June 7, 2012

Thursday: June 7, 2012

READ: Romans 10

BACKGROUND: In the chapters leading up to this, Paul spends a great deal of time talking about Israel. He desperately wants to see the people from his nation, God’s chosen people, following and obeying Jesus. Chapter 10 continues his discussion on who is saved and why they are saved.
By Verse:
2- Israel is zealous for God because of their pursuit of religious activity. Paul tells us to be zealous in understanding God’s righteousness.
4 – Righteousness comes directly through Christ, this is the only way to become righteous, or right with God. Also, “Christ is the end of the law” does not mean the law no longer exists, it means that Christ has completely and perfectly fulfilled it.
9-10 – This is a pretty clear explanation of what it means to be a Christ-follower.
10 – Salvation isn’t just about inward belief. It is also about outward confession and obedience.
13 – Peter quoted this same passage (Joel 2:32) on the day of Pentecost.
15 – This is a quote from Isaiah 52:7 where the prophet is talking about those who bring good news to the Israelites in exile and captivity in Babylon about their release. Paul uses it here to apply to those who bring good news to people in captivity to sin about their release through the cross.
18 – Quotation from Psalm 19:4
19 – Quotation from Deuteronomy 32:21
21 – The responsibility for Israel’s rejection was Israel’s fault. Israel had failed to keep its end of the covenant – faith.

THINK: Have you ever felt like you studied really hard for a test, but when the paper was placed in front of you, you blanked? I’ve done that before. I have gone into a final feeling so confident that I know the material backwards and forwards, but when it comes to actually spitting the information back out…I freeze. It takes me a minute or two to recall everything I have learned, or worse, the knowledge is just gone. I’m afraid we do this with the gospel too. Let me explain what I mean.

We may think we know what the Bible says pretty stinking well. Seriously, some of us have been in Sunday school since we were in our mother’s womb! We know the stories, we get the gospel. Or do we? When asked what we believe do we know what to say? Or do we mutter off a few words about Jesus dying on the cross and forgiveness? Do you really know how to tell someone about Jesus? Romans chapter 10 states the gospel in a beautiful and clear way. I encourage you to read it, and really really know it, so that you can take the opportunities given you to share your faith.

One of the first things we learn from Paul about the gospel is that it is close to every person. “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart (vs 8).” God is not trying to hide his truth from us, it is not far from us and people are able to get a hold of it. Scripture speaks here and says that in order to enter into Jesus’ kingdom we need to confess he is Lord and believe he is the risen Christ. What does it mean to “confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord”?” Try to answer this question on your own, without reading on. How did you do? Here are some of my thoughts. This confession is a willingness to state out loud to the world that Jesus is in control of your life. You don’t run your life, your friends aren’t in control of your life and the standards of the world are not the ones calling the shots. God is. If Jesus is really your king, then you seek him for every decision.

Now again, answer this one on your own before reading my thoughts. What does it mean to “believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead”? We absolutely must agree with God’s truth that Jesus is alive! It was the power of God’s spirit that raised Jesus from the dead and he is living and powerful today!

So now let’s ask, what does it mean to be saved? For one it means we are a part of God’s eternal kingdom. Jesus is coming back to rescue, redeem and rule this world and we get to be a part of that holy rule. It also means that there is no longer any shame. God doesn’t look at our sin in disgust after we have clothed ourselves with Jesus. We are righteous in God’s sight. Another incredible thing about salvation: blessing! God richly blesses us verse 12. He blesses us so that we can go and be a blessing to others.

The best way we can bless others is by sharing with them the amazing truth of the gospel. “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” There are people all around the globe that are in need of salvation, are we bringing it to them? The friends you hang out with this summer may need this truth spoken to them. There are billions of people around the world who are lost and in need of believers coming to tell them the good news of Christ. Verses 14 and 15 ask how people will know the gospel if no one tells them. We can be a part of telling these unreached people. I challenge you to start by logging on to www.joshuaproject.net and praying for an unreached people group. Pray for beautiful feet to bring the gospel there!

ASK: How well do I know the gospel? Ask God to open your eyes to opportunities to share.

