me gifts to enable me to return His love and to deepen my relationship with Him and my brothers and sisters. He then sends His Son, Jesus, to be my advocate and “brother,” who encourages me through the Holy Spirit to use those God-given gifts in my life. My problem arises when I believe that successes are solely mine. When I experience setbacks then, belatedly, I “fall facedown” pleading for deliverance from my “brother” and pioneer of my faith—my Lord Jesus Christ! Sound familiar? Deuteronomy 8:11-20; Psalms 41, 52; John 2:1-12 Tuesday, March 3 John 2:13-22 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.” (v.17) Church has meant many things to me as a Christian; some good, and some not so good. At times, I have not taken church-going seriously enough. During those dry spells, “zeal” is not a word I would connect with the word “church.” But the Lord Jesus Christ, head of the Church, reminds me how to restore my love of church by a teaching familiar to all Christians: The two Great Commandments (Matthew 22:37-39). The first: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” I attend church to love the Lord. He is the Audience of One! I, as a part of a congregation, worship Him for who He is. “Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs” (Psalm 100:2). The Apostle Paul urges us to offer our “bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God” (Romans 12:1). We please God by loving and worshipping Him. The second: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” As we “share in giving and receiving” with other believers, strengthening our faith in fellowship, and offering ourselves to God, He will meet all our needs “according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:15b, 19). Deuteronomy 9:4-12; Psalm 45; Hebrews 3:1-11 Wednesday, March 4 Psalm 119:49-72 You are my portion, O Lord; I have promised to obey your words. I have sought your face with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise. (vv.57-58) When my wife and I became Christians, we were not only called by the “God of the Word,” but also became devoted to the “Word of God.” Just as Jesus has a zeal for his Father’s house, so the psalmist expresses a zeal for God’s Word. As a new Christian, I tried to know all about God rather than to truly know God. I was like the scientist, who found that the more he knew, the more he didn’t know. The God of Heaven became what C.S. Lewis called, “the Great Iconoclast”—He who often isn’t what we think He is, He who is behind all knowledge. God does want us to know about Him, but more importantly, He wants us to know Him and how much He loves us! I read somewhere that Karl Barth, a great theologian, was challenged by a woman attending a lecture as to why he believed that the Bible was so vital to his faith. His reply: “Because, Madam, ‘Jesus loves me; this I know, for the Bible tells me so!’” Deuteronomy 9:13-21; Hebrews 3:12-19; John 2:23—3:15.
Thursday, March 5 Hebrews 4:1-10 For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard it did not combine it with faith. (v.2) When I was very young my mother would dress us for church every Sunday. We would sit on the pulpit side, about midway back. This was the time before air conditioning and modern dress. I remember the images of ladies in hats and gloves; men in blue suits, stiff collars, and ties; hot church interiors; and hand held, cardboard fans moving back and forth as worshippers tried to stay cool. The priest wore simple vestments: a black cassock (even in summer heat), a plain white chasuble, and a stole (when Communion was occasionally celebrated). I must have heard many sermons, sung many hymns and prayers, and, after I was confirmed, taken Communion often—all of which seemed of little value to me at the time. My being saved by “grace through faith” (Ephesians 2:8) changed my life. One major witness to God’s grace and my faith in Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit was my mother. Her perseverance in taking me to church every Sunday attests to Proverbs 22:6: “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” Deuteronomy 9:23—10:5; Psalm 50; John 3:16-21
Friday, March 6 Deuteronomy 10:12-22 To the Lord your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it. Yet the Lord has set His affection on your forefathers and loved them, and he chose you, as their descendents, above all the nations, as it is today. (vv.14-15) When I think about them, I am awed by the depth and breadth of God and His Creation—all that He is, and all that He possesses. Yet God primarily focuses His infinite love and purpose on one planet—Earth; on one rebellious species—humankind, which broke relationship with God; one stiff-necked and disobedient people—the Jews, to be His chosen ones; and one man Jesus Christ, to sacrifice Himself and redeem the whole mess we’ve made of it and to bring us back to Him. One wonders if God couldn’t have found an easier way to restore us to Himself than He did. C.S. Lewis called Earth “The Silent Planet,” to describe its self imposed isolation from God. But God perseveres. He restores us in His love by becoming fully human in Jesus Christ, to cleanse me from my sins through his death and resurrection. I can now look forward to the time when Jesus returns, and when, no longer silent, “the morning stars [sing] together, and all the angels [shout] for joy” (Job 38:7). Psalms 40, 54; Hebrews 4:11-16; John 3:22-36
Saturday, March 7 Psalm 139:1-17 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. (vv.9-10)
My
wife and I were driving home when the spacecraft Challenger launched from Flying can be an exciting career, but it can also be humbling. Most of all, flying was an opportunity to experience God’s presence in my work: Sunrise over the North Atlantic; a distant thunderstorm watering the plains; even dealing with an emergency, knowing God was holding me fast and guiding me safely home. When grieving the loss of Challenger, President Reagan chose excerpts from John Gillespie Magee’s poem, High Flight to express the nation’s feelings: “I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth… to touch the face of God.” As I reach out in my life merely to touch God’s face, may He, instead, embrace me, guide me, and hold me fast! Amen. Deuteronomy 11:18-28; Psalm 55; Hebrews 5:1-10; John 4:1-26
by Tap Holt
Sunday, March 8 Psalm 29 The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace. (v.11 NIV) Lent is about preparing. I’ve been a volunteer with Hospice for over 6 years. I’ve been with dying people and their grieving families as they prepare go through the transition from life on earth to life in the great beyond. It’s odd though—even with all my training and experience, I was not fully prepared to help my mother go through the dying process. However, Mom was always teaching me; and Mom’s strength and courage through her last painful days, as well as when she breathed her last, was the most inspiring display of faith and peace I’ve ever encountered. My family and I were eyewitnesses to the fact that “The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.” He gave us strength and, at the same time, he blessed Mom with peace. I am eternally grateful for Mom, who gave me life in more ways than one. She, through her strength in difficulty and pain, and final peace, has better prepared me to enter into the holiness of this season and the holiness of life. Jeremiah 1:1-10; Psalm 24; 1 Corinthians 3:11-23; Mark 3:31—4:9 Monday, March 9 Romans 1:1-15 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong—that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. (vv.11-12) For years I’ve pondered the burning question of why, for God’s sake, I’ve felt the nudge to work with Hospice—with dying people. And recently I’ve been thinking maybe I shouldn’t spend precious time trying to figure out that mystery. Some mysteries aren’t meant to be solved; they are meant to be cherished. What I know for sure is that each hospice patient I’ve come in contact with had something to teach me about faith. However, I must say, nobody has touched me more, encouraged me in my faith more, than Mom did. She was the embodiment of grace. It was through Mom’s spiritual gift—her faith—that I came to know the Living God. Because I was fortunate enough to be with mom through her last days, I was able to witness her faith in action. She looked at death head-on with the strength and courage you can only realize through faith in something much bigger than we are—through faith in God. I no longer fear death, and I’d say that’s the biggest encouragement of faith I can imagine. Jeremiah 1:11-19; Psalms 56, 57, 58; John 4:27-42 Tuesday, March 10 Psalm 62 Surely you will reward each person according to what he has done. (v.12b) Arianna was a certified nursing assistant who came to help Mom bathe and dress during the last 4 days of Mom’s life. She was a 26-year-old woman who, cheerfully and with the greatest tenderness, would tend to Mom’s hygienic needs. My brother, sisters, and I had never witnessed anything so beautiful, so divine. The way she lovingly held Mom as she was would lift and maneuver her; the look on Arianna’s face as she would gently bathe and dress Mom. The love that Arianna bestowed on Mom was unfathomable. When asked how she became involved with this work, Arianna, in her southern drawl, said “Ma’am, I was flippin’ burgers at a fast-food place and someone told me about bein’ a CNA. I told m’self, ‘Girl, you can do that, ’cause what that job takes is love—and anyone can love.’” I think Arianna’s reward is “gonna” be big. Jeremiah 2:1-13; Psalm 61; Romans 1:16-25; John 4:43-54 Wednesday, March 11 Psalm 72 He will be like rain falling on a mown field, like showers watering the earth. (v.6)
Mom’s neighbors
were incredible. I’ve heard it said that “The only hands God has here on earth
are ours.” “He will be like rain falling on a mown field, like showers watering the earth.” Jeremiah 3:6-18; Romans 1:28—2:11; John 5:1-18 Thursday, March 12 John 5:19-29 “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” (v.24) This sentence has real meaning for me—especially now, after going through the last days of Mom’s life with her. The truth is: if I didn’t believe Jesus’ word wholeheartedly, I don’t know how I’d go on living day to day. One reason I believe this sentence to be true is because Mom taught me, through her strength and courage, that it is true. Oh, sure, Mom was frightened. Because the cancer spread throughout her body, she feared losing her mental capabilities (which, gratefully never happened—actually, she was cracking jokes up until the very end). Remarkably though, she was never afraid of death. She had the greatest faith in Jesus’ words. Watching her live her faith helped me to be strong in my own faith. What I know for sure: “whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life.” I’d bet my life on it. Jeremiah 4:9-10, 19-28; Psalms 70, 71; Romans 2:12-24 Friday, March 13 Psalm 69 But I pray to you, O Lord, in the time of your favor; in your great love, O God, answer me with your sure salvation. (v.13) We all prayed for a miracle. We pleaded with God. I even tried bargaining with Him: “God, take away Mom’s cancer… I promise I’ll never again miss a Sunday service, cross my heart….” Even though the cancer never went away, I saw healing take place. Just before Mom died, she called me and my twin sister, Liz, to her. As she lay on her side, she asked us to get on the bed with her, one of us on either side of her. The three of us lay on the bed, “spooning” arms wrapped around one another, for who knows how long. Tearfully, Mom said, “I’m sorry I’ve never been a very good cuddler… the truth is… I was never taught how.” Liz and I, in that moment, finally knew that it wasn’t that she didn’t love us—in a physical sense, she just never knew how to show us her love. We prayed, and we got a miracle. Maybe not the one we were asking for, but a miracle none the less; while, at the same time, I believe He answered Mom with sure salvation. Jeremiah 5:1-9; Romans 2:25—3:18; John 5:30-47 Saturday, March 14 Psalm 75 You say, “I choose the appointed time; it is I who judge uprightly.” (v.2) Sunday, June 22, 10:35 p.m. As I walked by Mom’s room, I noticed that her breathing had changed. I called out to Liz. We noticed long gaps between breaths; but it was not frantic, it was rhythmic. We lit some candles and dimmed the lights. We knew not to leave Mom’s side. For the next 13 minutes we chanted and prayed. Nothing was rehearsed. I can’t tell you why, but I couldn’t stop chanting the Kyrie eleison. Liz, as I was chanting, was praying aloud and stroking Mom’s head and face with such tenderness. In between prayers, she got very close to Mom’s ear. She told Mom: “It’s OK to go, Mom. We love you—now and forever. We will all be together again at the Great Banquet. It’s alright to go, Mom… We love you….” Mom took her last breath at 10:48 p.m. Liz and I didn’t move for several minutes. We soaked… bathed… in a peace which surpasses understanding. Time: 10:38 p.m., June 22, 2008—the beginning of Mom’s new life. And, just think… it’s all because of the Resurrection. I’ll be celebrating Easter this year like never before. Jeremiah 5:20-31; Psalm 76; Romans 3:19-31; John 7:1-13 This week’s writing is dedicated to my dear mother, Jean Comport, and Amanda Brown (who was supposed to be writing this week’s devotions and was a cherished friend of Liz’s); both of whom have recently died of cancer. I know they are resting in peace, thanks be to God.
by Kate Winans
Sunday, March 15 1 Corinthians 6:12-20
“Everything is permissible for me”—but
not everything is beneficial. (v.12a NIV)
Today’s readings drove home to me the hard lesson of the nature of sin.
It begins with self-indulgence: “What harm will it do? I’m not hurting anyone. No
one will know. Who cares? It’s my body; I can do what I please.” Whether it is
the rules of the road or the passion of the moment, it boils down to personal
choice with little thought of consequences. Like a virus or a forest fire, it can
catch on and spread. What we thought was a private matter develops
into corporate sin. We then move from being a disobedient people of God to
being a godless people (Jeremiah 6) and, finally, we are totally out of control
and in bondage to Satan, no longer able to make right choices (Mark 5). I seldom think that my personal choices might
have such far-reaching effects, yet I know that one person can make a
difference in the lives of others. When I look at my own life-story it is
peppered with the influences of individuals who have crossed my path or walked
with me for a season. One encouraged me and made me feel worthwhile. Another
demeaned me until I couldn’t do anything right. I thank God that his protection
and provision has steered me through the deep waters of past blunders and
outside influences. I pray that I may stand firmly rooted in Him during
temptation’s appealing moments. Jeremiah 6:9-15; Psalms 93, 96; Mark 5:1-20 Monday, March 16 John 7:14-36 Jesus answered, “My
teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me.” (v.16) Often I try to reason the meaning of
Scripture passages. My pondering usually ends in prayer because it has fallen
short of the wisdom of God. Oswald Chambers (My Utmost for His Highest, pg.146) says, “The good is the enemy of
the best.” Our own wisdom will blunt our spiritual insight. The crowd at the
Feast of Tabernacles, where Jesus is teaching, is reasoning among themselves
that Jesus could not be the Messiah because they knew where he came from, and
when the Christ comes no one will know from whence he comes. As it turns out,
they really don’t know where Jesus comes from or where he is going. Our own
understanding is often grounded on half-truths, lies, or assumptions. Inner
healing has shown me that my own beliefs can reveal such a faulty foundation. “Blessed
are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered” (Romans
4:7). Jeremiah 7:1-15; Psalm 80; Romans 4:1-12 Tuesday, March 17 John 7:37-52 On the last and greatest day of the Feast,
Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me
and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living
water will flow from within him.” (vv.37-38) Part of the Tabernacle furniture is a laver
(basin) where priests and Levites wash their hands as an act of cleansing
before making sacrifice. The Christian enactment of this hand washing can be
seen as the priest washes his hands at the altar before consecrating the bread
and wine, which represents Christ’s sacrifice for us. Living water is mentioned
in Scripture to signify the cleansing and life-changing presence of the Holy
Spirit within us to purify and set us apart for God’s service. Do we grasp the
idea of being holy vessels, cleansed by the Holy Spirit and standing on Holy
ground? I have a friend whose ministry includes drawing people into old
covenant/new covenant connections. Part of the ceremony is pouring water and
prayers over peoples’ hands as they wash at the laver. A handmaid stands by
with towels to dry hands. It is much like a foot-washing. Both hand-washing and
foot-washing are powerful expressions of servant ministry preparing one another
to meet their King. Do we hear Jesus calling us to His source of Living Water? Jeremiah 7:21-34; Psalm 78:1-39; Romans
4:13-25 Wednesday, March 18 Romans 5:1-11 Not only so, but we
also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces
perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not
disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy
Spirit, whom he has given us. (vv.3-5) This message makes the most sense to me when
I think of “suffering” as “allowing,” such as “suffer the little children to
come unto me.” Thus, when I allow God to work in my life at his own time and in
his own way, I am learning perseverance. When I stop resisting, the pain of
suffering is diminished. (Dieting became much easier when I gave myself
permission to be hungry.) It is not easy to allow circumstances that are not of
our own choosing, but I find that when I do they generally turn into blessings.
