May 8, 2012

Tuesday: May 8, 2012

READ: Matthew 8-9

BACKGROUND: Chapters 8 & 9 follow immediately after the Sermon on the Mount and they detail a number of miracles that Jesus did which demonstrated that he was the promised Messiah.
By Verse:
8:4 – The Mosaic Law prescribed the proper sacrifice for being healed from leprosy in Leviticus 14:1-32. So, the priest should be used to it right? Not exactly. The priest was probably shocked because the only other official record of any Israelite ever being healed of leprosy was Miriam in Numbers 12:10-15.
11- Jesus is saying that Gentiles, not just Jews, will be a part of his Kingdom.
12 – Jesus is saying that a number of Jews (“sons of the kingdom”) wont make it to heaven because they’ll reject him.
17 – This prophecy is from Isaiah 53:4
20 – Jesus is basically telling the guy that it is difficult and costly to follow him.
22 – Jesus isn’t really saying that we should let the dead bury their own dead. He isn’t advocating a zombie apocalypse. He is saying, “Hey, there will always be distractions that provide you with an excuse not to really follow me with your whole heart. If you really want to follow me then you gotta get rid of the excuses and jump in with both feet!”
29 – The demons knew Jesus. They knew he was God even though the people didn’t. They called and addressed and obeyed him as such. They couldn’t do anything without asking him first.
34 – Jesus caused a stir. He was a radical. He challenged the comfortable way people were living. And people don’t like those things so they asked Jesus to go.
9:8 – Only God had the authority to forgive sins. Then Jesus forgives this guy! Pretty crazy and it makes people mad, but it is a clear claim, by him, that he is God.
9-13 – Matthew records the story of when Jesus called him. One thing is important to note – the gospel writers weren’t concerned with chronology. That’s not how literature worked back then (as it does now); instead ancient literature was organized around themes. So it’s likely that Matthew got to witness all the stuff he already wrote about. He just finally got around to telling his story.
13 – “I desire compassion and not sacrifice” is from Hosea 6:6
14 – The Pharisees very publicly fasted twice a week.
16-17 – Put simply: the old and the new cannot be combined. If you’re a new creation in Christ then the old one has got to go.
37-38 – May this be the great prayer of our hearts, that God would send out workers for the harvest. And may we soften our hearts and allow him to send us!

THINK: “I am willing!” “I will go!” “It will be done!” Willing to heal incurable diseases, to end suffering, to raise little children from the dead, to calm a terrifying storm, to cast out demons, to touch the those who are insignificant and marginalized, to care for those with power, wealth, and prestige, to eat with sinners, to act with compassion, and to forgive our sins! Matthew, led by the Holy Spirit, must have been bursting with joy as he wrote these two Chapters. He may have even had writer’s cramp trying to record all the miracles that must have rushed through his mind. And then, in the midst of remembering, Matthew may have paused, put down his pen, wiped a tear or two from his eyes, and contemplated with astonishment that he would now record in God’s Holy Word, for all the world to see, his very own miracle! Jesus noticed him! Jesus spoke to him! Jesus commanded him to follow. And Matthew did.

Each one of our stories is being recorded too! Just like Matthew, we are called by God to be witnesses to the miracles he’s performed in our lives and to tell about the miracles we’ve seen him do in the lives of others! Jesus is still willing! He is still in the business of healing and calming and casting out and touching and caring, and forgiving! Like Matthew, we are instructed to follow! I hope each day, through the power of Jesus living within us, we too can answer, “I will!”

ASK: Do I believe that Jesus is willing to step into the hurt and the pain of my life?…my friends lives? Am I willing to follow when he calls, am I willing to go and be a worker in the harvest?

Written by Deb Howard

Posted by on May 8, 2012 in Gospels.