CHALLENGE: Go to www.joshuaproject.net and pray that we who are saved will share this blessed gospel with these lost people.

Posted by on June 7, 2012 in Epistles.

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June 6, 2012

Wednesday: June 6, 2012

READ: Matthew 15-16

BACKGROUND: By Verse –
15:2 – When they say “tradition of the Elders” they’re referring to the fact that during the Babylonian captivity a number of rabbis began to make meticulous rules and regulations to govern daily life. These rules were later collected in a book called the Mishna.
5-6 – This verse describes the practice of declaring something Corban – or a gift to God. Doing this didn’t necessarily mean the money was set aside for God; it was just a clever way of keeping money aside and not using it to help out family members. Technically people were keeping the letter of the law, but certainly they were violating the spirit.
26 – Jesus isn’t saying that the gospel is only for the Jews. He is saying that there is a particular order to things, and he came to bring the gospel to the Jews first. The woman understands this and accepts the “scraps” and he rewards her for that.
16:17 – Peter didn’t come up with this all on his own. God revealed it to Peter.
18 – This is a particularly divisive verse. Catholics believe that Peter himself is the rock upon which the church is built. The language of the passage, however, clearly indicates that Peter’s confession that Jesus is the Messiah – the truth and the person of Jesus himself – is the rock upon which the church is built.
19 – Peter used this “key” imagery at Pentecost when he declared that the Kingdom of God was unlocked for all people.
20 – It wasn’t that Jesus didn’t want people to know. It just wasn’t the right time yet, and Jesus knew people would try to kill him immediately if they heard this.

THINK: Several years ago a friend of mine visited an exhibit of relics from the infamous Titanic voyage. Exhibit visitors were given a replica ticket with the name of an actual passenger or crew member who, decades earlier, had embarked on the trip of a lifetime. After the tour group walked through the exhibit viewing pieces of silver dinnerware and other artifacts, the tour ended with an unforgettable twist.

A large board listed the names of all the passengers, including their status—first class, second class, crew. As my friend looked for the name of the person whose ticket he was holding, he noticed a line across the board dividing the names. Above the line were the names of those who were “saved” and below the line all those who were “lost.”

The parallel to our life on earth is profound. It really doesn’t make any difference how the world ranks your status. The only thing that ultimately matters is whether you are “saved” or “lost.” As Jesus said, “What profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Matt. 16:26). Perhaps you’ve already trusted in Christ for your salvation. But what about your fellow passengers? Instead of sizing them up by the externals, talk to them about their ultimate destination.

In light of eternity, what you believe is far more important than what you achieve.

By: Joe Stowell in Our Daily Bread, February 24, 2011

ASK: How do I see the people around me? Do I look at them as either saved or lost, or do I tend to view them based on more superficial and external things? What would it look like if I started seeing everyone around me as saved or lost?

Posted by on June 6, 2012 in Gospels.

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June 5, 2012

Tuesday: June 5, 2012

READ: Genesis 25 and 26

BACKGROUND: The narrative of Genesis shifts here, as Abraham dies and Isaac, his son, inherits the promise that God made to his father.
By Verse:
25:6 – Polygamy was a common practice in ancient times – even by Bible heroes like Abraham, David, & Solomon. This though, was not God’s intention for marriage and sexuality – then or now.
22 – The struggle between these twin brothers began before they were even born, and it certainly didn’t end afterwards.
23 – The ancient law of primogeniture meant that normally the younger would be subservient to the older. But God had different plans in this case.
25 – A couple of thoughts: 1. That sounds like a gross-looking baby. Hairy & red? 2. Esau is a funny name; it’s a pun. It’s kinda like having a baby that comes out with red hair and naming her Ginger. 🙂
26 – Jacob’s descendants (Israel) were constantly in conflict with Esau’s descendants (Edom).
31 – The birthright included a double-share of the inheritance. But it was WAY bigger than that. It also included all of the covenant promises that God had made to Abraham.
34 – Despising his birthright means that Esau rejected the things of God.
26:1 – This is a chronological flashback. It happened before Jacob & Esau were born.
16 – God’s people living God’s way make people uncomfortable. Always. Happened to Isaac. Happens to us. Living rightly makes others’ sin more clear to them.
35 – God had clearly indicated that intermarrying with Canaanite women who didn’t believe in him was a bad thing – this is why Abraham sent his servant so far to find Rebekah for Isaac. Esau ignored this.