“Though I constantly take my life in my hands, I will not forget your law”
(Psalm 119:109). As I suffer God to work in my life, He loves me into wholeness
and what I thought would be painful turns into spiritual muscle. Jeremiah 8:18—9:6; Psalm 119:97-120; John
8:12-20 Thursday, March 19 Psalm 42 Deep calls to deep in
the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me. By
day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me—a prayer to the God
of my life. (vv.7-8) David’s songs are emotional roller coasters. His
depression may alter the tune but does not drown the song. His cries and
complaints do not destroy his hope and trust. David kept falling into sin but
readily repented; he had a heart for God. Unlike the Hebrew people who were
disobedient and kept on sinning, David maintained an open love-relationship
with God that enabled him to offer sacrifices of worship and thanksgiving even
when the chips were down. In spite of the devastation and hardship that comes
upon us, we are called to offer thanksgiving and praise to our Lord. That is
the clean heart that we ask God to create in us. I pray for that. And I thank
God for those who keep on singing. Jeremiah 10:11-24; Psalms 83, 43; Romans 5:12-21;
John 8:21-32 Friday, March 20 John 8:33-47 “So, if the Son sets
you free, you will be free indeed.” (v.36) Jesus tells us we are slaves to sin until we
are set free. Sin is anything that
keeps us away from God’s plan for our lives. I remember being in bondage, boxed
in and helpless. My sins were/are more socially acceptable than some
(procrastination, control issues, arrogance), but no less effective. Whatever
steals our witness and suppresses our song is making old Screwtape
happy. (You remember C.S. Lewis’s letters to the evil one, Screwtape.)
Arrogance is the sin area in which the Lord had been dealing with me in recent
years. Unlike time bondages (procrastination, late, etc.), arrogance is hard to
identify in oneself. It is easier to spot in others! It is only as the layers
are peeled off that freedom rings out and peace sets in. I rejoice that God’s
inner healing never stops. Jeremiah 11:1-8, 14-20; Psalm 88; Romans
6:1-11 Saturday, March 21 John 8:47-59 “I tell you the
truth,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I
am!” (v.58) The people didn’t understand Jesus’ claim,
and they tried to stone him. The Trinity has no easy explanation. How often do
we throw away those ideas we don’t understand? We are told to lean not on our
own understanding. The foolishness of God is greater than the wisdom of man. Yet
we easily decide that we have the whole truth and begin to throw stones at those
who think differently. Stone-throwing has divided the Body of Christ. How often
have I avoided contact with people I don’t understand or who seem strangely
different! When I consider my own ways I know that I cannot throw stones. O
Lord, set us free from our own self-bondage. “If the Son sets you free, you
will be free indeed” (Romans 8:36). I
can rejoice that Jesus is part of the God who formed us—the great “I Am”—and
who sets us free, even though I don’t fully understand it. Jeremiah 13:1-11; Psalms 87, 90; Romans
6:12-23 by Ellen M. Smith
Sunday, March 22 Psalm 67 May God be gracious to
us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, that your way may be known
upon earth, your saving power among all nations. Let the peoples praise you, O
God; let all the peoples praise you. (vv.1-3 NRSV) How often do you pray, “O Lord, bless me
today”? There is nothing wrong with that prayer, particularly as we acknowledge
that all blessings are from God. There is no blessing that we earn or deserve
but, in God’s goodness, He blesses us. But do we continue to the second part of
the verse above, realizing that any blessing given to us is for the purpose of
others acknowledging the One True God? Blessings are not simply for our own happiness, although that might be a by-product. Blessings
are for the purpose of the “nations” seeing the saving power of God. Do you
testify to that saving power and to the Giver of the blessings that you
receive? Or do you, in fact, communicate that you deserved or have earned those blessings, based upon your
own merit? May we be people who acknowledge the great Giver of the blessings,
so that all the peoples will praise Him. Jeremiah 14:1-9, 17-22; Psalm 66; Galatians
4:21—5:1; Mark 8:11-21 Monday, March 23 Romans 7:1-12 In the same way, my
friends, you have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may
belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead in order that we
may bear fruit for God. (v.4) In this season of Lent, it would be easy to
see this time of fasting as subjecting ourselves to a “law” of the church. But
this season is not meant to produce legalism in us, but freedom! Last year, for
Lent, a group of my friends and I fasted from all other foods save rice and
beans. We did this realizing that much of the world lives on a one small meal
of rice and beans each day. That is all that they have. I expected to be
hungry, and I was. But, it was what I was not expecting that changed me. I
realized that I “belong” in many ways to the cravings of my body. At one point in the fast, there was a brownie
sitting on the counter in front of me. I wanted that brownie. I could taste it
in my mouth. Every part of my being wanted to take that brownie and consume it
like I had never eaten before in my life. Then it hit me—did I want Jesus in
the same way that I wanted that brownie? No, I realized that I “belong” to the
cravings of my flesh more than I belong to the One who brings me freedom. Lord, we are sinners, bound by the cravings
of our flesh, seeking to fulfill those desires. Please, Lord, in your mercy, teach us to crave the things that bring true life and true
freedom! Jeremiah 16:10-21; Psalm 89:1-18; John 6:1-15 Tuesday, March 24 John 6:16-27 “Very truly, I tell
you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate
your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the
food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it
is on him that God the Father has set his seal. (vv.26-27) This passage comes shortly after this same
crowd of 5,000 men had been amply fed bread and fish by miraculous means. They
have come to find Jesus and, in true Jesus-style, he cuts right to the heart.
He recognizes that they are not looking for signs that the Messiah is to
return, giving order, peace, and justice to society, but that they have come
looking to fill their own bellies—again. But Jesus came to offer them more than
a full belly. He came to offer them eternal life! Do you sometimes treat God like a “vending
machine”—looking for your own comfort or happiness? I know that I do. But then,
like Jesus reminds the crowd in this passage, God reminds me that His purposes
are greater than my own “full belly” and that sometimes I am looking for
something that is much smaller than what He has come to offer me. Beloved, get your mind off of your stomach,
and see what greater things God has for you! Jeremiah 17:19-27; Psalms 97, 99, 100; Romans
7:13-25 Wednesday, March 25 Psalm 101 I will look with favor
on the faithful in the land, so that they may live with me; whoever walks in
the way that is blameless shall minister to me. No one who practices deceit
shall remain in my house; no one who utters lies shall continue in my presence.
(vv.6-7) I think there is value in having people who
encourage our faith in our lives. Each week, I meet with a group of people that
live near each other in my neighborhood (we call this group community). In this group we
intentionally talk about our spiritual lives, our relationships with God and
with others, and our struggles. In this group we share our deepest pains and
our greatest joys. This is a group where Truth is spoken, no matter how hard it
is to speak (or to hear) it. It is there that I am challenged to grow and
pursue God with all that I am, where my sin and selfishness is called out, and
where I can take off the mask and show my true self, both the good and the
not-so-good parts. Who have you chosen to surround yourself
with? I pray that the Lord will bring a “community” into your life, and that
you will receive what God has for you through them. Jeremiah 18:1-11; Psalm 109; Romans 8:1-11;
John 6:27-40 Thursday, March 26 Jeremiah 22:13-23 Woe to him who
builds his house by unrighteousness, and his upper rooms by injustice; who
makes his neighbors work for nothing, and does not give them their wages…He
judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well. Is not this to know
me? says the Lord. (vv.13, 16) Did you know that 20% of the world’s
population lives on 80% of its resources (thus leaving 80% of the population to
live off of 20% of the world’s resources)? Looking at those statistics, knowing
that I rarely go hungry, I must acknowledge that I am in the first group—the
top 20%. And in acknowledging that, I must read Jeremiah 22 differently. I must
read it knowing that in my abundance I am sinning against the rest of the
world, and against the over 800 million people who live in chronic hunger
around the world (www.stophungernow.org). Yet God says to know Him is to care about the
poor and needy, not just to fill my own belly. I want to know God; therefore, I
will not live in ignorance any longer. Ignorance is arrogance—a refusal to see
others so I can continue in my opulent lifestyle without guilt. But what can I
do? Honestly, it doesn’t matter, as long as I do something. I can visit World Vision (www.worldvision.org) to
sponsor a child, bring non-perishable items for the church food drive, or serve
in a soup kitchen. I can do something; so can you. Psalm 69; Romans 8:12-27; John 6:41-51 Friday, March 27 Romans 8:28-39 If God is for us, who is against us? He who
did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with
him also give us everything else? (vv.31b-32) This passage of Scripture (in fact all of
Romans 6-8) has gotten me through many hard times in life. I remember one
particular time when I was seriously struggling with a sinful behavior and a
wrongful identity. I sat in my bedroom, reading this passage of Scripture and
embracing the Life that it offered me. I am free! I am loved! And there is
nothing that can separate me from that love! More than that, there is a God who
gave His very Son over to death so that I could experience that life. And what
life it is! We are called, justified, and glorified in this life. We are
eternally bound to the One who is always “for” us! We are conquerors! Thanks be to God! Jeremiah 23:1-8; Psalm 102; John 6:52-59 Saturday, March 28 John 6:60-71 Because of this many
of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. So Jesus asked
the twelve, “Do you also wish to go away?” Simon Peter answered, “Lord, to whom
can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have
come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.” (vv.66-69) In this passage, Jesus has just finished
teaching a hard word, one that made many of those following him turn away. I
have faced those times in my own life…hearing that I needed to move to the
inner city to live, knowing that my parents might disown me because of it…hearing
that Jesus wanted control of everything—my money, my time, my
relationships…hearing that to really follow Him, I needed to learn to trust the
very people who had hurt me the most…hearing that I had to forgive even when
the offender was totally unrepentant. Like the disciples, I have wanted to turn
away because the call was too great. But at those times, Peter’s answer
resounds in my spirit—to whom would I turn? Who else has the words of life that
I so badly need? Only Jesus. Whatever the cost, it is
worth it, because to follow Jesus is to have real life. Will you follow Jesus when he gives you a hard word?
Lord, give us the courage to follow you even in the hardest of times. Jeremiah 23:9-15; Psalms 107:33-34, 108;
Romans 9:1-18 by Kim Koi
Sunday,
March 29 Mark 8:31—9:1 And he said to them, “I tell you the truth, some who are standing here
will not taste death before they see the Kingdom of God come with power.” (v.1 NIV) God intended each of us to live a
life of peace, joy, prosperity and health. When Jesus died on the cross and
rose from the dead, he took back the keys of the Jeremiah 23:16-32; Psalm 118; 1Corinthians
9:19-27 Monday, March 30 Psalm 31 Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and
guide me. (v.3) Experiencing the
Jeremiah
24:1-10; Romans 9:19-23; John 9:1-17 Tuesday, March 31 Romans 10:1-13 That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your
heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (v.9) No man can confess, from his
heart, that Jesus is Lord unless the Holy Spirit reveals that fact to him. This
confession is the beginning of a life lived, on a daily basis, for God. It is
the first step in learning to let go and let God. It is the power needed to
overcome all temptations and live a life of “believer’s authority.” It is the
first step in finding the
Jeremiah
25:8-17; Psalms 120, 121, 122, 123; John 9:18-41 Wednesday, April 1 John 10:1-18 I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
(v.10b) A full life—it is what we all are
looking for. It is the
Jeremiah
25:30-38; Psalm 119:145-176; Romans 10:14-21 Thursday, April 2 Psalm 131 My heart is not proud, O Lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern
myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like
a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, put your hope in the Lord both now and forevermore.
(vv.1-3) I grew up with an A-type
personality. I did everything fast. One hundred miles an hour was my normal
speed. Now, I am finally in a place where worldly endeavors and worldly
possessions have little interest to me. My soul is still and quiet. I am
experiencing peace and joy on a daily basis. I think it is a result of living
one day at a time. I don’t want you
to think my life is perfect and I have it all together; I still regress from
time to time. But life is very, very good. I do experience the
Jeremiah
26:1-16; Psalms 132, 133; Romans 11:1-12; John 10:19-42 Friday, April 3 Jeremiah 29:1, 4-13 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to
prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you
will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will
seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (vv.11-13) This is one of the promises of
God. If you are in bondage to something, anything, God will free you and heal
you when you seek Him with all your heart. Your healing has already taken
place. When Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, he not only paid
for sin, he achieved healing for all who come to him. “He himself bore our sins
in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for
righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:24).
Psalm 22;
Romans 11:13-24; John 11:1-27 Saturday, April 4 John 12:37-50 “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in
me should stay in darkness.” (v.46) We do not have to live in
darkness any longer. We can live in the full knowledge of what Jesus has done
for us through his crucifixion and resurrection. Jesus opened the door to
heaven so we can have direct access to our Heavenly Father. We are now sons and
daughters of the King of the Universe. All power and authority in heaven and on
earth has been given to Jesus, and we are complete in him (Matthew 28:18).
Jeremiah
31:27-34; Psalms 137, 144; Romans 11:25-36 by Michael O’Grody
Palm Sunday, April 5 Zechariah 9:9-12 Rejoice greatly,
O Daughter of This prophecy was fulfilled about 500 years
later when Jesus made His triumphal entry into The test for a prophet of God is very simple:
Are his prophecies fulfilled? Zechariah definitely passes that test because he
has been “right on” with every prediction to date. Therefore, we must take note
and rejoice when he describes the future peaceful reign of the Messiah. We
certainly don’t know the hour or day, but we do know that our God is in control
and that He will accomplish that which He plans. It is “Not by might nor by
power, but by My Spirit,” says the Lord (Zechariah 4:6). Hallelujah! He is
coming! Psalms 24, 29; 1 Timothy 6:12-16; Matthew
21:12-17 Monday, April 6 Philippians 3:1-14 I want to know
Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his
sufferings, becoming like him in his death. (v.10) Thank God for his marvelous power without
which we could never even imagine being like Him. When He fills us with his
Holy Spirit we begin to demonstrate some wonderful characteristics which Paul
calls the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22, 23). Love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control unquestionably
represent the character of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the vine and we are the
fruit-bearing branches. We begin to think as he thinks and act as he would act.
WWJD becomes our nature. Apples and oranges mature and grow as the sun
shines upon the tree. Our fruit will likewise mature and grow in the love of
Christ as we allow the Son to shine on us and in us. God tells us to “Be perfect even as He is
perfect.” This is rather intimidating until we understand that He does not mean
we must be flawless or without a single fault. He is speaking of this very
process of maturing, which is the Holy Spirit working in us and through us. Jeremiah 12:1-16; Psalm 51; John 12:9-19 Tuesday, April 7 Philippians 3:15-21 But our
citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord
Jesus Christ. (v.20) Because he was born in When we accept Jesus Christ as Savior and
Lord, we are born again and have the rights of a citizen of the John the Baptist might have been speaking to
us when he said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” He was the
forerunner who said that Jesus is near and that he is bringing in this kingdom.