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May 7, 2012

Monday: May 7, 2012

READ: Joshua 21-22

BACKGROUND: The Israelite tribes have just been given their land tribe by tribe. The Levites, who were priests, are given towns to live in on other tribe’s lands. Because they are part of the priesthood their duty is to worship God and lead Israel to worship God. It is the responsibility of the other tribes to support them and give them the land and food they need. In chapter 22 there are three tribes who are returning home after the conquest of land. They had already been given their land but left it to help the other tribes fight. Joshua blesses them and reminds them that their purpose is to serve God only and to reflect him.
By Verse:
21:8- God had made a promise a long time ago, when Moses was around, that the Levites would be provided for and have towns to live in. Here that promise is fulfilled.
21:44- God granted Israel rest. They had been fighting for a long time and their rest did not come from their own victory over their enemies, but from God. A reminder that only God can silence our enemies and allow us peace.
21:45- One of my favorite verses in the Bible. “Not one of all the Lord’s good promises…failed.” God is still a God who keeps his promises today.
22:3- Joshua encouraged the faithfulness of the Eastern tribes
22:5- A warning from Joshua to not turn from the Lord and to be obedient to his commands
22:10- “built an imposing altar.” One of the Lord’s commands was that sacrifices were to be made to him only in one place. Sacrificing on this altar would have been disobedient.
22:12- The other Israelites took this perceived sin so seriously they were going to go to war with them.
22:17- Building the altar gets compared to the sin of Achan in Joshua 7 and the events a Peor in Numbers 25.
22:22- This is a really interesting verse. To demonstrate the purity of their motives and their deep faithfulness and thankfulness to God, they use all 3 names for God – El, Elohim, & Yahweh – and then repeat it. This lets the other tribes know very clearly, right off the bat, that they have no intention of turning from him.
22:24- Understanding of why the altar was built comes out. It was not an altar for sacrifice, which would have been a violation of God’s commands. It was an altar of remembrance and a symbol of unity under the guidance and provision of God. There is a great desire to be remembered as one of the Lord’s.

THINK: Have you ever had a really bad communication mix up? Maybe you thought you were meeting a friend at a certain time and then they never show up. This has happened to me. And then of course my first response is to criticize them. “They obviously don’t care about me. They forgot. They always forget.” And the accusations continue to build in my head, until I realize that I am at the wrong place or have the wrong time. It is a humbling experience.

I think this is the same type of situation with the Israelites. This story shows us how important communication is within the body of Christ. The Eastern tribes are pumped up about going home, but take time to build and altar to the Lord. They want to be remembered by the other tribes. They are trying to communicate with future generations that their God is the Lord. However, the other tribes see that they have built and altar and it seems like they are about to disobey by sacrificing on it. Imagine what these other tribes were thinking. How could they disobey God already? He just made us a victorious people and is giving us rest. Now we have to go fight another war. Those selfish people.

But we see that these tribes are stopped in their tracks when they hear the real purpose behind building the altar. It isn’t in a spirit of disobedience at all, but rather a desire to have a witness between the two sides of Israel that the Lord is God (vs. 34).

This story leads me to live with caution in my communication. It is easy for all of us to jump to conclusions when we only know a part of the story. It is easy to draw judgments about people when in reality the things we think we know, aren’t even true. We must be careful to watch our tongues and our thoughts as we talk with other people. Let us be a humble people, willing to give grace before judgment.

ASK: Are there people in my life whom I have judged, without really knowing them or their situation? Is my first response to a questionable situation grace? Or condemnation? How can I let the Holy Spirit rule my thoughts?

Written by KVHx2

Posted by on May 7, 2012 in History.

