September 10, 2013

Tuesday: September 10, 2013

READ: 1 Timothy 5

THINK: This is one of those chapters that may seem a little odd or a little unnecessary for us today because it is so culturally couched in Timothy’s world a couple thousand years ago. But Paul’s advice is actually really cool here, and what I want all of us to see is that it gives a big picture of who God is and how God cares.

Even in the first couple verses Paul writes something that paints a picture of how God wants his people to relate to one another. And those verses, if any of the verses in this chapter, might make a lot of sense to us. But check it out: in the first century Roman world, that stuff was counter-cultural. And not just mildly. The idea of treating old people and women with respect, and displaying purity towards young women in your interactions was a total paradigm shift for many in that culture. It simply wasn’t the reality that they were living in. And here Paul says, “This is what God is calling you to.” Our thought might be, “Duh!” but the first people who heard this thought, “Wow!”

This is the same with the section on widows. In the first century, widows had no rights. Like zero. And they were considered to be the property of their husbands. So if a husband died then the widow was basically helpless unless she could find another one or she had family that could afford to care for her. Paul basically says, “Hey, if she can find another husband cool. If she has some family that can care for her cool. If she can’t then the church has to take care of her. We cannot abandon widows.” Again, the response of the first readers would have been, “wow!”

This was a new concept – that we should respect and love everybody around us and take special care of the least of these and the needy. That’s what Paul is getting at in this chapter. And that’s a pretty big takeaway for us. The specifics of what he says may not apply, but the picture that we get of who God is and who he created us to be in relation to one another is one that makes a difference for us.

Today, I want all of us to ask ourselves – really honestly – the following questions:

– Am I treating everyone around me with honor, purity, and respect? How can I improve in this area?

– Am I leveraging myself for the “least” around me? How can I improve in this area?

PRAY: Take some time to discuss your answers to those questions with God. Ask him to give you a vision for how he wants you to reflect him to those around you.

Posted by on September 10, 2013 in Epistles.

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September 9, 2013

Monday: September 9, 2013

READ: Numbers 9-10

THINK: I can’t imagine being a part of the nation of Israel during this time. Waking up each morning in the desert and looking for the cloud, knowing that if it moved it was time to pack up and follow and that if it didn’t it was another day right there in that same piece of desert. And also having absolutely no clue when it would move and when it would stay. Eating manna for breakfast every day. And then eating manna for lunch every day. And then eating steak for dinner…just kidding…manna. Manna, which literally means “what is it?” for every meal. Let’s be honest, most of us don’t hear that and feel jealous. It was a weird season of life for the Israelites.

But God was doing something. Though the movements of the cloud seemed random to them, they weren’t random at all to God. God was shaping his people. Every moment that they were in the desert was a moment that God was giving them a bigger picture of who he was and a bigger picture of who he designed and called them to be in the world. And I so appreciate that because in my own life it isn’t always easy to see God in the frustrations. It’s nice to know that he shapes and molds us in those spaces and never abandons us there.

Sometimes we need to step back and remember all that he’s done for us so that we can have the proper perspective in the present. The thing in these chapters that jumps off the page most, to me anyways, is that the nation of Israel celebrated the Passover. Even in the middle of the desert. And it was so incredibly important that they all celebrate it that anyone who couldn’t – for reasons of ceremonial cleanliness – participate the first time got a make-up date. The Passover, put simply, was a meal that symbolized God’s deliverance from their slavery in Egypt. Each bit of food had significance in helping the people to remember what God had done.

So, why was it so important? Because humans are forgetful. We are so forgetful that we need tangible reminders – symbols – of who God is and of what he has done for us. So God ordained this celebration and commanded the nation of Israel to participate in it in order that they might intentionally and powerfully remember. But here’s the kicker: he didn’t do that for his sake – because he wanted the glory of being reminded of his mighty triumphs or he wanted extra praise once a year. He did it for their sake. And for ours. How so? It radically changes the way that we see our lives when we remember all that God has done for us and view life through that lens.

It’s easy to forget. And get bitter. And cut God out of our stories. But even in the midst of the hardest and most confusing seasons of life – like the season of wandering in the desert for the Israelites – when we step back and intentionally remember what God has done it changes everything about who we are. It gives us his lens – his lens to see ourselves and his lens to see those around us. So never forget to remember all that God has done for you!

PRAY: Our lives are so busy that it’s easy to never stop and think about what God has done and is doing. Take a time out today and think about that stuff. Take a trip down memory lane and recall the things he did for you years ago that impacted who you are today. Thank him. Worship him. And then walk away with a commitment to be more intentional, more frequently about taking stock of all that he has done in your life.