We know that God had this plan from the beginning and His plans will always
come about. Hallelujah, He is coming! Hallelujah, He is
near! Jeremiah 15:10-21; Psalms 6, 12; John
12:20-26 Wednesday, April 8 John 12:27-36 “But I, when I am
lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.” (v.32) Jesus’ statement did not confirm the Jewish
view that their expected Messiah would come as a warrior and not as a suffering
servant who would be lifted up on a cross to die for the sins of the world. He
was also lifted up from the grave to give eternal life and lifted up in the
clouds to give us our hope of glory. And as a result of these things, he draws
all men to Himself just as He said! I spent some time in the Navy and even the
hardened sailors knew that Jesus had been lifted up. Today, about sixty years
later, I am no longer surprised when I meet people here in Watchmen awaken! Many in our own areas have
not yet heard about God’s offer of salvation and healing. When will we “lift
Him up” for all to see and be drawn to Him? Jeremiah 17:5-10, 14-17; Psalm 55;
Philippians 4:1-13 Maundy Thursday, April 9 1 Corinthians 10:14-17, 11:27-32 A man ought to examine
himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats
or drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. (vv.28-29) The Rev. Al Durrance writes in a booklet, the
Healing Power of Communion: “However
we explain Holy Communion, we must see two things. It was important enough for
Jesus to take the last hour that he had with the disciples, and give them this
one thing to do. He seemed to be clear about it. This is my body. This is my
blood.” Evidently, I am to take this seriously too.
Seriously enough to think about myself honestly beforehand, and try to resolve
any problems in my association with God, family, friends or neighbors. I should
then confess any sin in my life and correct my attitude in relationships,
making restitution and amends whenever possible. Then I will be prepared for
the Lord’s Table. Father Al goes on to say: “When we receive
Communion, we might visualize the presence of Jesus going into every part of
our body, permeating every cell, bringing new life to our cardiovascular system
as He cleanses the blood vessels and takes his healing presence into every
part.” Thank you, Lord, for loving us so much. Jeremiah 20:7-11; Psalm 102; John 17:1-26 Good Friday, April 10 John 13:36-38 Then Jesus
answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? I tell you the truth,
before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!” (v.38) Peter thought he was asking Jesus a simple
“Why” question. He must have been shaken to hear his beloved Master answer him
with this rebuke. “Peter, you not only won’t lay down your life for me, you
won’t even admit you know me!” He must have been devastated when, within a
short time, this prophecy came true. Peter cried, berated himself, and
repented. We read of his ministry in Acts and know that he became a much
stronger person in spite of this experience. How many times have I disappointed my Lord?
His rebuke comes to me in my prayer time or simply through my conscience. When
I recognize these shortcomings I, like Peter, need to repent and move on. He
will use these lapses and weaknesses to make me stronger and more prepared to
minister to others. Sometimes we are going to miss the leading of
the Holy Spirit, which will cause us to fail and fall short. We have to accept
God’s forgiveness and move on. Praise the Lord! Genesis 22:1-14; Psalm 22; 1 Peter 1:10-20 Holy Saturday, April 10 Hebrews 4:1-16 For we do not have
a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one
who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us
then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy
and find grace to help us in our time of need. (vv.15-16) Every time we confess our faults, pray for
others, or petition for our own needs, we must come to this throne of grace.
Thanks be to God, Jesus is not like the human high priests who could enter the
Holy of Holies just once a year to intercede for the people. Not only does
Jesus know our most pressing difficulties and secret weaknesses, he is our Great
High Priest, at God’s side all of the time. He is our King and Lord, and so we must
approach his throne with all the reverence and respect due his Holy Name.
However, because he is also our friend and brother, we can come there with
confidence and bold assurance that he will receive us and hear us. Our sin was
nailed to Praise the Lord and Hallelujah! Job 19:21-27a; Psalm 88
by Art
Belden
Easter Sunday, April 12 John 1:1-18 The Word became flesh
and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One
and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and
truth. (v.14 NIV) I have learned over time that what is
concealed in the Old Testament (OT) is revealed in the New Testament (NT). Both
are necessary for our teaching and understanding of the written Word and the
living Word. In the OT lesson for today, the Lord told the Israelites, through
Moses, to take an unblemished lamb and slaughter it at twilight, consume all
the meat that night, and put some of the blood on the sides and top of the door
frame of their homes. The blood was to be a sign that the Lord would see and
pass over as he struck down all the first born of Exodus 12:1-14; Psalms 148, 149, 150 Monday, April 13 John 14:1-14 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (v.6) If there were any other way, why did he
(Jesus) have to die? The OT lesson tells us salvation comes from the Lord. In
the Gospel lesson, Jesus refines that statement saying he is the only way to
the Father. Have you ever cried out in your distress like Jonah did? I have.
The only one who can calm my troubled waters is the One who is “the way the
truth and the life.” I wrestle with Parkinson disease. However, as our NT
lesson tells us, “because he is at my right hand I
will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body
also will live in hope.” No matter,
neither what your condition is nor what distress you face, you can trust him to
be at your right hand and give you hope. Thank you, Jesus. He is the only way
and the only truth and the only life. Those are not my words they are his. Jonah 2:1-9; Psalms 93, 98; Acts 2:14, 22-32 Tuesday, April 14 Isaiah 30:18-21 “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” (v.21) Have you ever thought, said, or done
something you’ve regretted. If you’re like me, too many times and the offended
party is usually someone close, but it could even be a stranger. That still,
small voice says, “Richard that was not appropriate, you need to seek
forgiveness.” Or you might be seeking guidance on an issue; the same small
voice still speaks: “Lord, who would you have me reach out to in your name?”
Today’s OT lesson foreshadows the Holy Spirit. The Gospel lesson refers to the
Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in Jesus’ name to teach
us and remind us of everything he has said to us. When I gain some insight into
a specific Scripture text, it’s a result of the Holy Spirit’s work. The NT
lesson refers to the Holy Spirit; he is a gift we receive when we ask Jesus
into our hearts in repentance, for the forgiveness of sins. As Max Lucado says, “He, who spoke, still speaks.” Are we being
still and knowing he is God? Psalm 103; Acts 2:26-47; John 14:15-31 Wednesday, April 15 Micah 7:7-15 But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me. (v.7) I ask the same question every morning when I
first crawl out of bed, “Is today the day Lord?” I am referring to being cured
of Parkinson disease. If the muscles are stiff and rigid and there is a lot of
pain, I know it’s not the day, so I “watch in hope for the Lord” and wait for
another day. Waiting is hard. We all want a healing and we want it now. Today’s
Gospel lesson tells me to remain in Jesus love by obeying his commands. To know what to obey, I have to read
his Word; that’s generally the first thing I do after I know if today is the
healing day or not. All I know is when I am obedient I am more joyful. Waiting
for God my Savior is hard; being patient is hard. But love is patient. Jesus
has been so patient with me, should I be less with him? God speaks to me
through His Word, prayer, that still small voice, and
other people. The question is: Am I listening? Psalms 97, 99; Acts 3:1-10; John 15:1-11 Thursday, April 16 John 15:12-27 “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” (v.12)
Do family members, relatives, coworkers, or neighbors
deride you because of your faith? Today’s Gospel lesson told me why and what to
do. It didn’t make it easier. Jesus tells us why the world hates us and to
remember it hated him first, and without reason (vv.18-19). Remember, he was
sinless. What to do is to love them.
He never said it would be easy. Jesus even loved Judas Iscariot, who betrayed
him, enough to wash his feet. Jesus called him friend. Only a friend can betray
a friend, a stranger has nothing to gain. Today’s psalms encourage me to praise
the Lord during these challenging times. The OT lesson says to ask the Holy
Spirit to breathe life into dry bones—that they may live. Our job is to love.
Love is patient, kind, not envious, humble, meek, polite, unselfish, not easily
angered, virtuous, truthful, protecting, trustful, hopeful, persevering, never
failing. The Holy Spirit’s job is to convict and convert. Ezekiel 37:1-14; Psalms 146, 147; Acts
3:11-26 Friday, April 17 Acts 4:1-12 “Then know this, you
and all the people of Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit when he
said this before the Sanhedrin. Our psalm lesson tells us that if we are filled
with the Holy Spirit; God’s love endures forever. In the OT lesson Daniel
prophesies those whose names are written in the book will be delivered. In the
Gospel lesson, John tells us when the Holy Spirit comes, he will guide us into
all truth, as he did Peter. I have Parkinson disease; Parkinson does not
have me. As I continue to wrestle with the disease people continually ask me
how I am doing; my answer is I am standing on the Word of God. I was healed
2,000 years ago; I am just waiting for my body to catch up. There is no reason
why it cannot be the same for you, whatever your trial or tribulation. Peter
goes on to say later: “by his wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:24). Believe
and receive. Daniel 12:1-4, 13; Psalm 136; John 16:1-15 Saturday, April 18 Acts 4:13-31 “Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak
your word with great boldness.” (v.29) Peter and John have just been released by the
Sanhedrin and met with their own people to report all that was said to them.
They all prayed the Believer’s Prayer. The meeting place was shaken and they
were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. We are
called to do the same. Today’s psalm is one of praise. The Lord inhabits the
praises of his people. The OT lesson tells us to rejoice and be glad in the Lord’s
salvation. The Gospel tells us we will have trouble in the world, but take
heart—Jesus has overcome the world. We are to speak boldly of what the Lord has
done in our lives, with us and for us. Filled with the Holy Spirit, we can do
this. I pray the Holy Spirit will not be a pilot light in my life but a visible
blast furnace; and when necessary may I use words. Isaiah 25:1-9; Psalm 145; John 16:16-33 by
Richard R. Mead
Sunday, April 19 1 Peter 2:2-10 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk,
so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that
the Lord is good. (vv.2-3 NIV) I remember my first year as a babe in Christ.
I felt new! My shyness was becoming a
new attitude of caring for others. I was even excited to share my faith. I
dreamed of going to A quote that has been helpful to me is, “It
takes God a hundred years to make a good, solid oak tree, but only six months
to make a squash” (Miles Stanford, Green
Letters). I am, now, known as a party girl; always ready, with a party
outfit. Isaiah 43:8-13; Psalms 146, 147; John 14:1-7 Monday, April 20 1 John 1:1-10 If we claim that we’re free from sin, we’re
only fooling ourselves. A claim like that is errant nonsense. On the other
hand, if we admit our sins—make a clean breast of them—he won’t let us down; he’ll
be true to himself. He’ll forgive our sins and purge us of all wrongdoing.
(vv.8-9 The Message) I will never forget the first time that I
heard this, a clear message on this liberating passage. At the end of the
message it was suggested that we go to our rooms, take a sheet of paper, ask
God to reveal to me any sins in my life, and write them down as he revealed
them, asking God if there are any more, and continuing the list until He was
not revealing any more sins. We were encouraged to then fold the list, write 1
John 1:9 on the folded list, and then tear it up while thanking God that
according to His word, those sins were totally forgiven and removed from me
according to His promises that, “I will remove your sins as far as the East is
from the West; I will cast them into the depths of the deepest sea;” and “I
will put your sins behind my back and remember them, against you, no more!” That provided the way for me to walk in the
light. Now I enter into His forgiveness more quickly. I picture the Lord with
arms open wide, and I run to Him with my repentance and gratitude. Here is a
simple practice I learned from Dr. Bill Bright of Campus Crusade for Christ.
Practice “spiritual breathing,” which means as we breathe physically to sustain
our physical lives, we should spiritually exhale,
breathing out, through confession of
our sins and inhale, breathing in, by offering back to
our Lord, for His purposes, the life that He has forgiven and cleansed from all
unrighteousness. As He urges in His word, “Stand fast in the freedom wherewith
Christ has set you free.” Yes, we can continue to walk in His light with love,
joy, and peace. Daniel 1:1-21; Psalms 1, 2, 3; John 17:1-11 Tuesday, April 21 1 John 2:1-11 But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is
truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims
to live in him must walk as Jesus did. (vv.5-6
NIV) Obedience is a hard word for many of us to
accept. We think it is a difficult task. There are many passages about
obedience, and the lasting results are all covered with an abundance of Jesus’
love. He provides the way for us to obey simply by abiding, trusting in him and
his finished work on the cross. Then his love is made complete in us. I have been learning that obedience is God’s
will for all of us. God is telling us what it is that we are to obey. I cannot
judge others obedience, only mine! The obedience He commands is not a bunch of
legalistic “no-nos.” We too often prove that we can conform to a list of rules,
“drawing nigh to Him with our lips, while our hearts are far from Him!” It is
as simple as recognizing, through His Word, what His will is for each of us and
then responding to His revealed will, saying, “Lord, without your Lordship I
can do nothing. True, I can know what your will is, but I am unable
to do your will.” When we believe
that, we are walking as Jesus walked. He declared, “I have no power of my own,
only that which has been given unto me!” When I examine Jesus’ life, I see how
profoundly simple it was: He knew who he was—the Son of God! He knew he had
been sent for a special task—to do the will of the Father, fulfilling the Law,
and offering his infinite righteousness as the perfect, sufficient sacrifice
for the sins of the whole world for all time. He knew that the only way he could
accomplish this was to live the only perfectly dependent, perfectly obedient,
human life ever lived. As the Father sent Jesus, even so Jesus sends us to
continue depending on the Holy Spirit’s enabling. What a gracious God; who
forgives, transforms, and continues it all the days of our lives. No wonder we
can echo Paul in saying, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me”
(Philippians 4:13, NRSV). Daniel 2:1-16; Psalms 5, 6; John 17:12-19 Wednesday, April 22 1 John 2:12-17 Do not love the world, nor the things it
offers you. For when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father
in you. (v.15 Discover God Study Bible) John is showing believers in Christ what is
available to them because of Jesus Christ. He assures believers that he is
condemning false teachers. He mentions three different groups in the church and
then affirms them: God’s children have their sins forgiven,
those mature in the faith know Christ existed from the beginning, and those
younger in the faith have won the battle with the evil one. He explains how
God’s word lives in our hearts and is the reason for settled assurance in God. I treasure my time in learning more about God
the Father. I remember, as a new Christian, hearing a speaker say that she
spent 1 to 2 hours with God each day. She was mature in the faith, whereas I
was young in the faith. I attempted to do what she was doing. After 20 minutes,
I was bored and feeling guilty. Then I asked God to show me His plan, for me.
This is a general plan that I have followed for years. I worship in many varied
ways, followed by my Bible study, and then prayer for others. I often journal, though not in a rigid pattern. I have no time table because my schedule
changes. I try to live in the conviction that God is with me and in me, so I
can walk with Him and talk with Him—all day. He is a loving God and teacher and
shows us, from His word, why we want to love Him and not the world. Daniel 2:17-30; Psalm 119:1-24; John 17:20-26 Thursday, April 23 1 John 2:18-29 So I am writing to you, not because you don’t
know the truth but because you know the difference between truth and lies. (v.21) This is so like God, to provide all the
promises to us, His children, in this passage. He wants all of His children to
know of His protection and care because of the spiritual warfare that is all
around us. He tells us, first, of false prophets—not to be fearful, but to know
that we belong to God and that the Spirit living in us is greater than the
spirit of the world. By His Spirit, we can discern between truth and lies and
we will be taught everything we need to know—His truth! He encourages all of us
to remain in fellowship with Christ, so that when Christ returns we will be
full of courage. In the meantime I will, by the grace of God, be faithful as I
was taught and I will be careful not to be led astray. I will concentrate, in
these days, on God’s mission for me in this world. I desire to value people as
Jesus values people; to speak, with His gentleness, of the love of God; to act
with His kindness and forgiveness; to love others with His intensity. I want to see people as God sees them, to
reach out with His love. Perhaps I can be a positive influence for change in
this world that is so filled with negativity. Thank you, Lord, for your gospel
with brings such radical change in people’s lives and that you chose us to
empower by your Spirit and use us to help fulfill your great commission. Daniel 2:31-49; Psalm 18:1-20; Luke 3:1-14 Friday, April 24 1 John 3:1-10 Those who have been born into God’s family do not
make a practice of sinning, because they are children of God. (v.9) John joyfully proclaims that God, Himself,
makes us His children. God offers us this relationship as we confess our sin
and believe in Christ’s sacrifice for us. So, while we still sin, it is not an
accepted habit for us. Our sins are followed by the convicting work of the Holy
Spirit, and then sincere repentance. I began this practice of repentance by
excessive introspection, which resulted in more self awareness, discouragement,
and guilt instead of experiencing His peace, love, and joy. I now look back and
laugh at myself and my actions. I had forgotten the grace of God. He lavishes
His love on us as we come to Him in repentance. He gives joy to us as we
realize in our hearts that we have truly been forgiven, and He gives peace
instead of guilt. Why should we be afraid of God? Why should we live in doubt?