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May 6, 2012

Sunday: May 6, 2012

READ: Romans 12

BACKGROUND (by verse):
1 – What does it mean to offer our bodies as living sacrifices? Paul’s original audience was familiar with the imagery of ritualistic animal sacrifice and everything that meant. Sacrifice meant something had to lose its life. Sacrifice meant that something was dedicated entirely to God (or the gods in pagan culture). Living sacrifice means dying to self – losing our old life and gaining a new one in Christ – and living entirely for God! And why should we do it? God’s incredible mercy!
2 – Pretty straightforward. But this is one I urge you to memorize. We need to daily be reminded to avoid conformity and rely on the Holy Spirit to transform our minds.
3-8 – It’s so incredible to think that God has uniquely gifted all of us to serve him. And we need each other! None of us is more important in the body of Christ than another. The pastor or the theologian is not any more important to the body than the custodian or the Sunday School teacher. We are all simply called to use our specific gifts to serve God. And those are all different. And that is awesome!
9-16 – I wonder if the church wouldn’t be significantly more compelling to people out there in our world if this vision was actualized in our midst. What if these words were the very definition of our communities of faith? Wouldn’t that be awesome?
17 – This isn’t saying you have to please everyone. That’s impossible. “Do what is right in the eyes of everyone” is saying that we have an obligation to live out the high standards of the gospel or else people will see and they’ll be turned off to God.
19 – It is so nice to know that God is in control and that he is just. We don’t need to seek revenge – ever – because he is just. And as it says in Amos, one day his justice will roll on like a river.
21 – Good is more powerful than evil. Sometimes we don’t think that. Sometimes we look out at the world and it doesn’t feel that way. But we need to become convinced that evil can – and will – be overcome by good!

THINK: There is a story of two monks in the Middle Ages. They had taken a vow never to touch anyone of the opposite sex, but one day as they were out walking they came upon a woman. The nearby creek had flooded due to heavy rains, and she couldn’t make it across on her own. She pleaded with them, “Please, help me across the creek.” The first monk pretended not to hear her, but the second took pity, bent the rules, picked the woman up, and carried her across to the other side. Then the two monks continued on their journey in silence for a very long time. Finally, the one angrily said to the other, “I cannot believe that you carried that woman! We took vows!” To which, the other monk responded “I put her down miles ago, but you still carry her in your heart.”

We all have a choice. We can carry around every hurt and pain and injury and injustice we suffer in our hearts, or we can put them down, forgive those who sinned against us, and experience liberation. That’s not an easy thing to do. Especially when the person – or people – who hurt us wont even apologize. How can we possibly forgive someone who isn’t repentant, who isn’t even sorry? Well, in verse 18 Paul says, “As far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” And the easy response to that is to say, self-righteously, “Well, I am trying to live at peace. She is the one who needs to apologize; he is the one who should be sorry and make peace.”

But when Paul says “As far as it depends on you” he is saying that you have a decision to make. Everyone who hurts you is not always going to apologize, or be sorry, or even feel bad about what they did. And if you wait for that to happen you are going to be waiting a long time. And if you harbor anger and resentment and bitterness until they happens then you will carry them to your grave.

But there is good news! Though forgiveness looks different when extended to a repentant individual as opposed to an unrepentant one, you do not have to wait upon someone’s apology to release your anger and ill-will towards them. You do not have to let what was done to you define who you are. Believe this: God wants to set you free from the tyranny of your past. You do not have to hold on to what was done. You can forgive and let peace reign in your own heart as the chains that bind you to the wounds of the past are broken. Your identity is not found in your pain; it is found in the freedom and forgiveness of the cross!

ASK: Am I holding onto some hurt or some bitterness towards someone today? Would I be better off carrying that bitterness around in my heart or being set free from it? What steps do I need to take to reflect God’s mercy to those around me and be a more forgiving person?

Posted by on May 6, 2012 in Epistles.