Posted by on September 9, 2013 in Uncategorized.

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September 8, 2013

Sunday: September 8, 2013

READ:  Jeremiah 27-29

THINK: Reread Jeremiah 28:10-17. Take some time to think through the following questions well, and possibly write down your answers:

What does God seem to be addressing in Hananiah’s underlying message or motive? Could you sum up what you notice in a single sentence? What do you think about how God dealt with him? Having read this story, what do you feel right now toward God?

PRAY/LIVE: Take several minutes to think through your current situation. Where is God allowing you to feel the ache or consequence for something you’ve recently done (or not done)? Bring this openly before God and tell him how you feel abou it. Ask him to help you see your heart clearly, to understand what drew you toward that action (or nonaction).

If you haven’t let do of what you’re doing wrong – despite the burning consequences – think about what rejecting this path might look like for you. What really keeps you from turning around? God is inviting you to live in a certain way in this area of your life. What are some small steps you could take toward receiving that invitation?

Take them.

– Adapted from Eugene Peterson in Solo

Posted by on September 8, 2013 in Uncategorized.

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September 7, 2013

Saturday: September 7, 2013

READ: Psalm 105

THINK: A little boy said, “Salt is what spoils potatoes when it is left out.” Using the same kind of negative definition, we can say, “Gratitude is what spoils life when it is left out.”

A disposition of continual thankfulness comes from an unshakable confidence in God’s wisdom, power, and goodness no matter what our circumstances may be. People who possess the quality of gratitude may be poor in this world’s goods, but they are truly rich spiritually.

Some of the most grateful people I know have few material possessions and little money in their bank accounts. A character in one of Charles Dickens’ stories remarks, “My not knowing at one meal where I shall get the next is a great help to thankfulness.”

Riches, on the other hand, may be a handicap. A wealthy woman told her doctor that she was frustrated by a restless desire to accumulate more and more things. He replied, “These are the usual symptoms of too much ease in the home and too little gratitude in the heart.”

No matter what your circumstances, count your blessings. Psalm 105 reminds us, “Give thanks to the Lord! . . . Remember His marvelous works” (vv.1,5). The salt of gratitude helps to make all of life taste better. A good attitude begins with gratitude to God.

PRAY:  Thank God today! For everything you can think.

Posted by on September 7, 2013 in Psalms.

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September 6, 2013

Friday: September 6, 2013

READ: 2 Chronicles 7-8

THINK: “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” – 2 Chronicles 7:14

A brief thought about repentance today from Charles Spurgeon:

Called by the name of the Lord, we are nevertheless erring men and women. What a mercy it is that our God is ready to forgive! Whenever we sin let us hasten to the mercy seat of our God, seeking pardon.

We are to humble ourselves. Should we not be humbled by the fact that after receiving so much love, we yet transgress? O Lord, we bow before thee in the dust and own our grievous ingratitude. Oh, the infamy of sin! Oh, the sevenfold infamy of it in persons so favored as we have been!

Next, we are to pray for mercy, for cleansing, for deliverance from the power of sin. O Lord, hear us even now, and shut not out our cry.

In this prayer we are to seek the Lord’s face. He has left us because of our faults, and we must entreat Him to return. O Lord, look on us in thy Son Jesus, and smile upon thy servants.

With this must go our own turning from evil, God cannot turn to us unless we turn from sin.

Then comes the triple promise of hearing, pardon, and healing. Our Father, grant us these at once, for our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake.

PRAY: Sometimes when my son, Jimmy, does something wrong and we sit down to talk about it he will not – he cannot – look me in the eyes. He gazes at the floor. I think, in the same way, it’s hard to “seek God’s face” when we feel ashamed of what we’ve done. Today, lay hold of God’s promise not just by humbling yourself, confessing, and repenting but also by genuinely seeking God’s face. He promises that when we seek him we’ll find him. Bring your sin before God today and seek his face to fill you up.

Posted by on September 6, 2013 in History.

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September 5, 2013

READ:  Luke 8

THINK: One of the greatest military minds of the 20th century was French general Ferdinand Foch. (Picture)  Foch commanded French forces in the 1st WW and eventually, during that war, was promoted to commander not only of all the French army but of all the American, British, and French allied efforts on the continent of Europe.  Foch’s greatest achievement, however, came at the allies darkest hour.  The German forces had occupied the Rhineland and they were bearing down hard on the rest of France. With the whole of the French army in full retreat, Foch was ordered to take command of the French 9th Army on the frontline of the fighting and the back line of the retreat.