THINK: During the first semester of each school year, we teach a reading class for freshman whose test scores fall below state requirements. Part of the class work includes having the students practice reading passages aloud. Sometimes what we teachers hear surprises us – students with very low scores read quite well. Their pronunciations are correct; they pause in all the right places, and rarely stumble over words. There’s a problem, though. Reading fluency cannot measure reading comprehension. It can never take the place of understanding. As I read the book of Genesis, I’m reminded of how much I am like those students. I am fairly fluent in the “tell me the story” department. I know about Isaac and Rebekah and their twin boys – beloved Jacob and the red-headed rebel, Esau. But how much do I really comprehend? Have I taken the time to think about this crazy dysfunctional family? When I do, I see the same behaviors and problems many of us face today. First, Esau cared nothing for the things of God. His empty stomach was the only thing on his mind. Back to reading class – how’s this for hyperbole: “Look, I am about to DIE,” Esau whines in Chapter 25, verse 32. “What good is a birthright to me?” What good is it? What good is it?  At the heart of this birthright (and this is something Esau clearly knew) were the very covenant promises God had made to his grandfather, Abraham. Esau wanted some stew more than he wanted a relationship with the God of the universe – and too often so do we! He thought the birthright thing was no big deal, yet it led to a lifetime of ignoring God. The consequences? Ruinous relationships with family, marriage to an unbeliever, and ultimately two nations who are fighting to this day…

By: Deb Howard

ASK: Is there something (or even someone) I want more than a relationship with Jesus Christ?

Posted by on June 5, 2012 in Law.

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June 4, 2012

Monday: June 4, 2012

READ: Psalm 18

BACKGROUND: This is a Psalm written by David upon the occasion of him being saved from the hand of Saul, who kept trying to kill him, after Saul died and David’s own kingship was able to be established. It is intended to be sung by a choir.

THINK: I cannot help but read this Psalm and be reminded, every time I hit verse 46, of the camp songs that I sang growing up. The band, Petra, made this verse into a popular Christian Rock song in the 90’s called “I will Call Upon the Lord.” If you have a real hankering for 90’s Christian rock you can check out some live performances on YouTube. The lyrics are simple enough. They basically quote the verse and say, “I will call upon the Lord, and so shall I be saved from my enemies. The Lord liveth, and blessed be the Rock, and may the God of my salvation be exalted.”

Strangely, though, as I reminisced about my camp experiences while listening to Petra I started to wonder how often in my life I call upon the Lord when times are rough. When I am frustrated and beat up by the world – like David was when he wrote down this Psalm – is God the first place I turn?  If I’m honest, the answer to that question isn’t always yes. I often try to handle things on my own and fix the situation myself. Or I turn to friends and family members to help me out. Sometimes, unfortunately, I treat prayer like a last resort. If everything else fails and I absolutely can’t do it on my own then finally I’ll turn to prayer.

I think King David did just the opposite. He knew that he couldn’t handle the storms of life on his own. He knew that he couldn’t save himself from the destruction his enemies would bring. And so he prayed! He went to God confident that God would hear him and answer his prayers and bring about his salvation. God was his rock – the very foundation his life was built upon.

We would do well to follow in David’s footsteps. We can be confident – no matter what situation we find ourselves in – that our God is alive! And he is our foundation and our rock! And he hears our prayers and delivers us!

ASK: When I find myself in difficult and frustrating situations, where is the first place I turn?

Posted by on June 4, 2012 in Psalms.

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June 3, 2012

Sunday: June 3, 2012

READ: Proverbs 11

BACKGROUND: By Verse
1 – The law required that weights – used in the marketplace – be just and fair. But people didn’t always obey. They used incorrect weights to cheat others.
7 – The hopes of wicked people may be powerful – and may seem to be fulfilled – in life, but in death they will amount to nothing.
10 – This is a really interesting verse & challenging for us, I think. The main idea is that the lives of the righteous benefit the society in which they live & the deaths of the wicked benefit the society in which they lived. Are our lives a benefit to our culture?
13 – This is describing a malicious gossip or slanderer – not someone who is discreet.
18 – The labor of the wicked brings no real of permanent reward. The labor of the righteous brings a reward that lasts forever.