Our God is the perfect example of relationship—The Father, the Son, and the
Holy Spirit—and these three are a perfect one! God extends to us the gift of
relationship with Him when He calls us “friends.” Consider that wonderful old
hymn, What a Friend We Have in Jesus:
“What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and grief to bear. What a
privilege to carry everything to God in prayer. Oh what peace we often forfeit,
oh what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry, everything to God
in prayer.” Daniel 3:1-18; Psalms 16, 17; Luke 3:15-22 Saturday, April 25 1 John 3:11-18 Dear children,
let’s not merely say that we love each other, let us show the truth by our
actions. (v.18) God says, and what He says is important! He
is our Father, Jesus is our Lord and Savior, and the Holy Spirit has been given
to us to lead us into all truth. We are to love one another and give to those
in need. Agreeing with these truths is not enough. We are to show by our
actions. I still, after many years, remember telling a person, in the presence
of another friend, that I hated her. This person had hurt me, but not to the
extent that might excuse my hatred. I had reacted in hurt and resentment, and
went from one extreme to another, from love to hate. My friend, a friend in my
need, said, “Barbara, you have placed yourself in darkness. God is love, not
hate! God lives in love and light!” What a good and hard word for me. It took
me a day or so to come to terms with her statement. I first spent time
justifying myself and wanted to explain the why of my statement. That option
was not left open to me. Finally, I saw myself and I didn’t like what I saw. I
turned to God and He delivered me from myself. I repented of my sin. God gave
me His grace in forgiveness and I asked that person for forgiveness. We worked
through forgiveness. The day finally came that I could pray for her as a friend
and continue walking in His light as expressed in the song, “Trust and obey,
for there’s no other way, to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey!” Daniel 3:19-30; Psalms 20, 21; Luke 4:1-13 by Barbara Ball
Sunday, April 26 1 Peter 1:7-11 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of
the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest
care. (v.10 NIV) I am struck by the statement of this verse
“the prophets…searched intently and with the greatest care.” When it comes to
the Scriptures and diligently seeking God’s face and listening for His voice, I
am sometimes embarrassed with God by my lack of “searching intently and with
the greatest care.” Often it is more of a casual or a convenience search—perhaps
a few minutes each morning or a quick review of a daily devotional. I know I am
not taking enough time to still my heart and listen for His voice. But I want
to increase my hunger for Him, to
want to be with Him more, to seek His truths and especially to hear His voice
in my life. It is in setting aside my heart and my time with Him that I receive
His infilling for my day. He stands at the door, or our heart, and knocks. Lord,
increase our passion for you so that we will desire to search for you intently
and welcome you into our life today with joy. Daniel 4:1-18; Psalms 148, 149, 150; John
21:15-25 Monday, April 27 Daniel 4:19-27 Belteshazzar [Daniel] answered, “My lord, if only the
dream applied to your enemies and its meaning to your adversaries!” (v.19b) This story is about King Nebuchadnezzar and a
dream that he wanted interpreted, and how Daniel came to him with the
interpretation. Daniel’s statement above indicates that the dream is about the
King, not somebody else. The insight for me is that so often I hear God’s word
and can so easily apply the meaning, the warning, or the truth to others. How
often have I said (or thought) ‘he or
she’ needs to hear this, ‘they’
need to obey God is this matter. And how often, God must be saying to me “Why
do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention
to the plank in your own eye?” (Matthew 7:3). As with King Nebuchadnezzar’s
dream, the words we hear from God are meant for us and not for us to judge
others. May we hear God’s word with a renewed openness and moldable heart and
spirit so He can truly change us. Psalm 25; 1 John 3:19—4:6; Luke 4:14-30 Tuesday, April 28 Psalm 26 Test me, O Lord, and try
me, examine my hart and my mind; for your love is ever before me, and I walk
continually in your truth. (vv.2-3) It seems a little scary to pray and ask the
Lord to test us, try us, and examine our hearts. Personally, I am not confident
about what all He may find in the dark corners of my heart, or whether He will
be pleased. There is a beautiful song with lyrics that say “Break my heart O
God” which I was often hesitant to sing, not certain of what He might bring to
break my heart. But if I am ever going to be pure of heart and mind, and holy as He is holy, I do need to ask Him to test,
try, and examine me. I will clearly see where I still fall short in becoming
what He created me to be. So in faith and trust, in His love for us, we must
ask the Lord to reveal where we are falling short, confess our weaknesses, and,
as David says, walk continually in the truth. Let your light shine within the
dark places of my heart, Lord! Daniel 4:28-37; Psalm 28; 1 John 4:7-21; Luke
4:31-37 Wednesday, April 29 Psalm 38 All my longings lie open before you, O Lord; my
sighing is not hidden from you. O Lord, do not forsake me; be not far from me,
O my God. Come quickly to help me, O Lord my Savior (vv.9, 21-22) What a comfort to know that all my longings
lie open before the Lord and my sighing is not hidden from Him. He knows my
struggles, my frustrations, and my weaknesses. He knows I have good days and
not-so-good days—that life is not all joyous and pain free. He hears my heart
when I cry out to Him to help me, to be near to me, to walk with me, and to
hold me during my deepest times of trouble. One of my favorite prayers is: You are God, even in stress filled times. On
my own I could feel overwhelmed, but Scripture tells me You
care about every detail of my life. Right now the stress I feel most intensely
is (fill in the blank). Show me steps I can take, and give me the courage to
take them. Calm my spirit, Lord, as I trust You to
bring good out of this situation. Amen. Daniel 5:1-12; 1 John 5:1-12; Luke 4:38-44 Thursday, April 30 Luke 5:1-11 Simon answered,
“Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because
you say so, I will let down the nets.” (v.5) This is the story of Jesus telling Simon
Peter to try again to catch fish. Peter’s response is above. The outcome, in
verse 6, says “when they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish
that their nets began to break” and in verse 9, “For he and his companions were
astonished at the catch of fish they had taken.” My encouragement in this is to
keep trying! How many things in my life seem like a long unfruitful,
frustrating, unproductive night of fishing—praying for a loved one’s salvation,
always feeling that I am falling short, wishing I could be more like Him—and
yet Jesus says to try again! I love Peter’s statement “because you say so, I
will.” When I know the Scriptures and deepen my own trust in the Lord, I can
say “I don’t see this working Lord, but, because you say to, I will persevere
and continue to try again, knowing that you are Lord over all things.” Is there
anything in your life where you feel tired and want to give up? Try again! Daniel 5:13-30; Psalms 37:1-18; 1 John
5:13-21 Friday, May 1 Daniel 6:1-15 Now when Daniel
learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room
where the windows opened toward Although the king loved Daniel, he was
influenced by others to issue an edict that no one could pray to any god or man
other that the king for 30 days. Daniel continued doing what he knew was right
in his heart, which eventually led to the famous lion’s den story. Daniel was
not influenced by the godlessness of the society, but continued to seek and
serve God and live a righteous life. What an example for us all. Our society
today does not follow the principles and commandments that God has given us. Do
we compromise our faith and water down that which we know to be right in order
to fit in? God calls us to a holy life, the narrow path: “But small is the gate
and narrow is the road that leads to life, and only a few will find it”
(Matthew 7:14). We shouldn’t be surprised to find that what we believe is not
popular—it wasn’t with Jesus either, but we are to follow His example and be
holy in an unholy world. Psalm 105:1-22; 2 John 1-13; Luke 5:12-26 Saturday, May 2 3 John 1-15 Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone
who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen
God. (v.11) Imitate what is good and not what is evil. In
our lives today, we can be easily tempted to imitate evil in a variety of
ways—retaliation (they deserve it), unforgiveness (I can’t forgive them for
what they did), stealing (everybody does it), and the list goes on. Jesus on
the other hand asks us to imitate him, “If someone strikes you on the right
cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take
your tunic, let him have your cloak as well” (Matthew 5:39-40). A prayer I love
is “Lord, help me not only to ‘know,’ but also to ‘show’ that for me, to live is to live for Christ.” Jesus has shown us the Father and
has given us the Bible as our handbook of life. May we seek to imitate his
goodness and be lights in the midst of a dark world.
By imitating the life of Christ and asking ourselves “If Christ were living my
life, what would he do today?” we will imitate a good, holy, and perfect life. Daniel 6:16-28; Psalm 30, 32; Luke 5:27-39 by Mary Tomlinson
Sunday, May 3 1 Peter 5:1-11 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the
devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist
him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout
the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. (vv.8-9
NIV) The devil is very real, despite what the
world might want us to think. Verse 8 tells us he is prowling in order to devour us.
In other words, he is actively seeking us. Have you ever discovered where he
has a toe-hold in your life? I have. Most recently, he used familiarity and
complacency to confuse me and try to keep me from God’s purposes for me. I
resisted leaving what was comfortable and known, though God was calling to me
to follow Him. Stress, tears and anxiety became my constant companions. When I
finally obeyed God, healing and peace began to flow back into my life as soft
rain on dry ground. Verse 9 tells us to resist him in the faith. For me, that
involved time on my knees in prayer, searching the scriptures, and seeking the
counsel of trusted, Godly friends. I needed the help of Jesus to resist Satan’s
manipulations, and He was there for me! Joshua 4:19-24, 5:1-9; Psalms 63, 98; Matthew
7:15-29 Monday, May 4 Colossians 1:1-14 You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow
servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, and who also told
us of your love in the Spirit. (vv.7-8) I love the personal nature of this
passage—Paul recalling to the church at Colosse how Epaphras brought them along
in their faith. Relationships are at the heart of our faith: our relationship
with the Triune God, our relationships within the Church, our relationships
with those who don’t know God at all. God has brought so many loving, faithful
witnesses into my life to encourage my faith and build my knowledge in the Lord
in truth. Through their witness to me, I am continually encouraged to witness
my love for God to others. I have also found that when my fellowship in the
body of Christ suffers, there is something very important missing in my life. I praise you, Jesus, for all my brothers and
sisters in you that have entered my life and drawn me closer to you! Please
help me to continue to learn from their example. Joshua 10:16-27; Psalms 41, 52; Luke 6:1-11 Tuesday, May 5 Colossians 1:15-23 But now he has
reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in
his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—if you continue in your
faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel.
(vv.22-23a) What an amazing gift! Not only have we been
reconciled to God through Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross, but we are
also made holy, without blemish and free
from accusation. However, it is also a gift with a catch; we must not vary
from the hope given in the gospel. How many times have you heard, “We all
basically worship the same god”? This is another lie from the enemy! In the
gospel of John, Jesus says, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one
comes to the Father except through me.” I recently had to leave the
denomination I grew up in because its national leader doesn’t believe this
fundamental truth of Christianity. I want the gift, all strings attached! Joshua 10:28-43; Psalm 45; Luke 6:12-26 Wednesday, May 6 Luke 6:27-38 “Give, and it will be given to you. A good
measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into
your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (v.38) Giving is one of those amazing gifts from
God. The more you give, the more you get back! However, it’s not actually how
much you give, but rather the attitude of your heart that makes all the
difference. Recently I was asked to be part of a leadership group in my new
church. Initially my heart was hard towards this idea. I was still warming up
to the new thing that God was doing in our lives when He brought us here.
However, I committed to pray over the offer before I gave an answer. Over
several days, and against my own judgment, God inclined my heart to say yes. Thank you Father! By following your desire
for me to give of myself, I’m beginning to feel a part of your plan there. It
would have taken me much longer to experience all the warmth and friendship this
body of believers has to offer was I not involved in this way. I’m excited to
see how I can serve Him there. What I initially saw as work, He saw as blessing. Joshua 11:1-23; Psalm 119:49-72;
Colossians1:24—2:7 Thursday, May 7 Luke 6:39-49 The good man brings good things out of the good
stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil
stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.
(v.45) I am truly a work in progress. I know that
God has given me a heart that strongly desires to know Him more. I find great
comfort in the Holy Bible and in my prayer time with the Lord. However, just
when I feel I might be taking some small steps closer to the heart of Jesus, my
mouth betrays the sin that lies within me! I never cease to be amazed and
saddened at how easily my words can wound, as if I have a dagger between my
teeth. However, from time to time I have also
experienced God’s blessing when He has allowed me to bless others with words He
has put in my mouth. I know they are not from my feeble brain, but rather from
His Spirit working in me. Thank you Father for showing me my sinful
thoughts so I may turn from them, but also for showing me the wonder and beauty
of your Spirit alive and living within me. Joshua 13:1-13; Psalm 50; Colossians 2:8-23 Friday, May 8 Psalm 40 I waited patiently for
the Lord; he turned to me and
heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he
set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in
my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their
trust in the Lord. (vv.1-3) Not long ago, we felt called out of our
church home, which was not only painful, but confusing. Why would He ask us to
leave a place that had blessed us so much; why couldn’t he change the situation
instead? Furthermore, if He was calling us out, where were we supposed to go
from there? The loss of that fellowship was similar to experiencing the death
of a loved one. Praise God! After many months He has given us
a new, firm place to stand, and He has not only put a new song in our mouths
but also one in our hearts. We continue to love and cherish many of our
brothers and sisters from our former church, but are already being blessed by our
new church home. Thank you Lord for helping us to put our trust in You and for the provision you gave us as we discerned your
will for our family. Joshua 13:14-32; Psalm 54; Colossians 3:1-11;
Luke 7:1-17 Saturday, May 9 Colossians 3:12-17 Let the word
of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all
wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in
your hearts to God. (v.16) When I read this passage, thoughts of my
quiet time with the Lord come to mind. Times when God’s scriptures are so
deeply rooted within me that I know He has planted them there Himself. I also
am reminded of wonderful moments of worship on Sunday mornings; times when I
can’t help but sing loudly with a smile on my face because it brings me such
joy to sing in praise of God Almighty. The very thought that He chooses to be
alive in me, unworthy as I am, is breathtaking. And when I come to Him in
thanksgiving, I find that the list has no end; I can’t begin to number His
blessings on my life! They are like the sand on the sea shore. Joshua 14:1-15; Psalm 55; Luke 7:18-35 by Marjory McNair
Sunday, May 10 Leviticus 8:1-13, 30-36 He poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron's head and anointed him to consecrate him. (v.12 NIV)
The detailed
instructions in the book of Leviticus concerning the sacrifices and other
ritual matters do not appeal to most readers. Even the Jewish people, who have
been without their
In 17th-century “So holy in my head, Perfect and light in my dear breast, My doctrine tuned by Christ (who is not dead, But lives in me while I do rest) Come people; Aaron’s dressed.” Psalms 24, 29; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-17; Matthew 7:7-14
Monday, May 11 Luke 7:36-50 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. (v.46) What is sacrifice? The English word comes from the Latin sacrificium: to make holy. It is especially linked with the idea of giving up or surrendering something valuable in order to achieve a greater good.