Less than one week later, his maneuvering turned the tide of the war. As he engaged in heavy battle with the German forces Foch was asked to give a report to the Allied Central command.  He replied in 5 short sentences: “Hard pressed on my right. My center is yielding. Impossible to maneuver. Situation excellent. I attack.”  And he attacked. And he won. And I cannot help but be struck by the impact that Foch’s perspective had not only on his situation but on the outcome of WWI.  His decision to attack when he was hard-pressed and yielding, when it was impossible to maneuver, turned the tide of the war.  And he attacked because, while others would have looked at his situation and retreated, Foch looked upon it and thought, “situation excellent!”  It was a matter of perspective.

I think it’s similar for us when it comes to evangelism.  I think that the reason we are so wary of it, that we treat it like a dirty word sometimes, is that we look upon it from the wrong perspective.  We often view it as a something that we’re supposed to do for God, we view it as a chore that He demands of us, and we view it with the understanding that we are responsible for the results. And none of that is correct. God wants us to be sow the seeds of his message and shine our light so that others can see it. He wants that for us not from us. He wants it because it gives us meaning and purpose in our lives and allows us the opportunity to build loving relationships with people and see them come to Him.

His call upon our lives to share our faith, both by living it out in the midst of a dark culture and by actively loving and serving people and telling them about Him, is a gift to us.  It is an amazing opportunity for us to participate in something bigger than ourselves.  It is a chance to live our lives in such a way that we make a real, eternal impact upon the world around us, as we sow seeds and shine in the darkness. We aren’t all going to be Billy Graham or Mother Theresa, but if we are willing to embrace the idea of being light and sowing seeds as God’s great purpose-giving plan for our lives, then we can all leave change eternity for those around us as God works through us.

That last part is incredibly important to remember: the way in which God worked through our lives!  We aren’t responsible for the results. We don’t need to count up the people whom “we’ve converted” or even worry about whether we ever do. That’s not the point, and if we do that then we are often left feeling one of two things:  disappointed and disillusioned because we feel like we’ve failed or prideful because we think that we’re really great at saving people and we’re really great at sowing seeds and shining light. But as Jesus tells us in this parable: the seeds fall on different types of soil. That’s not our responsibility. Our responsibility is to sow out of love for the lost people around us.

What if evangelism was more about loving people than converting people? What if it was more about prayer than about programs? What if it was more about questions than about having all the right answers? What if it was more about giving meaning to your life and the things you do than about fulfilling a requirement? What if all of your life could be all about eternity all of the time? God is calling us to go out there and live the way that He calls us to live and to love the way He calls us to love. He is calling us to look upon evangelism with a new perspective. He is calling us to be people who sow seeds and light up the darkness around us. He is calling us, like Ferdinand Foch, to look at the situation in our world and our culture and, instead of reacting in fear or timidity, boldly declare, “Situation excellent! I evangelize.” 🙂

PRAY: Ask God to show you where to light up your world. Ask him to give you the boldness to sow seeds and trust him for the results.

Posted by on September 5, 2013 in Gospels.

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September 4, 2013

Wednesday: September 4, 2013

READ: Jeremiah 24-26

THINK:  “I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart.” – Jeremiah 24:7

I see so much of modern America in the Israel of Jeremiah’s day, as our society walks away from a God who beckons us to himself and treats those who speak God’s truth with disdain and hatred. And yet, despite our self-indulgence and our abandonment of God and despite the fact that we deserve harsh judgment, he loves us and beckons us back. When I think about that on a personal level – that God has given me a heart to know him, that God is patient with me even though I constantly fail, and that he calls me to return with all my heart – it absolutely blows my mind! Today, consider these words, preached by the great Charles Spurgeon on Jeremiah 24:

With what blindness has sin struck the heart of man, for man does not know his own Maker! It is implied in the text that in his heart he is ignorant of Jehovah, though in Him he lives, and moves, and has his being. What an impotence has sin brought upon the mind of man, since being ignorant of God he is also incapable of finding Him out! This, also, may be most readily gathered from the text. The fact that a promise is made in the Covenant that to the chosen shall be given hearts to know the Lord is a clear proof that without the Divine teaching and without the reception of a new heart from the Lord, man not only does not know, but cannot find out his God!

You boast of your intellect, O vain Man, but your foolish heart is darkened so that you stumble in the noonday as at midnight. You have eyes, and you say, “I see,” but your eyes are closed, your ears are dull of hearing and your heart has waxed gross. And your soul has become so dull that only He who formed the ear can make you hear. And only He who fashioned the eye can give you sight.