THINK: In October 1962, the world held its breath as the US and the Soviet Union stood at the brink of nuclear war. Premier Nikita Khrushchev had delivered nuclear missiles to Cuba, and President John F. Kennedy demanded their immediate removal. Tensions were at an all-time high.

Kennedy phoned three former US presidents to get their advice. Herbert Hoover had faced the economic problems of the Great Depression; Harry Truman had ended World War II; and Dwight Eisenhower had served as the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe. Each had valuable insights to share. After Kennedy conferred with all of his White House advisors, a balanced course of action defused the crisis. War was averted.

The Bible encourages us to seek the advice of wise counselors. Proverbs 11:14 states, “Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.” The word translated “counsel” is a Hebrew nautical term used for steering a ship. The wisdom of godly advisors can help steer us in the right direction.

ASK: Am I facing a crisis? A truly wise person is open to the counsel and insight of others. Whom can I turn to for guidance? Will I prayerfully seek the advice of some godly believers today?

By: Dennis Fischer in Our Daily Bread on November 4, 2006

Posted by on June 3, 2012 in Poetry.

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June 2, 2012

Saturday: June 2, 2012

READ: Judges 1-2

BACKGROUND: Judges covers the historical period between the death of Joshua and the first Israelite king, Saul – from about 1380-1050 BC. Unfortunately, it is a story about how the Israelites didn’t follow God’s instructions and lived wickedly. They were constantly influenced by the culture around them, rather than living the way God called and being an influence on those around them. The “judges” themselves weren’t judges the in the way that we think of now. They were military and civil leaders who delivered the people from oppressors and made rulings (like modern judges) and kept order.
By verse:
1:6 – Seems cruel but it had a purpose. He had done this to others, so it symbolized powerfully that the roles were now reversed. Also, it made sure that he couldn’t use any weapons anymore.
19 – The iron chariots may have been the military reason for the Israelites’ defeat. But their spiritual disobedience was the overarching reason.
2:1 – This was very likely the Lord himself that came to address Israel.
2 – In Deuteronomy 7:1-6, God had given very clear instructions to Israel about how they were to conquer the land he was bringing them into. They didn’t follow these instructions. And they suffered for it.
3 – God is telling them how easy it is to be influenced by the wickedness of the culture around you.
13 – Baal was the rain & fertility god of the Canaanites and the Ashtaroth were his female companions. Worship of Baal included prostitution and human sacrifice.
16 – The judges are also called “deliverers” and “saviors” in this book.
18-19 – This is the recurring cycle that defines this time period in Israel’s history.

THINK: Sadly, the book of Judges could almost be called the book of defeats. Eventually, as if almost all hope is gone, the writer of Judges concludes, “They did not know the Lord” and “each man did what was right in his own sight.” Judges is a detailed book of history and geography – of unfamiliar names in faraway lands, and it may seem incomprehensible. However, like nearly all the other stories in God’s book, we can see ourselves on these pages. If we were reading the Bible straight through, the book of Judges might be even more depressing. Just a page or two before, Joshua leads the entire nation of Israelites in a mighty victory cry, “ We will serve the LORD our GOD and obey him!” These people had seen God’s hand of deliverance and protection from the Canaanites and they were committed to serving him completely. So what happened? Chapters 1 and 2 are a brief introduction outlining the basic problem:  The Israelites did not obey God completely and there’s a word for that: disobedience. Apparently, rather than taking God at his word and following his directions,  they assumed God wasn’t serious, or that he meant nothing, or that their failure would have no consequences. Of course, they were wrong. Over and over again throughout the book of Judges, the Israelites face defeat. And over and over again, Chapter 2 verse 16 tells us: “The LORD raised up judges (leaders), who save them out of the hands of…invaders.” Though they abandoned the LORD, he never abandoned them.