In ancient times
sacrifices were made to honor or placate God or a god. The sacrifices of The woman in today’s Gospel carried this a step forward. Myrrh was an expensive substance. In the Epiphany narrative, it is one of the gifts of the magi (Matthew 2:1-13). We do not know how this woman obtained her flask of myrrh, and it does not really matter. She recognized in Jesus the One her troubled soul was seeking—Emmanuel, God with us—and for her, no sacrifice was too great. Leviticus 16:1-9; Psalms 56, 57, 58; Colossians 3:18—4:18 Tuesday, May 12 Romans 12:1-21 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. (v.1) The word Paul uses for “bodies” is somata: selves. For Paul, soma (the singular form) means one’s very self or life. In a real sense we are our bodies. We live in the world and interact with other people through our bodies. In Is the Last Supper Finished? Bishop Arthur Vogel has written, “The human body...is always spatial and material in nature, but it is lived space, expressive matter.”
Paul urged the
Christian congregation in The body is also the means of our communion with one another. To be a living sacrifice is to be part of the Christian Church in a particular place, joining in Christ-like communion with other church members and reaching out to the world in that place. Leviticus 16:20-34; Psalms 61, 62; Luke 8:1-15
Wednesday, May 13 Romans 13:1-14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature. (v.14) In Sunday’s reflection, George Herbert, meditating upon the priesthood of Aaron and his own ministry, concluded that by the grace of God in Jesus Christ his ministry was not lacking. By “putting on Christ” he was ready to worship God properly and serve God’s people. Centuries earlier, this same passage in Romans led to the conversion of the young Augustine, who would soon become one of the Church’s great teachers. It is certainly true that Jesus is a sure defense against the assaults of evil, and for that, the image of armor is appropriate. But Paul’s emphasis here, as in Herbert’s poem, is on one’s inner clothing. The Christian, obeying the law of love that Paul articulates in this passage, may seem to be defenseless before the world, but in fact he or she has a strength that no adversary can ever defeat. Leviticus 19:1-18; Psalm 72; Luke 8:16-25
Thursday, May 14 Leviticus 19:26-37 You shall not tattoo yourselves. I am the Lord. (v.28b) Some of the Levitical laws may seem rather unimportant or irrelevant. Doubtless, the laws about respecting the elderly and caring for the stranger are weightier than not trimming one’s hair or beard. Still, it would be wrong to just dismiss these other laws. Biblical proscriptions should not merely be brushed aside.
Animal
sacrifices in ancient That doesn’t mean that we in the present age should judge or condemn those who have tattoos. It should make us think of how we care for our bodies, meant to be living sacrifices, holy, and acceptable to God. Psalm 71; Romans 14:1-12; Luke 8:26-39
Friday, May 15 Psalm 106:1-18 Who can proclaim the mighty acts of the Lord or fully declare his praise? (v.2) Many people today wonder about the usefulness of studying history in school. After all, what’s past is past. In some of our schools, history as such is no longer taught, rather, is subsumed under social science. The result is doubtful, at best. It is true that what is past is past. Some of us have suffered through classes that were tiresome. Inspired teaching can and does make a great deal of difference on a person’s attitude toward history and other school subjects as well.
Yet there is
more to it than that. History has intrinsic value apart from how well it is
taught. The Bible is the record of God’s action in human history, first through
the nation of The psalmist’s question is the primary calling of the Church in the world and for the world: to make the God of history known and his praises proclaimed. That can only be accomplished by those who know God as active both in the past and in the present—in the lives of those who have gone before us and in our own lives personally. Let our lives be our witness. Leviticus 23:1-22; Romans 14:13-23; Luke 8:40-56
Saturday, May 16 Luke 9:1-17 But Herod said, “I beheaded John. Who, then, is this I hear such things about?” And he tried to see him. (v.9) In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught that we should not be anxious about tomorrow. Anxiety is wrong when it is exaggerated, fruitless, and showing lack of trust in God. Not all anxiety is bad, however. We should be anxious about some things. Indifference and true understanding are far apart. The anxiety of Herod Antipas was surely justified. He had executed John the Baptist, and now here was Jesus causing another stir. Herod’s anxiousness was more than political. John the Baptist had disturbed Herod’s soul, and John’s execution had caused Herod no little distress. What would have happened if Herod had seen Jesus then? He might have been converted, even become Saint Herod! That it didn’t happen is clear from Luke 23:6-12. Too bad. We should be anxious for the salvation of those close to us, and for others, too. This anxiety that can lead us to offer ourselves in service to God, can prompt us to support foreign missions with financial help, or can teach us a heightened sensitivity to the needs of those around us. Lord, fill me with anxiety for others that they may come to know you. Leviticus 23:23-44; Psalms 75, 76; Romans 15:1-13 by Matthew Borden
Sunday, May 17 Joshua 24:1-28 Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve
the Lord. He is a holy God; He is a jealous God. He will not forgive your
rebellion and your sins.” (v.19 NIV) This is why he’s called a prophet! Holy Spirit, thank you for your continued
guidance, confidence, and determination to cleanse my thoughts and acts and
enables me to present myself to the Father. Psalms 93, 96; 1 Timothy 3:14—4:5; Matthew
13:24-34a Monday, May 18 Deuteronomy 8:1-10 Remember how the Lord your God led you all the
way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to
know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.
(v.2) God knows what is in my heart. I sometimes
know, and I sometimes get surprised. God tests, I learn. Forty years is a
sufficiently long time for someone to learn what is in their heart. In that
amount of time, I’ve traveled through a wasteland and I wasn’t always humble.
Like many others, I believed I was proceeding on my own power. Through the
intercessory prayers of others, I was led out of the desert and into this
communion of saints. Thanks be to God! My pride has
been put aside for the teaching of the word that comes from the mouth of the
Lord. Thank you, Christ, for this, my new, servant
heart. Psalm 80; James 1:1-15; Luke 9:18-27 Tuesday, May 19 James 1:16-27 If anyone considers
himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives
himself and his religion is worthless. (v.26)
A tight rein on my tongue. Ouch! What about my first amendment rights
to free speech? “Oh yeah, God trumps that.” Hey, what about the truth being a
defense to slander? “Not buying that either are you God.” OK, how about this: It’s sarcasm, I’m just being funny! “Oh, I’m not funny?”
Alright, ahh, I know: I am “righteously” angered.
“Why yes Lord, I have looked up the meaning of the word hyperbole and I get
your point.” “Yes, I just looked above to the text I wrote yesterday about the
‘word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.’” Thank you, Holy Spirit, for your consistent
teaching. I pray to internalize the lesson that man’s anger does not bring about
the righteous life that God desires. Deuteronomy 8:11-20; Psalm 78:1-39; Luke
11:1-13 Wednesday, May 20 Psalm 119:97-120 Your word is a lamp
to my feet and a light for my path. (v.105) The psalmist who wrote this amazing work was
an example of piety without equal. He describes in so many ways his ability to
turn things over to the Lord. I keep repeating the phrase, “God is in charge.”
What a relief! The psalmist says “I have suffered much; preserve my life, O
Lord, according to your word.” I too have suffered, but now faith has brought
the suffering to an end—Jesus, the Living Word, offering me hope; Jesus, the
Savior, offering me new life. The community of saints has become my family. My
brothers and sisters in Christ are the living flames of God’s lamp. They have
brought about healing in my life and provided examples of faithfulness for me
to follow. Praise God! Leviticus 26:27-42; James 5:13-18; Luke
12:22-31 Thursday, May 21 Hebrews 2:5-18 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too
shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds
the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who all their lives were
held in slavery by their fear of death. (vv.14-15) Candidly, I admit that I’m not interested in
dying just yet. I love being alive. I want to stay alive. It is not a foolish
sentiment. I don’t believe that this makes me one of the devil’s own. But it
really does challenge my faith when I say, “not yet death.” Shouldn’t I be
ready, this very instant, to surrender my life for Christ? Well, if that
challenge does present itself, I’ll know it when I know it. In the mean time, the lesson that I take away
from this passage is that God has a place for me after death. Christ personally
led the way for me. Christ is waiting for me to join him. With that reality
there can be no fear; there is joy. Amen. Ezekiel 1:1-14, 24-28b; Psalms 8, 47; Matthew
28:16-20 Friday, May 22 Hebrews 4:14—5:6 For we do not have high priest who is unable to
sympathize with our weakness, but we have one who has been tempted in every
way, just as we are—yet was without sin. (v.15) God can be tempted and yet be without sin; I
cannot. That reality does not become a free pass for me or you. Temptation is
nearly everywhere we look. The devil makes it easily available. For the most
part, my struggles are internal. I don’t act out the temptations within my
heart, but I can’t always get them out of my heart. At times, I have actually
felt pity for myself because of my weakness. Thank you, Father, for Your
grace. You know the innermost thoughts of my soul. You know them even before I
do. When does the brokenness of my being become healed? It’s when I cry out to
You, Lord. Save me today. Save me unto death. Halleluiah. Ezekiel 1:28—3:3; Psalms 85, 86; Luke 9:28-36 Saturday, May 23 Psalm 90 Who knows the power of your
anger? For your wrath is as great as the fear that is due
you. Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of
wisdom. (vv.11-12) A heart of wisdom! Yeah, put that on your
wish list! How much effort does that take? Can I achieve that in 70 years, 80
years if I have the strength? If I had a wise heart, would I have what God
really wants from me? Perhaps, if that heart would renounce
self-deceit. Perhaps, if that heart would reject the convenient
evil and embrace the difficult good. Ahh! See,
I’m not there yet. The wise heart would know that good is not difficult, and
evil is. Lord, let Your truth
be known intimately and come to rest upon the work of my hands. Ezekiel 3:4-17; Psalm 87; Hebrews 5:7-14;
Luke 9:37-50 by Larry Standish
Sunday, May 24 Matthew 10:24-33, 40-42 “And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.” (v.42 KJV) As a pastor I regularly go out to visit my parishioners. Because I live in the country, this means that I sometimes travel long distances to visit them. But when I arrive I’m often treated to a snack and a glass of water. And that refreshes me. For this I’m very grateful. I’m reminded of the apostle Paul who wrote to Philemon and thanked him for often refreshing other Christians (Philemon 7). He also wrote to Onesimus and thanked him for personally refreshing himself (2 Timothy 1:16). Do you remember being refreshed by some other Christian? It may have been a small thing to him or her, even a kind word or a small gift, but it picked you up and made you ready to begin again. Perhaps there is someone today to whom you can do a kindness or give a small gift—even “a cup of cold water.” If you do, God will bless you for it. Ezekiel 3:16-27; Psalms 66, 67; Ephesians 2:1-10 Monday, May 25 Luke 9:51-62 And he said to another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first go and bury my father. (v.59) And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.” (v.61) I try to encourage people to follow Christ—to come to church, to read the Bible, to copy him, and to donate to his work. But other things often stand in their way. For youth it is often sports or homework, for adults it is often shopping or some form of entertainment. Though these things are good in themselves, nurturing our bodies and our minds, they leave out the most important part of us, our souls. Furthermore, they are designed to serve the gods of this world—fame, fortune, and fun—instead of our Lord Jesus. Perhaps you noticed that each of the men quoted above said “me first.” Basically, their own needs were paramount. But Jesus said, “Follow me.” He put himself first. And when he is first, all other things will fall into place. Do you recall the old saying: “The good can become the enemy of the best”? Don’t let that ever happen to us! Ezekiel 4:1-17; Psalm 89:1-18; Hebrews 6:1-12 Tuesday, May 26 Luke 10:1-17 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. (v.2) One day I asked some young people about their greatest ambition in life. For most it was “I want to make a lot of money.” And I thought of Jesus’ warning: “What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36). Jesus calls us to deny ourselves and to follow him. To follow him means to do his will—which is to love our neighbours so much that we want them to have eternal life. How can they have eternal life? By believing in him. And how will they believe in him? By hearing his Word, for “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). But “how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14). The world is ripe for harvest, but evangelists are rare. Can we get out there to tell others about him? It’s the greatest news they could ever hear and the greatest work we could ever do—much more than making money! Ezekiel 7:10-15, 23b-27; Psalms 97, 99, 100; Hebrews 6:13-20 Wednesday, May 27 Luke 10:17-24 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. (v.20)
As a child, I
thought that getting a lot of presents at Christmastime would make me happy.
Then, as a teenager, I thought that having a nice girlfriend would do it. Later,
when I went to college, I thought that getting high marks and winning a
scholarship would make it happen. When I graduated, I thought that having a
comfortable home and a secure income would be all I could want. But as I’ve
grown older I’ve come to realize that being a member of God’s family and an
inheritor of the The wonderful thing is, when we accept Jesus as our Saviour and are born again, that happens to us. Our names are written in the Lamb’s book of life (Revelation 21:27). This is more important than making a billion dollars or earning a string of degrees or finding a cure for cancer or getting into the world’s Who’s Who. Let’s make sure it happens to us! Ezekiel 11:14-25; Psalms 101, 109:1-30; Hebrews 7:1-17 Thursday, May 28 Luke 10:25-37 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise. (vv.36-37) On my walk this morning, I noticed two vehicles parked by the side of the road. Their lights were flashing. Our local rescue unit was on a simulated emergency operation. In between them was a ditched car, with a woman and child inside it. These men were practising how to get the door off, treat the passengers’ supposed wounds, counsel them, and take them to the hospital if necessary. Having just read about the Good Samaritan in today’s reading, I thought of how we need to train in our work of helping needy people. I wondered about our taking counsellors’ courses, or helping in a food bank, or signing up to visit in a hospital, or participating in a church’s program to visit the elderly and shut-ins. There’s much need around us. Are we preparing ourselves to be Good Samaritans? Jesus himself has been our Good Samaritan. Let’s learn all we can to copy him! Ezekiel 18:1-4, 19-32; Psalm 105:1-22; Hebrews 7:18-28 Friday, May 29 Luke 10:38-42 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. (v.39) When reading the Bible, there are different postures we can adopt. We can walk or stand or sit. As we look at Mary, we see her wanting to be close to Jesus. So she comes up to him and sits at his feet, humbling herself. She doesn’t talk, but listens to him. Further, she puts aside other duties, such as helping her busy sister, and concentrates on Jesus. There are two other instances in the Bible of her putting herself at Jesus’ feet. In John 11:2 we are told that she had wiped Jesus’ feet with her hair. That meant she must have sat or knelt in front of Jesus. And, when her brother Lazarus had died, she came up to Jesus and “fell down at his feet” (John 11:32). She was a humble person and recognized Jesus as the One Who could help her. Today may our Lord Jesus help us also to sit at his feet—spiritually if not physically! Ezekiel 34:17-31; Psalm 102; Hebrews 8:1-13 Saturday, May 30 Luke 11:14-23 And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered. (v.14) Do you believe in exorcisms? Jesus performed them and gave his disciples power to perform them as well (Luke 10:19). But it’s a tricky business. Only qualified people, similar to brain surgeons and heart surgeons in their respective fields, should attempt them. For this reason the Church has made rules regarding exorcisms. Our reactions to this matter can swing widely. On one hand, we can become feverish and see a demon under every bed. That is, we can become hyper. On the other hand, we can become chilled and deny that such creatures exist. And that pleases the Devil immensely. For when we refuse to recognize our enemy, that gives him much more power over us. The enemy that you don’t see has more power than the enemy that you do see. Take comfort that in the Lord’s Prayer; immediately preceding this passage, Jesus taught us to pray for deliverance from evil or “the evil one.” He’s aware of our dangers and with his help we can stay close to him. Ezekiel 43:1-12; Psalm 107:33-43, 108; Hebrews 9:1-14 by Father
John Pearce
Sunday, May 31 1 Corinthians 2:1-13 No,
we speak of God’s secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that
God destined for our glory before time began. But God has revealed it to us by
his Spirit. (vv.7, 10 NIV) Hallelujah! We celebrate the revelation of
God’s “secret wisdom” today. I experienced a personal Pentecost over 30 years
ago. In opening my once clenched fists to receive the infilling of God’s own
Spirit into my lifeless, lackluster life, His secret wisdom has become
increasingly known to me over the past 3 decades. How about you? Are you ready to unclench your spiritual
fists this Pentecost morning and receive what God has prepared for those who
love Him? Don’t wait another moment—ask Him to fill you with His Holy Spirit
and let’s plumb the depths of His secret wisdom together! Pentecost isn’t a day to memorialize, it’s our day to materialize
God’s plan in our lives! Alleluia! Isaiah 11:1-9; Psalm 118; John 14:21-29 Monday, June 1 Luke 17:1-10 “If he sins against
you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, ‘I
repent,’ forgive him.” (v.4) The Greek word from which “forgive” is
translated, aphiemi,
literally means “to depart from; to leave behind.” Nearly every time Jesus
utters the word “forgive” in the Bible, it is translated from the Greek aphiemi. Yet so
often we fail to forgive because we don’t feel
like it—we just aren’t ready to forgive those who have hurt us. But Jesus
simply tells us to let it go—depart from our bitterness, walk away from our
pain. Jesus wants us to forgive so that we can truly live! According to our Lord, forgiveness isn’t
about our feelings, it’s about our obedience. Jesus says “Just do it,” knowing
that when we do, we’ll be set free from our pain. It’s a decision, not a feeling! Deuteronomy 11:13-19; Psalms 41, 52; 2
Corinthians 5:11—6:2 Tuesday, June 2 2 Corinthians 6:3—7:1 “Therefore
come out from them and be separate, says the Lord.” (v.17) God’s “secret wisdom” revealed to
us by His Holy Spirit helps me to sort out areas in my life which continue to
be harmful to me. To be “holy” doesn’t mean to be more pious or better than others—it simply means to be set
apart, to be separate. To be holy is to choose to be set apart for the Lord Himself. The Holy Spirit searches the deep
places of our souls and reveals to us where we need to be separated from
people, places, and/or things which are either harmful to us or which keep us
from experiencing deeper intimacy with God. In any event, God does not pull us
away from that which harms us, He leaves that for us
to decide and to choose for ourselves. If we choose to be holy, He’ll do the
rest. Deuteronomy 12:1-12; Psalm 45; Luke 17:11-19 Wednesday, June 3 2 Corinthians 7:2-16 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves
no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. (v.10)
Conviction vs.