How can we sufficiently admire the condescension of God, that He should stoop to instruct the heart of man? Man forgets his God, but God does not forget him. Though man knows not God, yet God knows him and, seeing that his powerlessness to grasp Divine knowledge lies in his heart, He visits him in Grace and renews the fountain of his strength and the center of his nature by giving him a new heart and a right spirit.

The infinitely glorious God might have regarded it as a matter of indifference whether such an insignificant creature as man knew Him or not. He might well have said, and it had been consistent with the majesty of His justice to say it, “Seeing that you do not desire to know Me, you shall not perceive Me. And inasmuch as you close your eyes to Me, you shall continue in outer darkness. Because you will not glorify Me as God, your hearts shall abide in midnight, I will leave you to your own devices.”

But the Lord of Love said not so to the sons of men, upon whom His heart was set! On the contrary, He has made a Covenant of Mercy on our behalf and His speech is the reverse of what we might have expected. He declares in the words of the text, “I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am Jehovah.”

PRAY: (from Spurgeon’s sermon) If you have received this heart to know the Lord, bless Him every minute of your existence for this choicest of all blessings without which you could not enjoy any other Covenant blessing! Never cease to praise the Lord, for He has favored you above measure in giving you so priceless a blessing. But suppose you stand in doubt as to whether you know God? How should you act? Listen to good counsel—consider your ways and turn unto the Lord your God, even now. Confess your ignorance, dear Friend. A sense of ignorance is the very vestibule of knowledge.

Go before God this very day with an acknowledgment that you know nothing. Tell Him how ignorant, blind and stupid you are. Confess it all before Him. That being done, remember that it is by the knowledge of Christ that you are to be justified—“By His knowledge shall my righteous Servant justify many” (Isa. 53:11). Study the Character of Christ. Contemplate, with eager attention, His work and Person. See God in Christ Jesus and when you have done so, cry mightily unto the Lord, saying, “You have given this promise in Your Covenant! Lord, let it be a promise unto me and do You fulfill it. You have said, ‘I will give them a heart to know Me.’ Lord, give me a heart to know You!”

Posted by on September 4, 2013 in Prophecy.

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September 3, 2013

Tuesday: September 3, 2013

READ: 2 Chronicles 4-6

THINK: This is one of those Bible moments where what is happening is so epic that there’s almost no way we can fully grasp or appreciate it without being there. And we, reading it in the 21st Century, are at an even greater disadvantage because we are separated from this event by not only time, but by space and culture as well. But it’s important for us to understand that the building and dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem was massively important for the nation of Israel. They had been looking forward to this moment for centuries – ever since they began their journey to the Promised Land from Egypt. The temple was God’s dwelling place on earth!

These chapters have a lot to do with God’s presence. The temple was built specifically for his presence – though Solomon rightly acknowledged that God is everywhere and he fills the heavens and the earth and no building could possibly contain him. It was built to house the Ark of the Covenant. It was built to be the center of Israelite worship and religious practice. It was built as a continual reminder that God was very literally with the people of Israel.

And the end of chapter 5 and beginning of chapter 6 are so cool! They describe the way that the physical manifestation of God’s presence and glory moved into the temple and dwelt there. This “cloud” that gets mentioned is the one that led the nation of Israel through the desert. It is God’s Shekinah glory – the symbol of Divine presence that burned for Moses in a bush and led the people through the wilderness. And it filled the temple. It filled the temple in such a powerful way that the priests couldn’t even enter to perform their duties that day. I don’t know about you, but I feel like that would have been outrageously awesome to see!

But the temple that Solomon built was eventually destroyed. It was destroyed because the people of Israel ignored and forgot God’s presence and chased after idols. I want to challenge you today, in view of this passage that describes what God’s presence can be, to not walk down that same road. For us, the temple symbolizes our spirit – created and designed to be the place where God lives and dwells. Take a minute to stop and think about that. Think about the word picture that this passage paints, and then realize that because of the cross of Jesus Christ that very Shekinah glory has come in and filled you up. That very God dwells within your soul!

Today, as you marvel at that, I want to suggest 3 things to stoke the fire of God’s presence in your life and not forget or ignore it, 3 things that come out of the celebration of Israel during the dedication of the temple:

 

1. Live in love. Israel put away all divisions, frustrations, and hatred and united to dedicate the temple. They became “as one.” It is hard to humble ourselves for the sake of unity, but if we genuinely love others and want to experience God’s presence we must. God is love, and his presence beckons us to show it.

 

2. Live in worship. They lifted up their voices to God. We were built to worship. God’s presence beckons us to worship. If we don’t, we miss out. I love the way 19th century writer Thomas Carlyle put it: “The man who does not habitually worship is like a pair of spectacles behind which there is no eye.”