How might this apply to us today? I’m fairly certain most of us haven’t been called to overtake and occupy a foreign land. But take a quick look at James, Chapter 4, in the New Testament. James reminds us that too often, like the Israelites, we have a casual, almost arrogant, disregard for God’s instructions. We don’t take God seriously. James asks in verse 5: “Or do you think the scripture means nothing when it says…”  When it says what? When it says to flee from sexual immorality? (I Corinthians 6:8)  When it says to watch our mouths and what we say about other believers?  (Galatians 5: 15) When we are called to repent of pride before we fall?  When it says unrepentant sin will lead to discipline? (Hebrews 6:8) Or do we think the scripture means nothing?

ASK: Am I being arrogant about my sin? Do I think God isn’t serious? Have I, like the Israelites, decided it’s okay to only obey a little bit? If so, what consequences might I face?

Posted by on June 2, 2012 in History.

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June 1, 2012

Friday: June 1, 2012

READ: Genesis 23-24

BACKGROUND: These 2 chapters advance the narrative of Abraham and his family. It is obvious that the culture they’re living in is different than our own, but this is a cool story of God’s providence.
By Verse:
23:4 – Abraham was in the land that God had promised to give his descendants, but he didn’t own or rule it yet. He just lived there.
9 – Abraham wanted to just buy the cave, but Ephron wanted to sell him the whole plot of land the cave was on. This was partially motivated by Hittite law that Ephron still had to pay all the taxes on the land if Abraham only owned the cave.
15 – This is a healthy price for the field.
19 – Eventually, not only Sarah was buried here. Abraham, Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob, & Leah were all buried in this cave as well.
24:2 – “Under my thigh” is a real awkward place to put your hand unless you’re a quarterback taking a snap from the center. But strangely enough, in that culture (and in some cultures still today) that’s where you put your hand when you swore an oath. It may have been a symbol that the offspring would avenge the oath if the other party failed.
3 – The Canaanites were pagans.
4 – This is approximately a 500 mile journey.
14 – Watering 10 camels was a lot of work!
15 – Rebekah was Abraham’s grand-niece. Which makes her some sort of 2nd-cousin to Isaac. Again, weird, but a different culture than ours.
22 – That is some serious bling! At the current price of gold that’s around $10,000 worth of jewelry.
53 – The gifts given to her family functioned kind of like a dowry. They proved that the groom-to-be was had the necessary funds to support her.
55-57 – Rebekah’s family wanted time to get used to the idea of her leaving, but the servant reminded them that God had been clear.

THINK: Trajectory: [truh-jek-tuh-ree] noun, plural tra·jec·to·ries. 1. the curve described by a projectile, rocket, or the like in its flight. Example: The ball Mike hit in his softball game tonight did not have the proper trajectory to clear the fence as it’s trajectory took it directly to the glove of an outfielder. 🙂

The trajectory of a rocket is the path it will follow on the basis of its shape and speed and weight and direction. You can know ahead of time where it’s going if you understand its trajectory. That’s the way it is with God’s Word. The Bible does not give us a detailed description of God’s will for our lives. But if we listen carefully and study its shape, and speed, and weight, and direction, we will see trajectories that give guidance and strengthen faith. Let’s see how this worked for Abraham.

Sometimes God spoke to Abraham directly and made his will unmistakably clear. But as far as we know from Genesis, those times were few and far between. Most of the time it seems Abraham had to trace out for himself his own trajectories of obedience from what God had said and done in the past. I think that is what’s happening in Genesis 24:1-9.

Three trajectories from God’s Word combine to show Abraham what God’s will is at the present time. The first trajectory is that Isaac, his son, must have a wife. Second, the wife may not be taken from the Canaanites. Third, Isaac may not return to the land which Abraham had left. As Abraham ponders these three trajectories of God’s Word, he sees them merge into a single line of decision. The decision is: I will send my trusted servant to find a wife for my son among my own kindred and in my own land, and he will bring her back. Abraham determines what the will of God is by forecasting where the trajectories of God’s past revelation are leading. And Abraham is so confident that this is God’s will, he says to his servant in verse 7, “God will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son.” Once we know the will of God, we can have tremendous confidence that God will use his supernatural power to overcome obstacles for those who aim to do it.