Condemnation? Peace vs.
Guilt? Life vs. Death? What makes the difference? When God shows us our behaviors or thoughts,
which are in need of correction, He does so to bring new life to us. God’s
Spirit convicts us of areas in our lives which need revision. His conviction
prunes us and allows for new life to grow. We can be sure it is God Who is
convicting us, because the result will always be life-giving and will lead to
wholeness. However, when others condemn us (or we suffer from our own harsh
judgment of ourselves), it will inevitably lead to a death of sorts. Guilt and
shame will always follow condemnation. Let’s not waste our time wallowing in guilt
and shame—they are never from God. He corrects us by speaking, in love, to us
through His Holy Spirit. When we embrace His loving correction, we are set free
to scale the heights! His love reaches to us as though we each are the sole object of His affection. Deuteronomy 13:1-11; Psalm 119:49-72; Luke
17:20-37 Thursday, June 4 Deuteronomy 16:18-20, 17:14-20 When
you enter the land the Lord your
God is giving you and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you
say, “Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us,” be sure to
appoint over you the king the Lord
your God chooses. (vv.14-15a) When we’re given the revelation
of God’s “secret wisdom” by His Spirit, it is as though we are entering and
taking possession of a land that He has given us. We are warned, however, that
a clear and present danger can arise if we give over control of our spiritual
lives to “kings” that are not of God’s choosing. Kings can be our careers, our
hobbies, our children, our spouse, our goals; even our churches. Whenever we
assign someone or something greater importance in our lives than God, they
become our kings. We are to know God in His Word. Allowing Him to reveal
Himself to us in the Bible helps us refrain from
appointing other kings. Appointing our own kings robs God of His throne. Psalm 50; 2 Corinthians 8:1-16;
Luke 18:1-8 Friday, June 5 Psalm 40 “I proclaim
righteousness in the great assembly; I do not seal my lips, as you know, O Lord. I do not hide your righteousness
in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and salvation. I do not conceal your
love and your truth from the great assembly.” (vv.9-10) In entrusting His “secret wisdom”
to us by His Spirit, God desires and anticipates that we will become His agents
to ensure that His wisdom does not remain
secret any longer. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so! From what has God rescued you? How
has God restored and redeemed your life? Let not our lips be sealed! Let us proclaim all that God has done for us
through His Son, Jesus, and His Holy Spirit. Take it to the streets, let your
loved ones know; let your neighbors know; remind yourselves as well—God loves
us; God forgives us; God has made us to be co-heirs of His Kingdom. Deuteronomy 26:1-11; Psalm 54; 2
Corinthians 8:16-24; Luke 18:9-14 Saturday, June 6 Luke 18:15-30 “I tell you the
truth, anyone who will not receive the We began this week with a
question: Are your hands clenched or are they open, ready, and expectant to
receive from God? If we can trust our earthly
father when he tells us to close our eyes and hold out our hands to receive a
surprise gift, how much more will our Heavenly Father be willing to give us His
Holy Spirit and all the other good gifts that accompany Him? Beloved, God does not even
require us to close our eyes. He tells us, in advance, what He will do if we
ask Him. So keep your eyes open and stretch out child-like, expectant hands to
receive the Deuteronomy 29:2-15; Psalm 55; 2
Corinthians 9:1-15 by Cindi Sholander
Sunday, June 7 Matthew 15:29-39 Now Jesus called
His disciples to Himself and said “I have compassion on the multitude, because
they have now continued with me three days and have nothing to eat. (v.32a NKJV) It must have been unbelievable to follow
Jesus for three days and see the lame, blind, and mute healed. But after three
days of medical miracles it still got down to the basics of hungry people who
needed to be fed. I know I was so grateful and amazed when 15
years ago Christ saved me from my alcoholism. That was a big miracle. To be
honest, I can get lazy and complacent at times because he has blessed me with a
good job, insurance, good health, and plenty of food. That is when he needs me to reach out and be his
hands to help feed others, who don’t have what I have been blessed with. I’ve
served in Deuteronomy 29:16-29; Psalms 24, 29;
Revelation 12:1-12 Monday, June 8 Psalm 56 Be merciful to me, O God, for man would
swallow me up; Fighting all day he oppresses me. (v.1) I remember years ago when I took that moment
to clear the altar in my heart and finally ask Christ to be my savior. Shortly
after that a friend explained that, from that moment forward, God would
actively orchestra all the comings and goings of my life. His hand would be on
my daily life like never before, with a plan. I just needed to listen for His
voice. Accepting Christ is not a lottery ticket to no more sickness, heart ache, or financial troubles here on
earth. But it does come with a sense of rest, since now your Father walks right
along side of you. I find comfort today knowing God is helping write the script
and not me alone. Still, God wants me to cry out daily like the Psalmist for
His help. Today I know with certainty He has already jumped through the biggest
hoop, which is eternity with Him in heaven. Deuteronomy 30:1-10; Psalms 57, 58; 2
Corinthians 10:1-18; Luke 18:31-43 Tuesday, June 9 Psalm 62 If riches increase, Do not set your heart on
them. (v.10b) Several years ago I walked away from a very
successful 20-year T.V. and film career to serve God. I wanted to wait on His
plan. During three years of waiting I matured while working for the Jesus Film in places like Africa and Recently, the Lord has blessed me with a
brand new career. His hand was so evident in the writing of the script for my
new career. I have been shocked and humbled at the success. I did my part, but
God multiplied my effort. Here is where the potential problems arise.
The enemy, and my own flawed human nature, slowly tries to put me to sleep when
the bank account gets full. I can get lazy and take all the credit, forgetting
God was the author of my success. As the psalmist writes, don’t set your heart
on riches. Our hearts need to be set on Christ. Deuteronomy 30:11-20; Psalm 61; 2 Corinthians
11:1-21a; Luke 19:1-10 Wednesday, June 10 Deuteronomy 31:30—32:14 Let my
teaching drop as the rain, my speech distill as the dew, as raindrops on the
tender herb, and as showers on the grass. (v.2) This verse is from a song God gave Moses to
teach to the children, so future generations would not forget God’s kindness
and promise. God also knew the people would turn away from Him to other idols
and suffer a dry period. The song reminds me that God approaches me
tenderly, trying to invite me into relationship. But daily, He gives me a
choice to turn my back and go it alone or allow Him to walk beside me. There
beside me, He waits to nourish my heart and mind like drops of rain to a tender
plant. I live on a ranch and depend heavily on a
good rainy season to replenish my water well and soak the new tender shoots of
grass. One of my most comforting sights is a long slow steady rain washing over
the new grass. The slow, steady rain goes deep into the soil to draw the roots
deep. Deep roots provide nourishment during the dry periods. Are you turning
towards the Lord and letting Him water you deeply? Psalm 72; 2 Corinthians 11:21b-33; Luke
19:11-27 Thursday, June 11 2 Corinthians 12:1-10 Therefore I
take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in
distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (v.10) This is where the writer, Paul, and I are
true brothers. Paul begs God to remove a thorn from his flesh, and God refuses.
Fifteen years ago, I almost lost everything to my alcoholism. When I finally
got sick and tired of being sick and tired, I bowed down before Christ and
accepted him as my savior. God used the darkest moment of my life to draw me to
Him. Together, today we have fifteen years of sobriety. I still plead with God to remove thorns from
my flesh as we walk out His plan daily; thorns of impatience with a friend or
spouse, thorns of a quick temper or laziness with personal finances. Maybe your
lack of compassion or not listening to your wife is dragging your marriage
down. I find today that my weaknesses keep me
closer to God, because I can’t do it in my own strength. I still find days where I am weak and tempted
with alcohol, but I run to Him. This is the relationship He always wanted from
the beginning. 2 Chronicles 6:18-31; Psalms 70, 71; Luke
19:28-40 Friday, June 12 Luke 19:41-48 Now as He drew
near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If you had known, even you,
especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace!” (vv.41-42a) I now understand how Jesus weeps for all the
people who make a choice to not have a relationship with him. It touches my
heart deeply that years ago, when I wandered alone in my poor choices that lead
to my alcoholism, he wept for me. Christ didn’t point a finger or shout at me.
He wept for me; a father crying for his runaway son. Does your vision of God turn you away because
you see Him as a tough taskmaster like your own father? A father never
satisfied or who never took the time to just love on you? I once heard a
speaker describe how some people have a mislead vision of God as a customs
officer with a nightstick, going through their moral suitcase. Christ waits on our first step towards him to
have a relationship, to carry our burdens and walk alongside of us. He weeps to
be our savior if we will just invite him into our heart. 2 Chronicles 26:1-22; Psalm 69; 2 Corinthians
12:11-21 Saturday, June 13 2 Corinthians 13:1-14 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves.
Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in
you? (v.5a) For twenty years I made my living as an actor
in It reminds me of what I did with God. I grew
up in the Church and jumped through all the hoops. I said the prayers and
boldly sang the songs. I thought Youth Group was fun and I listened to Sunday school
stories, but didn’t relate to this man named Jesus. It was addiction, fifteen years ago, that
brought me to the Cross. Before that, I was an actor in church. I knew of Christ, but I did not know him as my Savior.
I had to let go of a lot of pride to humbly ask him to live in my heart, to
start the transformation. God asks, “Where are you?” Are you just an actor on
Sunday morning, or does Christ live in your heart when you walk out that church
door? 2 Chronicles 31:2-10, 20-21; Psalms 75, 76;
Luke 20:1-8 by S. M. Ford
Sunday June 14
2
Chronicles 32:1-23 “Be strong and
courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Several years ago, I was on a mission trip with some
college students. One day we were at the beach, looking out at waves that were
bigger than anything we’d ever seen. It was one of those moments where
everybody knew this was trouble, and yet pride and peer pressure caused everyone
to follow the one guy who had the nerve to suggest that we “go for it.” We all
threw off our shirts, ran as fast as we could toward the waves, and tried to
body surf to the best of our abilities. No more than 5 minutes later I found
myself in a barrel roll, completely at the mercy of where the waves took me. I
was in way over my head. I love how when we are in way over our head, and have
no reason to believe help is on the way, if we stand strong and in faith, God
always saves the day. As Hezekiah said, “there is a greater power with us than
with him” (King Sennacherib). Psalms 93, 96; Revelation 15:1-8; Matthew 18:1-14 Monday June 15
Acts
1:1-14 So when they met together, they asked him,
“Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to It’s always interesting to see the journey our youth
group kids take as they grow and mature in high school, and then as graduates.
For many of these kids, I remember specific moments where we took them on their
first trip with the group and how jittery they were, always
wanting to know the plan or where we were going next or what activity
was next. I must confess I developed this bad habit of giving the same answer
to every inquiry that these students would make, just to keep them appeased: “Twenty
minutes.” “Jeff, how long before we have a bathroom stop?”
“Twenty minutes,” which really meant about 2 hours. My
favorite was when they’d respond, “But you said that
twenty minutes ago!” Jesus told his young, jittery disciples: “Don’t worry
about times or dates… you’ll have the Spirit and He is all you will need.”
Twenty minutes. 1 Samuel 1:1-20; Psalm 80; Luke 20:9-19 Tuesday June 16
Psalm
78:1-39 He decreed statutes for Jacob and
established the law in I’m fortunate enough to have one set of grandparents
still alive and in my life. My grandfather is a most interesting character,
with a quick wit and a fantastically dry sense of humor. A World War II
veteran, he has always amazed me with some of the stories he’d tell of his days
working one of his many odd-jobs throughout the years. On a recent visit he was
excited to give me a manuscript. “What is this?” I asked. I looked at the cover
and found the words “My Autobiography.” I’m 1/3 of the way through the 200 page
manuscript and I have learned more about my grandma and grandpa and my own
father than from 27 years of visits, stories, conversations, and life together.