 

3. Live in gratitude. Be awed by who God is and what he has done for us. Like Israel, worship him for his mercy and his love that he shows to us. Thank him for who he is and what he graciously gives us even though we deserve none of it.

 

PRAY: Make much of the presence of God today! Live in love, worship, and gratitude. Sit in awe that the holy King of the universe lives in your soul. Thank him for it. Ask him to help you cleanse your temple so that it might be a more worthy home for him – so that your life might inwardly reflect the outward beauty of that incredible temple that Solomon built. And look for God’s presence all around you – in every interaction and in every bit of creation – remembering that he fills the heavens and the earth.

 

LIVE: If you have a couple extra minutes and you are thusly inclined, memorize this poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning. It is one of my favorites and committing it to memory has helped me because as often as I recall it I am reminded to keep my eyes peeled for all that God is doing, and to live in reverent wonder at his presence:

 

“Earth’s crammed with heaven,

And every common bush afire with God;

But only he who sees, takes off his shoes,

The rest sit round it and pluck blackberries.

Posted by on September 3, 2013 in History.

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September 2, 2013

Monday: September 2, 2013

READ: Numbers 7-8

THINK: In 1953, Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay – his Sherpa guide – became the first humans to ever scale Mount Everest, the world’s highest mountain. Hillary was 33 years old at the time. When they made it back down the peak they were met with instant acclaim. This great feat brought Edmund Hillary wealth, fame, a Knighthood, and the realization that he had already lived a remarkable life.

I think many of us in Hillary’s situation would have been tempted to just retire. To retreat from our toils and spend the rest of our lives indulging in our wealth and fame. But Hillary chose a different route. He refused to rest on his laurels. Although there were no higher mountains to climb, he achieved a number of remarkable things and campaigned tirelessly to improve the welfare of the Nepalese people who lived near Mount Everest until his death.

In Numbers 8 God tells the Levites to retire from their normal duties at the age of 50. But this retirement looks a little bit different in the Old Testament than it does in 21st century America. We tend to think of retirement as stepping back from the world around us, congratulating ourselves for the work we’ve done, and spending our final years doing whatever makes us happy in the pursuit of self-indulgence or, at least, self-fulfillment. But God gives the Levites a different picture. He tells them to retire from their duty and then focus on another one – to spend more time focusing on the needs of others.

Wherever you are at in life – whether you’re a young student or an older individual at or nearing retirement age – it is critically important to see what God is doing here. He is reminding the Levites that though life changes as we age and our abilities and tasks change as well, retirement doesn’t mean resting on our laurels. We can’t afford to sit back – at any stage of life – and make excuses for inaction. God wants to use us to touch those around us. Remember this: as long as you have air running through your nostrils and a heart beating in your chest you have the chance to make an eternal impact. Don’t waste your life away chasing anything less than that. Don’t sit back and quit serving because you’re retired. Serve more. If you’re not dead, you’re not done!

PRAY: Confess the times in your life when you’ve sat back, proud of your own accomplishments, and avoided taking action for God. Confess the times when you’ve been self-centered instead of self-sacrificial in your relationships with those around you. Ask God to fully leverage your all the days of your life for his Kingdom.

Posted by on September 2, 2013 in Law.

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September 1, 2013

Sunday: September 1, 2013

READ: Psalm 99

THINK: As Moses was tending his father-in-law’s sheep in the desert, his attention was drawn to a strange sight. A bush was burning, but it was not being consumed. As he looked more closely at this phenomenon, he heard a voice say to him, “Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground” (Ex. 3:5).

Joshua had a similar experience as he led the Israelites into the Promised Land. When he approached “the Commander of the Lord’s army,” he was told to take off his sandals because he stood on holy ground (Josh. 5:13-15).

The experiences of Moses and Joshua vividly teach us that a holy God demands our reverence and respect. True, we are encouraged to “come boldly to the throne of grace” (Heb. 4:16), and we can enter the presence of God with confidence because Christ has opened the way for us through His sacrificial death on the cross. But we are never to approach God with disrespect. Our heavenly Father is not “the man upstairs.” He is God, the One who is “high and lifted up” (Isa. 6:1). As the one true God, He is worthy of our highest adoration and praise.

God not only desires our devotion and respect, He deserves it. He is worthy of our heartfelt worship. “Exalt the Lord our God and worship at his footstool; he is holy.” – Psalm 99:5

PRAY: Take some time today to come before God and honor him for his holiness. Humble your heart before him and worship him for who he is.

Posted by on September 1, 2013 in Psalms.

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