I think most of us here want that very much. We want to be able to project God’s will for our lives into the future from the trajectories we have seen in the past. We want questions answered about marriage, and children, and job changes, and major purchases, and schooling, and the use of leisure time, and involvement in special ministries, and church affiliation, and what percentage of our income to give away, and on and on. And we want to enjoy that same confidence Abraham did—that when we aim to do God’s will, he will send his angel before us and overcome the obstacles. We want to be led by God, and we want to be led in triumph.

We discover God’s will for our lives from the trajectories of his Word, and God really does work powerfully for those who aim to do his will. He sends his angel before them. There are serious implications to be drawn from the fact the we discern God’s will from the trajectory of his Word. It means that if you are really serious about wanting to do God’s will, you will become a meditative student of his Word. I say meditative because it’s not just memorized facts that we need. It is a knowledge of trajectories. And we get that by asking: What’s the point of this? Where does that lead to? Why did he say this? Where is he heading here? What does this imply? To ask those questions prayerfully is to meditate. If you are not spending much time in meditative study of God’s Word, then probably doing God’s will on earth is not the passion of your life. And if you ever ask the question, “What is God’s will?” you probably get very confused. – Thoughts adapted from John Piper 8-8-82

ASK: Do I constantly struggle to figure out what God’s will is for me? What is one practical step (hint: the answer to this question is studying the Bible) that I could take to be able to understand his will better? When & how am I going to take that step?

Posted by on June 1, 2012 in Law.

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May 31, 2012

Thursday: May 31, 2012

READ: Isaiah 24-26

BACKGROUND: These chapters are a part of Isaiah’s apocalyptic vision. He begins by talking about the judgment of the world and the tribulation that is to come, and moves into a discussion of the peace and justice that will reign with the establishment of God’s Kingdom. Hope is a defining theme of this passage. Hope that justice will be served and that oppression will cease. Hope that one day we’ll live in a world that is so much better than this one – the world God created us for!
By Verse:
24:1-13 – The judgment will affect the entire earth – all people.
14-16 – This is an interesting passage which is driven by hope. Even though believers will suffer the punishments of the tribulation alongside everyone else, they will rejoice because evil is finally being judged and wiped off the face of the planet.
21 – “The host of heaven” likely refers to Satan and the fallen angels in this verse.
23 – Even the moon and sun will pare in comparative glory to the 2nd coming of Jesus.
25:6 – “This mountain” is Mount Zion.
8 – This verse is quoted in Revelation 21:4 & 1Corinthians 15:54. There will be no more need for tears when sin and death are swallowed up and taken away forever.
10 – Moab is simply serving as a representative, here, for all those who oppress God’s people.
26:1 – This is the song that all of God’s people will sing together in praise.
10-11 – This is a strong warning from Isaiah against those who continue to practice evil even after they’ve experienced God’s grace.
14 – Isaiah is not denying the resurrection of the body (see v.19 if you don’t believe me). This is an expression that is basically saying the old oppressors of Israel who’ve died are not coming back to oppress them again.

THINK: In 1773 Augustus Toplady, a pastor from the town of Blogdan, England was traveling through the country when a fierce storm rolled in. Fearing for his safety, Toplady scrambled to a nearby rock gorge called Burrington Combe where he found the perfect space to shelter him from the lighting, the thunder, and the rain. Struck, in that moment, by God’s provision for him, Toplady penned – on the back of a playing card according to legend – the words to the hymn Rock of Ages right there in that small cleft in the rock. The stirring words to this hymn express a profound appreciation for God’s provision in our lives, specifically his provision for our salvation. Rock of Ages became one of the most popular Christian songs for the better part of 2 centuries after Toplady wrote it.

But Augustus Toplady wasn’t the first person to call God the “Rock of Ages.” That language comes from Isaiah. After describing him – poetically in my opinion – as a defense for the helpless, a defense for the needy in their distress, a refuge from the storm, and a shade from the heat in verse 4 of chapter 25, Isaiah goes on to call him the “Everlatsing – or Eternal – Rock” in verse 4 of chapter 26. But the Hebrew phrase he used literally translates: “Rock of Ages.”