This manuscript is quickly becoming one of my most treasured possessions. May we never deprive our children of the richness of
our stories of God at work in our lives and the journey he has brought us on. May these conversations become some of their greatest treasures. 1 Samuel 1:21—2:11; Acts 1:15-26; Luke 20:19-26 Wednesday June 17
Acts
2:1-21 When they heard this sound, a crowd came
together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own
language. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Are not all these men who are speaking
Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native
language?” (vv.6-8) In 2003 I was in 1 Samuel 2:12-26; Psalm 119:97-120; Luke 20:27-40 Thursday June 18
Luke
20:41—21:4 While all the people were listening, Jesus said
to his disciples, “Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around
in flowing robes and love to be greeted in the marketplaces and have the most
important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They
devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be
punished most severely.” (vv.45-47) I once had a friend who had the opportunity to intern
with a ministry. Several months into the internship I had lunch with him. I
asked him how he liked what he was doing and what he was learning and found out
that he wasn’t enjoying it at all. “The director actually had me clean toilets
one day! This isn’t right! I should be preaching; I took this internship so I
could have the opportunity to preach!” In today’s reading Jesus is talking with the “religious”
in the temple and pointing out to his disciples the true nature of their
character. The perfect example of Godliness walks right before their very eyes,
and Jesus simply points out that God is the God of those who serve for reasons
other than just to appear to show love for their King. And he speaks honor over
that poor widow who was faithful to sow blessing into the Kingdom. I thought to myself that day: “If he cannot clean
toilets for the Kingdom, what can he offer by preaching about the Kingdom?” 1 Samuel 2:27-36; Psalms 34, 83; Acts 2:22-36 Friday June 19
Psalm
88 But I cry to you for help, O Lord; in the morning my prayer comes
before you. Why, O Lord, do you
reject me and hide your face from me? (vv.13-14) I get nervous when I encounter people that seem to
have all the answers. If you were to look at the past 25 years and marvel at
the advances we have made in technology, knowledge, science, and medicine, you
would think that we have “arrived.” I wonder sometimes if, in the process of it
all, we have gained a great deal of knowledge and yet somehow turned off our
ability to reason, to wrestle, and to question. I can identify with David in the Psalms: “God, where
are you? I feel so alone right now.” He questions God; asks him why the
rejection; why the absence. One of the greatest breakthroughs I’ve had in my
life was coming to the realization that God is big enough to handle my
questions. He’s big enough to handle me on the floor flailing my arms and
shouting my anger at him. Some of the moments where I have felt the presence of
God so close to me have been in these moments and, like a gentleman, he never
seems to say a word of rebuke, but rather “Do you know how much I still love you?” 1 Samuel 3:1-21; Acts 2:37-47; Luke 21:5-19 Saturday June 20
Acts
4:32—5:11 There were no needy persons among them. For from
time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from
the sales and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as
he had need. (vv.34-35) I have read and re-read this passage many times in my
life and, while I believe that even more insight and revelation awaits me, one
of the things that has stood our so far—perhaps the most significant thing that
has struck me—is the connection between an abundance of God’s grace and
provision for people’s needs, almost implying that they are directly
correlated. It doesn’t say that there were no “wanty”
persons in their midst, but rather no “needy” persons. “You need a shirt? I
have two; here have mine; now we’re both clothed.” “You don’t have food for
your family tonight? Join us; we have too much and we won’t eat all that; it’d
be a shame for it to go to waste.” When people live graciously with one another,
I love how community is cultivated and needs just seem to disappear. Maybe more
of our relationships, conversations, and interactions need to start and end
simply with “Grace and peace to you.” That is putting flesh and blood on the
risen Jesus for all the world to see, and I believe it is the best possible way
to live. 1 Samuel 4:1b-11; Psalms 87, 90; Luke 21:20-28 by
Jeff McLaughlin
Sunday, June 21
James
1:1-18 Every generous act of giving, with every perfect
gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is
no variation or shadow due to change. (v.17 NRSV) I once read somewhere that 1 Samuel 4:12-22; Psalms 66, 67; Matthew 19:23-30 Monday, June 22
Luke
21:29-36 “So also, when you see these
things taking place, you know that the The words that stood out for me in our
readings for today were: “the 1 Samuel 5:1-12; Psalm 89:1-18; Acts 5:12-26 Tuesday, June 23
Psalm
100 Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, bless his name. (v.4) When others asked the disciples about their
relationship with Christ, their reply often was: “Come and see” (John 1:39). The
Very Rev. Sam Lloyd, Dean of Washington Cathedral, was once Rector of Boston’s St. John, in his Gospel (John 7:17), tells us
the same thing when he says that anyone who resolves to do God’s will will know the truth of all of Jesus’ words. 1 Samuel 6:1-16; Psalms 97, 99; Acts 5:27-42; Luke 21:37—22:13 Wednesday, June 24
Luke
22:14-23 Then he took a loaf of bread,
and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is
my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” (v.19) Henri Nouwen in Bread for the Journey wrote: “Each day
when we celebrate the Eucharist, Jesus comes down from heaven, takes bread and
wine, and by the power of the Holy Spirit becomes our food and drink. Sometimes
we might think, ‘I wish I had been there with Jesus and His Apostles long ago!’
But Jesus is closer to us now than He was to His friends then. Today He is our
daily bread!” Jesus welcomes all of us, loves every one of
us, and urges each one of us to become all He created us to be. Judas was
present at that first Eucharist and Jesus washed his feet along with those of
the other weak, frail, sinful disciples who were later all going to become
great Saints. Judas went out alone into the night, the darkness. How will you
and I ultimately respond to Christ’s great love for us? 1 Samuel 7:2-17; Psalms 101, 109; Acts 6:1-15 Thursday, June 25
Luke
22:24-30 “For who is greater, the one who
is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I am
among you as one who serves.” (v.27)
The
disciples (so like us!), even after having had their feet washed by our Lord
and having had their first communion, began to squabble among themselves as to
which one of them was the greatest, the most important. It was not the first
time that the argument had broken out among them. Jesus pointed out to them
that he was among them as one who serves others, not as one who lords it over
others and tries to dominate them. How different our world would be if we paid
attention to his words! We would all be thinking about how much we could do for
one another, not what we could get from others. Our thoughts would be about our
Lord and about others, not about ourselves. We might be amazed to find
ourselves feeling surprisingly joyful and more at peace than we had ever been before. 1 Samuel 8:1-22; Psalm 105:1-22; Acts 6:15—7:16 Friday, June 26
Luke
22:31-38 “Simon, Simon, listen! Satan has
demanded to sift all of you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your own
faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned back, strengthen
your brothers.” (vv.31-32) The Scriptures comfort us by telling us that
our Lord prays for us as He did for those first disciples. Sinful, fearful
Peter is an endearing example for us of someone who did love our Lord but often
failed Him. It was only after Peter had received the power of the Holy Spirit
at Pentecost that he became all Christ created him to be. You and I were given
the gift of the Holy Spirit at our Baptism. That same power of transformation
is just as available to us as it ever was to those first followers of Christ’s. Glory to God whose power, working in us, can
do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine; glory to him from generation to
generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus forever and ever. Amen (Ephesians
3:20-21). Thanks be to God! 1 Samuel 9:1-14; Psalm 102; Acts 7:17-29 Saturday, June 27
Luke
22:39-51 “Father, if you are willing,
remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done.” (v.42) I was troubled during Holy Week by having
read that the well known, highly-educated Biblical scholar, Marcus Borg, writes
in his most recent books that Jesus died because of us but not for us. The
hymns we were singing at the time told a very different story; they were songs
of thanksgiving for Christ’s great love in willingly dying for us. The
Liturgies proclaimed: “This is my Body, which is given for you... This is my
Blood, which is shed for you... By his blood, he reconciled us; by his wounds,
we are healed... To fulfill your (the Father’s) purpose he gave himself to
death...” Should I take Marcus Borg’s words seriously?
The best possible answer came to me on Easter when I read the story of the two
disciples on their way to Emmaus. They told our Lord—not knowing that it was
the Lord—that they had hoped Christ would be the one to redeem 1 Samuel 9:15—10:1; Psalms 107:33-43, 108; Acts 7:30-43 by Sister
Mary Michael
Sunday, June 28 Matthew 21:23-32 And when he entered
the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he
was teaching and said, “By what authority are you doing these things and who
gave you this authority?” (v.23 RSV) Every time I hear the word “authority” used, it brings to mind a vision of Jesus’ temptation and his rejection of the authority of the world that Satan offered, and his later teaching of his disciples that his authority is not to Lord it over anyone, but to serve and set free. It has to do with what I am, rather than what I can make you do. It is not so much enforcing a law by compelling someone else to do what I demand of them; it is more a matter of enabling someone to get rid of sin that makes one act contrary to the law, and to get on impelled by the Love of God to fulfill His will. It enables others to choose to obey and then obey. When the Church embraces the authority that we have been given by God, we will ignore the arguments and stay with the prayer to set people free from bondage to sin and set them free to receive and embrace the will of the Living God who gives us authority over evil and enables us to walk in the perfect freedom of His service. God has never compelled me to do anything. He has called me out of sin and enabled me by His authority to be set free to walk with Him. I am still working with Him on my freedom, and His authority is still giving me the grace I need to grow. 1 Samuel 10:1-16; Psalm 118; Romans 4:13-25 Monday, June 29 Luke 22:52-62 But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are saying.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the cock crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly. (vv.60-62) I used to live with the idea that I was in control of my own behavior. I knew what I would and would not do, but I often changed my mind at the last minute when to show integrity would lead other people to think bad things about me. When I thought I would look good and righteous, I would be honest and brag about it, and in those times when I would not, I would tell a little lie and justify it. Jesus had warned Peter what to look for and Peter, as long as he was talking with Jesus, was in control. Jesus told him what was going to happen and Peter swore by all that he believed about his control of his behavior that he would be loyal unto death. I am sure that when Jesus turned and looked at Peter, his look said “I told you Peter, and I want you to know that I love you anyway, but you are going to need the grace that the Holy Spirit will bring in order to grow into the commitment you will need to stand up and be counted under any circumstances.” Peter learned that at Pentecost. I learned it when I needed to stand firm in my faith and in the grace that the Holy Spirit still brings to those who are willing to put their trust in God, and not what other people think of them. When we are set free to walk in Jesus’ love, we are set free to let other people think what they will, and we remain free from having to please people. 1 Samuel 10:17-27; Psalm 106:1-18; Acts 7:44—8:1a Tuesday, June 30 Acts 8:1-13 And
the multitudes with one accord gave heed to what was said by Philip, when they
heard him and saw the signs which he did. For unclean spirits came out of many
who were possessed, crying with a loud voice; and many who were paralyzed or
lame were healed.
(vv.6-7)
The Gospel was
not something that sought intellectual agreement. It was a message that was
proclaimed and made manifest with power to heal and set free. In this account
about Philip preaching in When I first heard the Gospel it came out like: “Jesus loves you, so just believe in his Name and do what he told us and when you die, you will go to heaven and not to hell.” As I began to try it out, I found that it is a call to live in the Kingdom now, knowing the King and being changed by what he does now. I have found that Jesus is still using his disciples to heal and set people free from bondage to the world.
When my abusive
anger became intolerable, I was led by the Lord to someone who was willing to
cast it out. When he cast it out, my alcohol addiction left with it; so I can
say that the
That is what
happened in 1 Samuel 11:1-15; Psalms 120, 121, 122, 123; Luke 22:63-71 Wednesday, July1 Acts 8:14-25 Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Sama’ria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit; for it had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. (vv.14-16) There was no assumption made in the early church about Baptism and the Holy Spirit’s reception. It was important to see that the people who were newly baptized also received the Holy Spirit if they had not already done so. In Acts 10:44-48, Peter was preaching to Cornelius’ household and the Holy Spirit fell on those who heard. It was reckoned as a sign that they should be baptized in water to complete the acts of knitting together the new converts and the Lord. In the Charismatic Renewal of the late 60’s and early 70’s, it was important that the leaders see obvious signs like the gift of tongues to be assured that the Holy Spirit had been received, but it has seemed to me that it is the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace—that we all need, and it is the Holy Spirit who comes to cultivate that garden within us where they grow. In my experience, it doesn’t seem to matter how much Holy Spirit we have, but rather how much of us the Holy Spirit has. Have we given as much as we can to as much of God as we know? The other thing that impressed me was the penitence of Simon when Peter condemned him for trying to buy the power to transmit the Holy Spirit. When we want the best, we try to get it; but we don’t want to lose what we have already received. 1 Samuel 12:1-6, 16-25; Psalm 119:145-176; Luke 23:1-12 Thursday, July 2 Luke 23:13-25 (Pilate said) “Behold, nothing deserving death has been done by him; I will therefore chastise him and release him.” But they all cried out together, “Away with this man and release for us Barab’bas” —a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city and for murder. (vv.15-19) The Jews were looking for a Messiah of their own design. They were looking for one who would come with an army and throw off the Roman yoke and exalt the temple and its use. The kingdom they were looking for was not a kingdom of love but of law, a kingdom that would mete out punishment where they could be in control. Jesus gave them no indication that was what he had in mind. He seemed rather to be building a kingdom of love. That was quite a shock to me when I realized that he was not going to demand that we conform to justice the way I saw it. He took my sin and suffered for it, and he gave me his life that I did not deserve. When I finished thinking about that for a while, I was free to step out of the crowd and shout, “Away with Barabbas. Give me Jesus. He’s the only hope I have of being justified.” 1 Samuel 13:5-18; Psalms 131, 132, 133; Acts 8:26-40 Friday, July 3 Acts 9:1-9 Now
as he journeyed he approached The Lord seems to have a different way of revealing himself to each one of us. For me it was a matter of putting someone in my path who knew him and shared the reality with me. When I had checked out what she said through prayer and his answers, his presence makes more sense to me than any of the alternatives that I used to hold. When he spoke to me through my friend, he led me to try him and see if he was real. For me, the first miracle he showed me was my own children, after the doctor had said “no way.” He also healed my organist from cancer when I had just begun my ministry in a small parish. It was a matter of doing what he said and seeing that he was faithful in responding. He needed to do something more profound to get Saul’s attention, so he knocked him off his horse and spoke to him telling him to go on into town and he would be told what to do from there. Saul had no alternative. He was blind and needed the help of his travel companions. He received what he needed to get his attention—like we all do. 1 Samuel 13:19—14:15; Psalms 140, 142; Luke 23:26-31 Saturday - July 4 Acts 9:10-19a And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for a man of Tarsus named Saul; for behold, he is praying, and he has seen a man named Anani’as come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” (vv.11-12) One of the things that I have found more than once in my walk with God is that He sends me to do some things that I cannot do. As it turns out, there is nothing that He can’t do through me if I am willing. When He calls, I have learned to walk into the impossible situation to see what He really has in mind. I know of no other way for Ananias to find out what God had in mind, or for any of us today, except to try out what God calls us to do and allow Him the freedom to use us in the same way He used Ananias in Saul’s life. When the Lord calls, it is not a matter of making sense to human beings. It is a matter of human beings obeying to see what He plans to do through us to further the spread of His Kingdom. For Ananias, it was to release the tremendous ministry of Saint Paul. For us it may be something similar. 1 Samuel 14:16-30; Psalms 137, 144; Luke 23:32-43 by Al
Durrance
Sunday July 5 1 Samuel 14:36-45 So Saul asked God, “Shall I go down after the