It is so encouraging for me to think about God as the Rock of Ages. Amidst all of the pain and the suffering and the frustrations of this life and all of the evil that surrounds us we have a Rock to turn to. No matter what happens, no matter what kind of storms life throws our way – there is a Rock of Ages ready to give us shelter!

ASK: Do I have confidence that God is with me during the storms of my life? What does it mean for me that he is the Rock of Ages?

Posted by on May 31, 2012 in Prophecy.

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May 30, 2012

Wednesday: May 30, 2012

READ: Matthew 14

BACKGROUND: By Verse:
1 – Herod the tetrarch = Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great, who ruled from 4 B.C. to 39 A.D.
3 – Here’s why Herodias had a problem with John the Baptist. She was married to Herod’s half-brother Philip. She then decided to leave him for his brother. John condemned this as immoral. She hated him for that. Herod, though, knew that John was speaking truth (see Mark 6:20).
16 – The crazy thing about this story (beyond the totally crazy part where Jesus does an amazing miracle) is that right after witnessing him do this, the disciples are shocked that he can walk on water. I mean, they just saw him feed thousands of people with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish, but they turn right around and don’t believe it’s possible to walk on water. It makes me laugh (especially because I know I’m just as stupid sometimes…okay…a lot of the time.)
25 – 4th watch = 3-6 AM
31.5 – Matthew 14:31.5 is a missing verse. It’s not included in our English Bibles. It’s also not included in any of the original Greek manuscripts. Matthew 14:31.5 is Peter’s response to Jesus’ question. Peter, the guy who always has something to say, says nothing. Not a word. This is probably the best and smartest answer he gives in his entire life. 🙂

THINK: We live in an image conscious culture that constantly renders us afraid of being seen as different because we worry we’ll be ostracized by our community or society at large. We are terrified that if we stand up and publicly acknowledge that which privately claim to believe we will offend people, we will lose friends, we won’t be invited to social gatherings, or, heaven forbid, we won’t be cool. The level of self-centeredness and self-absorption that surrounds us makes things difficult as well. We are dreadfully afraid that time and/or resources spent on God will interfere with our precious personal time for work or, even more important, for leisure. We are afraid that if we follow God’s call to live radical lives of faith rather than following society’s call to live lives of radical self-indulgence we will miss out on something great, when, in reality, it is precisely the opposite. Too often our lives don’t look noticeably different from the lives of the unbelievers around us. And why? Because we are dreadfully afraid of letting God work in and through us since this might disrupt our comfortable lives.

There’s a story about a man who took his grandchildren to the zoo. They looked at all kinds of animals, and eventually they arrived at the Impala cage. He read the sign and it said, “Behold the Impala! This animal is capable of leaping to heights of 10 feet and distances of 30 feet. This 3 foot wall contains the magnificent creatures.” This man was no math genius but he could tell there was a problem here, but, at the bottom of the sign was a little known fact: The impala will not jump if it cannot see where its feet will fall. So, a three foot wall is all it takes to contain this amazing powerful animal. I wonder, if different churches and Christians were exhibits at a zoo, what might the sign read? “Behold the Christian! It is a creature capable of doing amazing things, of transforming the world and changing lives. This tiny wall of fear that keeps it contained because it lacks the faith to jump if it is uncertain where it will land.”

I feel like so many Christians just sit in the boat (and we have good company because 92% of the disciples did too) when God is calling and equipping us to walk on water. He wants to work in and through us to literally transform the world! So we gotta get out of the boat! If we don’t, the world won’t change. Our friends, neighbors, co-workers, and loved ones, among others, will go on lost, desperate, searching and hurting while we sit by, too afraid to jump the miniscule wall of fear that holds us captive because doing so might disrupt our comfortable lives. If we do get out of the boat, though, God will do amazing things in and through us. He will radically transform the world around us, he will reach out and touch, comfort, and heal people through us, and he will radically transform our individual faith in him. Pastor John Ortberg writes, “Only Peter knew that when he sank, Jesus would be there, and he was wholly adequate to save. The other disciples could not know because they never got out of the boat. This is the fundamental truth: If you want to walk on water you’ve got to get out of the boat. If you want to experience the power of God in your life, you’ve got to take a step of faith. It involves risky obedience.” God is calling. Don’t be afraid to answer!