Philistines? Will you give them into I believe that Saul did have a love for the Lord but he puts his own judgments above God’s will and timing. When God doesn’t answer Saul in what Saul considers a timely manner, he doesn’t wait on the Lord. Saul arranges for an odd little inquiry into who has supposedly disobeyed God, concluding that Jonathan’s disobedience is why God hasn’t answered Saul. As the God who created the universe, He is omniscient. He answers our prayers when He determines it is the right time. Furthermore, God’s time isn’t ours: “With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day” (2 Peter 3:8). I have definitely had prayers answered in God’s time—and not mine. It is frustrating, but taught me to wait patiently for the Lord. We need to be obedient to the Lord and wait for his lead. We don’t need to act without his guidance. That is foolishness. Perhaps he has something for us to learn as we are waiting for him to answer us. Psalms 146, 147; Romans 5:1-11; Matthew 22:1-14 Monday July 6 1 Samuel 15:1-3, 7-23 “I am grieved that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions.” (v.11a) God tells Saul to attack the Amalekites. He gives specific orders to completely destroy them—leave nothing behind. Saul followed some of God’s orders, but he leaves the Amalekite king alive and saves some of the riches. He tells Samuel he was going to offer the best of the plunder as a sacrifice to God. Saul thinks he has done a great thing. God regarded it as disobedience. I reflect on the things in my life God has called me to do. At times, I haven’t been completely obedient. I have only done part of what the Lord asked me to do and then rationalized the rest away. God rejected Saul as king as a consequence of his disobedience. I wonder what the consequences of my disobedience were. I am sure I have missed out on some blessings by not completing what the Lord has asked me to do. Lord, I seek forgiveness for times when I have chosen to only party obey you. Help me to fully submit my will to you. I want to give you my whole heart. Psalms 1, 2, 3; Acts 9:19b-31; Luke 23:44-56a Tuesday July 7 Psalm 6 I am worn out from groaning; all night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears. (v.6) What a description of sorrow and heart break. If you have been through trials, you can picture the writer of the psalm doing just that. I had a favorite chair I would sit in while I read my Bible and prayed. At different periods in my life, I have spent more time sobbing and crying out to the Lord in that chair than reading. I am sure I drenched it with my tears. I am grateful that I had a comfortable spot to sit and let it all out. I am more grateful that when I cried out to God he heard my prayers, weeping, and cries for mercy (vv.8-9). I know that he did because I felt his peace and comfort as I went through the trials. I can also see that my prayers were answered more abundantly that I could have imagined. Lord, I know that you are always ready to hear about my heartbreak and sorrow. Thank you that you answer my prayers and give me your peace, which is what I need to get through my trials. 1 Samuel 15:24-35; Psalm 5; Acts 9:32-43; Luke 23:56b—24:11 Wednesday July 8 1 Samuel 16:1-13 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the same things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (v.7) God looked inside the young shepherd and saw that his heart was pure and devoted to the Lord. He knew David would be king. It fascinates me that the Lord can look at someone and see what they can become, regardless of the outside appearance. He knew it with Mary, a young woman who became the mother of Jesus. He knew it with Saul, a fierce persecutor of Christians who after his conversion spread the gospel throughout much of the world. It is similar to how a coach can observe a person’s raw abilities and know, with coaching and practice, what kind of athlete they can develop into. Similarly, through prayer and guidance from the Holy Spirit, the Lord molds and shapes us. The Lord sees things we don’t in a person and looks past much of what we think is important. I wonder if we would treat people differently if we could look at someone the way the Lord does. Lord, I want to see people with your eyes and see the spiritual potential you see in someone. Psalm 119:1-24; Acts 10:1-16; Luke 24:12-35 Thursday July 9 Luke 24:36-53 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. (v.45) Often, when I read the Bible, I just gloss over the words. Or, when I hear Scripture being read, I tune it out. I don’t ingest any of it. When I ask the Lord to open my mind to understand Scripture, the verses come alive. They make more sense to me. I can see how they relate to things in my past or are an answer to prayer. They give guidance for the future. It is the Lord’s desire that we know the Scriptures, actually meditate on them; but it has to be our desire. I believe that if your heart is open, you will come away a changed person. The Word of God is living and breathing, it is active and powerful. Lord, as I read your Word today, I pray for you to open my mind and heart. Make your Word come alive in a way that changes me. Give me an understanding of your Scripture that can only come from you. 1 Samuel 16:14—17:11; Psalm 18:1-20; Acts 10:17-33 Friday July 10 Psalm 16 Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. (v.5) This psalm speaks to me about
being content with where the Lord has placed you in life and the benefit of
living out your life daily with him. There is a quiet confidence and peace that
comes from knowing that God is with you all the time and in all circumstances,
including death (v.10). When I look around at the
folks with bigger houses or nicer cars, who take exotic vacations, I become
envious. Why can’t I have those things as well? My sorrows increase when I run
after things that are temporary. There is nothing wrong with possessions or
riches, but when I long for them instead of the Lord I am lost. Then I reflect on my life and
am thankful for all the blessings the Lord has bestowed on me. I am always
blessed when I keep my eyes focused on the Lord. I have peace, I am content. 1 Samuel 17:17-30; Psalm 17;
Acts 10:34-48; Mark1:1-13 Saturday July 11 Mark 1:14-28 At once they left their nets and followed him. Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him. (vv.18, 20) Simon and Andrew left their fishing boat, their careers, and their means of supporting their families. James and John left not only their boat but their father, walking away from all they knew. When I gave my life to the Lord I took a similar leap of faith, believing in someone I couldn’t see, leaving my old self behind, and walking toward a new life with Christ. I heard him calling my name. I have taken other leaps of faith for the Lord. Some were more emotional, like trusting others or giving up something and trusting that the Lord would take care of me. Others were more physical, like moving away from the job, church home, and friends that I loved because the Lord was calling us elsewhere. Have you heard His voice calling you into a new life with him, calling you into a new job, new responsibilities, or a deeper walk with Him? Are you listening for His voice or is your day so busy that you can’t hear him calling your name? 1 Samuel 17:31-49; Psalms 20, 21; Acts 11:1-18 by Mara
McClain
Sunday, July 12 Romans 10:4-17 But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in
your heart,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming. (v.8 NIV) The Word of God is light to our spirit and soul. It is given to be near us, to surround us, to guide us and illuminate the path of God before us, His Church. The word is active, alive! It has power in our life! When I read this passage I think about
Deuteronomy 30 where Moses instructs the people to follow the commands of the
Lord. He says the commands are not out of reach or beyond our ability to
understand or follow them. We are people of the book; we can know what is
expected of us by what is written in those pages. I am thankful that I do not have
to wait for some mystic or prophet to tell me what God is saying; I can know
for myself. God has told us what He wants of us in the Scriptures. We have it
easy; we only have to pick up a Bible and read to know what God wants of us.
The Word then is not only very near to us, it is in us, in our hearts and in
our mouths. If the Word of God is rooted in our heart, it naturally flows from
out of our mouths.
When I am alone I try to read the Scriptures
aloud. To audibly hear them from my own mouth gives me strength and peace. To
hear myself read aloud helps the words sink into my heart. If you have never
read aloud, try it. I think you may come to agree with me. The Word of God is
a precious gift that God has given out of His great love and care. It is a gift
that should not be taken lightly. Give proper place to it in your home or
workplace. 1 Samuel 17:50—18:4; Psalms 148, 149, 150; Matthew 23:29-39 Monday, July 13 Psalm 25 The Lord confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them. (v.14) Recently, a friend called and asked me to join her for dinner. She said she wanted to tell me something that she had not shared with anyone else. I didn’t have a clue what she was going to tell me, but I knew something was stirring her. When I arrived at the restaurant I sensed a more serious tone that set this evening apart from the casual times that we had experienced together in the past. As we ate dinner my friend started unfolding this incredible dream that she longed to achieve in her life. She shared her excitement and her fears. I sat and listened for quite a while. I could tell that it was a meaningful time for her, and I felt privileged that she confided in me. That time with my friend makes me think about this verse in Psalms and about God’s promise to us.
The Lord God
Almighty Himself “confides” in those who fear him. Such an astounding thought
that God considers us confidants. And why not? From
the beginning He called us to have a personal relationship with Him, to be
partners in His work. Moreover, I think about the disciples and how Jesus called them his friends. “You are my friends if you
do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not
know his master’s business” (John 15:14-15). But note that God does not confide
in everyone, only those who fear Him—or we might say only those who will spend
time enough that God would call them friends. He confides in us so that we will
learn to dream His dreams and work out His plans. And He knows that if we join
our lives and purposes with Him, we will find the greatest peace and
commitment. I hope that God can trust me with His secrets. I want to
stay close by His side and dream His dreams and to know more of His nature.
What about you? Are you one in whom God confides? If not, maybe it is time to
rearrange your life priorities and habits to make time. Spend time at length
with God that we may know him even as we are fully known by Him. 1 Samuel 18:5-16, 27b-30; Acts 11:19-30; Mark 1:29-45 Tuesday, July 14 Acts 12:1-17 Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists. (v.7) I am wondering if you think about angels as much as I do. Honestly, they are fascinating to me. Certainly there is also a lot of misinformation floating around about angels in this day, but I never want to forget that they do exist and are part of our world. Angels are mentioned 273 times in the Bible. Most have the appearance and form of a man. Some are brilliantly white and shining, while others look like ordinary humans. Some angels are invisible, yet their presence is felt and heard. No, we may not be able to see them as Peter did, but God’s angels are nonetheless there to protect us and appear on scene in the middle of our lives, whether it is times of joy or times of despair. I remember what evangelist Billy Graham said one time: “If you are a believer, expect powerful angels to accompany you in your life experience.” Wow I wonder how many of us think about that each day. “For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways” (Psalm 91:11). “Keep on loving each other as brothers. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it” (Hebrews 13:1-2). 1 Samuel 19:1-18; Psalms 26, 28; Mark 2:1-12 Wednesday, July 15 Mark 2:13-22 On hearing this Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners.” (v.17) A while back I had a “Jonah day.” Do you ever have Jonah days? “Jonah days” are when the circumstances you are in just seem to swallow you up for some reason. You just can’t seem to do anything right, you feel down, pitiful, and, honestly, just not worthy of anything. During my “Jonah day,” in a word, I just needed one thing—Jesus. Quite the opposite, the Pharisees felt like they did not need anyone, and they were definitely not happy with Jesus because He spent time with those believed to be unworthy of being God’s people. Jesus hung around thieves, prostitutes, tax collectors, and others of the societal outcasts. Pharisees saw themselves as doing everything well. They considered themselves as righteous ones. They were content with their holiness; others were just as impressed. Still, it was this outcast crowd that seemed to have a grasp of the truth. They were the ones who felt the hand of God upon them when Jesus was around. They were the ones who experienced the grace of God when they looked into the mirror of their souls. No pretensions of holiness, yet, over and again in the Scripture we see that often it was this group of people who walked away in holiness and had exceedingly thankful hearts. How often we wish we could be holy, just like the Pharisees saw themselves—doing everything right, living well, being admired for our holiness. But the reality for us is that there are far too many “Jonah days” when we are overcome by our sins and failures. Some days we do not even desire to get our act together. We slip, and when we stop long enough we feel certain that we must have missed our ticket for heaven. Jesus came to save the sinner not the righteous. If you are finding yourself in the midst of a “Jonah day,” look to Jesus—he came for you. 1 Samuel 20:1-23; Psalm 38; Acts 12:18-25 Thursday, July 16 Psalm 37:1-18 Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and we will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice or your cause like the noonday sun. (vv.4-6) Last week I dubbed the day, “sort through the drawers day.” I still snicker when I recall the whole scene. I headed to the outside garbage carrying a huge basket overloaded with an assortment of papers. One paper would sail out, I would stop, pick it up, and then another would drop out from the other side. This went on and on down the driveway until I finally reached the trash can. I was hoping no one was watching, for surely the whole scene was quite a comedy. At times isn’t that what it feels like to keep things committed to God? To commit oneself to the Lord means entrusting everything—your family, your home, your job, your worries, your health, your to-do list, your friendships, your possessions, your failures, your future, your past, your everything—including this very moment. But in reality, God knows everything in our basket of life and He is the best one to take care of it all. If we take time each morning to commit our life anew to Him, we will be strengthened to let Him carry our basket. And yes, He promises to give us the desires of our heart. He is a very, very good God and He loves His children. 1 Samuel 20:24-42; Acts13:1-12; Mark 2:23—3:6 Friday, July 17 Psalm 31 I will
be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and know the
anguish of my soul. (v.7) Such is the awesome wonder of God that when he looks
out into a crowd, He does not merely see a room full of faces, He sees me. He
is a God who loves the community of people and He is the God of the individual.
When I am happy, He knows it. When I delight in Him, He knows it. When I am
troubled, He knows it. When I am in anguish and afflicted, He knows it. He
knows what is going on in each of us because he knows each one of us intimately
and fully. He knew us before we are conceived. He formed us in the womb. He
knows the number of hairs on our head, the scars on our heart, the longings of
our soul, and the deep places of which we dare not speak to another human
being. He is a proud Father that looks adoringly at His child. What is it about us humans that keep us from accepting
this? Can you imagine what this world would be like if all of us took hold of
this truth? What peace we would have in our lives. Where you are God sees you!
So believe it now and live today with this in your heart: God loves you. I am so wonderfully amazed that I cannot hide from God’s
love. It always finds me. The prophet, Zephaniah, had a good sense of God’s
love for us when he writes this: “The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty
to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he
will rejoice over you with singing” (Zephaniah 3:17). 1 Samuel 21:1-15; Acts 13:13-25; Mark 3:7-19a Saturday, July 18 Acts 13:26-43 “For
when David had served God's purpose in his own
generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his fathers and his body
decayed.” (v.36)
When you lie in bed at night, what do
you dream of doing in this life? What excites you and makes you think? God has
thought through your life and He has put you on this earth at this particular
time. God has called you to serve Him in this generation no matter what
condition this world is in. Maybe you wish you could have served Christ in
other eras. Perhaps you wish you could have been one of the Twelve Apostles.
Maybe you wish you had other gifts and talents. Maybe you think it is too late
to be used in powerful ways by our Lord.
But to think this way is to underrate
the work of God in your life. It is to dismiss your value to Him and to
diminish His ability to use you, your gifts, your life, and your setting in
great and glorious ways for His kingdom. No matter how badly you would like to
turn the clock back or forward, no matter how you wish your life had gone in
different routes, these days that we live in belong to God. You were born in
the here and now. You have important talents and resources that fit just for
this day. And listen carefully to this: God has calculated their value and has
great plans for how you can contribute to his glory. The world needs you!
When you go to bed tonight don’t
hesitate to lend a little thoughts to your dreams. They are not haphazard. Pray
through them, share them with someone. God is waiting for you to go for it! He
has handed the torch of earlier disciples to you in this generation. Go into the world and sow the seed of the
Gospel so that the 1 Samuel 22:1-23; Psalms 30, 32; Mark 3:19b-35 by Robin
Jagoe
Sunday, July 19 Romans 11:33—12:2 O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! (v.33 NRSV) Sunday is a good day to pause, reflect, take a break from our sound-bite culture, and sink into the depths of these majestic words. It is a good day to look at the big picture, to secure our spiritual moorings as another week begins. It takes a little time, of course. I like to think of Sundays as the pause that truly refreshes my week! I must do the pausing; the Lord does the refreshing. Our God is indeed an awesome God. His ways are inscrutable, his judgments past finding out. It is an awesome thing to fall into the hands of the living God. 1 Samuel 23:7-18; Psalms 63, 98; Matthew 25:14-30 Monday, July 20 Mark 4:1-20 Again he began to
teach beside the sea. Such a very large crowd gathered around him that he got
into a boat on the sea and sat there, while the whole crowd was beside the sea
on the land. (v.1) Can you hear the lapping of the waves, see the glistening water, feel the gentle rocking movement of the boat itself? And Jesus—sitting there. An old gospel hymn says it all: “I would like to have been with him then.” But the thing is: we can be with him now. We really can. We can take time to recreate the scene, to flesh it out in our imagination, to be there, and spend some time just hanging out with him. And he, for his part, will make himself known to us, in ways we can understand. 1 Samuel 24:1-22; Psalms 41, 52; Acts 13:44-52 Tuesday, July 21 Mark 4:21-34 He also said, “The |