ASK: Am I living a life marked by fear or faith? In what areas of my life is God calling me to step out of the boat?

Posted by on May 30, 2012 in Gospels.

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May 29, 2012

Tuesday: May 29, 2012

READ: Psalm 17

BACKGROUND: This is a prayer of David where he appeals to God as the righteous judge who will protect him from attack from ungodly enemies. Interestingly enough, this particular psalm reflects a number of the traditional Hebrew forms & phrases for a judicial appeal before the king himself.
By Verse:
1 – The idea here is not that God will answer the prayer because David is so amazingly righteous. Instead, David is saying that the cause is true and just – that he isn’t just making it up.
8 – The idea of shade being protective – i.e. “the shadow of your wings” – is very powerful for a people who live in a desert climate. Ancient Near Eastern kings were sometimes referred to as the “shade” for their subjects.
15 – The idea of seeing God’s face when he awakes is a reference to waking from the sleep of death and dwelling with God in heaven. This stands out in direct contrast to his wicked accusers “whose reward is in this world” in verse 14. David knows where his ultimate hope lies.

THINK: One of my favorite memories of elementary school occurred when I was in 5th grade. My class was in the library, and the geezer librarian told us all that our assignment for the day was to pick out a fiction book and check it out. So, everybody walked around and got their books and I went back to my normal section – the one with biographies of famous sports stars – and I picked out a book about NFL Hall of Famers. When I brought it up to check out she told me that I couldn’t check that book out because it wasn’t fiction. So, I put it back and grabbed a book about dinosaurs. When I brought that one up to check out she again – sounding more annoyed this time – told me I needed a fiction book and I couldn’t check that book out. At that point, I decided that if a book wasn’t about dinosaurs of football players I didn’t really care to read it, so I walked over, picked a random book from the shelf and brought it up to check out. I don’t remember anything about that book except this: it was not a fiction book. I hadn’t done it on purpose – I just wanted to check out – but at that point the geezer librarian had a panic attack. She freaked out that I hadn’t brought up a fiction book yet, and made a girl in my class named Kate show me where the fiction section was. I promptly, and without looking, grabbed the nearest book and took it up to her. Honestly, I just wanted to check out and I wasn’t trying to bother her, but the fact that I didn’t spend the time to choose carefully set her off even more.

The reason I’ll always remember this story isn’t the angry geezer librarian though. It’s because when we got back to our classroom Mr. Logsdon looked at me and said, “Mike, you shouldn’t give the librarian such a hard time. She’s old. You can’t mess with her or she gets grumpy.” I had been falsely accused! Those of you who know me, I’m sure, have your doubts about whether I was messing with that old lady on purpose, but I wasn’t! Honestly, it just kinda happened. And I didn’t want to be falsely accused. So I told Mr. Logsdon, “No, I wasn’t messing with her. I didn’t mean to make her so upset.” Well, knowing me, Mr. Logsdon also had his doubts. So he looked at me and said – with a smile on his face – “Yes, you did.” And then I couldn’t help myself. Even though it really had been an accident, I started thinking about how grumpy I made that old lady, and I just cracked up and started laughing. Then the whole class started laughing. And because I laughed, everybody – including Mr. Logsdon – thought I’d messed with her on purpose. And I felt bad later because it was a false accusation.

Frankly, most of the time when we’re falsely accused it hurts a lot more – and does more long-term damage – than it did during my 5th grade library visit. It can destroy relationships and reputations. It can make us feel small and insignificant and lonely. Being lied about is one of the most painful things in the world. But there is good news for us. God loves us and protects us and defends us! That doesn’t mean that he will always smite the liars and make them pay – at least not in the way we wish he would when we get hurt – but it does mean that we have an incredible hope in all of life’s difficulties. He is our shelter and our comfort and we know – whether we ever get to see justice served to our accusers in this life – that one day he will make all things new and set all things right. That’s a comforting thought amidst the storms of life!

PRAY: Ask God to be your refuge and strength in difficult times when you’ve been unjustly accused or lied about. Ask him to help you trust him.

Posted by on May 29, 2012 in Psalms.

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