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May 5, 2012

Saturday: May 5, 2012

READ: Job 5

BACKGROUND: Chapter 5 is a continuation of the words of Eliphaz the Tamnite to Job. Eliphaz says some things that are true, and some that aren’t necessarily true. It is important to not that the words of Job’s friends – and even some of the thoughts of Job – are not to be taken as Biblical truths in the way that the words of the Proverbs or Psalms are. It’s a different genre, and their words reveal their hearts not God’s truths. God’s words in Job, however, should be understood as absolutely true.
By verse:
2 – A catchy phrase to be sure. Eliphaz is implying that Job is resentful towards God.
7 – Eliphaz is saying that if Job would just stop acting like a fool and humble himself then God would take the punishment away. (This is, obviously, not the major issue at hand, and it serves as an example of Eliphaz not only getting his theology wrong but also being a pretty bad friend and comforter.)
13 – This is quoted in 1Corinthians 3:19, and it’s the only clear quotation of Job in the New Testament.
17-26 – Eliphaz tells Job to celebrate God’s judgment because the righteous man will eventually be healed. Not his worst advice ever – God does use discipline to shape and transform us. But again he misread the situation. And is this what Job really needed to hear in the moment? Even if he had been right, was it the correct time to tell that to Job?

THINK: (Something a little different today)
Read verses 17-21 again slowly, keeping in mind that Eliphaz is speaking to his friend Job who has just had his entire family die and lost everything he had.

Now, read those verses once more and put yourself in the position of Job as he listened. How do the words hit you?

Read them one last time and put yourself in the position of Eliphaz. What feelings and attitudes fill you as you speak these words to Job?

In light of this passage, answer the following questions to yourself:
– What makes a comforter really helpful? Is it enough to just speak truth?
– What did Job really need from Eliphaz at this moment?
– What kind of attitudes might be in the heart of someone who preaches at a person who needs comfort?

PRAY: Ask God, by the power of the Holy Spirit living in you, to give you the wisdom and the love that is needed to be a comfort to those in distress. Ask for the right heart, the right words, the right tools to lift someone up and point them toward God rather than away from him. Open up your life to God and offer to be his messenger to the broken people around you.

ASK: Who in my life is broken and hurting and in need of comfort right now? Am I willing to be the hands and feet of Jesus to that person, and, if so, what will that look like?

Posted by on May 5, 2012 in Poetry.

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May 4, 2012

Friday: May 4, 2012

READ: 2Timothy 3

BACKGROUND: Paul wrote this letter to Timothy from a cold, dark prison cell when he was very near the end of his life, and he provided Timothy with wisdom for leading the church. This chapter, specifically, deals with the wickedness of the times and how to combat it. It is nearly impossible for me to read the beginning section of 2Timothy 3 without drawing a number of powerful parallels to 21st Century America.
By Verse:
1 – “The last days” is usually used to refer to the period between the 1st and 2nd comings of Christ. That is the period we are living in right now, and the description Paul gives in the next few verses fits us incredibly well!
5 – This is a powerful verse, and a powerful accusation by Paul. He’s saying that there are a lot of people who go through the motions of faith, of religiosity, but don’t allow the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit to transform the core of their beings. We may say we have faith, but if we don’t walk out the door and live it and let it define our being and transform our souls into the image of Christ then not only do we not have the salvation we think we do, but also we set a terrible example to the world. We live in a way that makes them think Christianity is just about going through all the rituals of religion (which seems oppressive to them) and not at all about anything deeper or anything more (which they might actually want). A LOT of American “Christians” are living this way.
8 – These guys aren’t mentioned anywhere in the Old Testament, but tradition says they were the court magicians of Pharaoh who opposed Moses when he went before Pharaoh to seek the freedom of the people of Israel.
12 – A sobering reality. But a true one. It isn’t always – or ever – going to be easy to live out the radical faith that God is calling us to in the midst of a broken world.
15 – This is the answer to the all the problems Paul has been describing! Following God’s word! It allows us to shine like lights in the darkness, to have the transforming power of the Holy Spirit working in us, to reach out to others, and to make a difference.
16 – Every word in the Bible is given by God, through human authors, for our benefit and it is without any error whatsoever. Following it allows us to experience the fullness of who God calls us to be.

THINK: I picked this passage today because I just heard a song that I want you all to listen to. I’m sure that you have varying degrees of appreciation for rap music, but a rapper named Flame, in just under 3 minutes, presents one of the most cohesive and concise and, frankly, terrific explanations of what the Bible is and why we should rely on it that I’ve ever heard. Here is the song (with lyrics).

The Bible is God’s perfect communication, given to us as a gift. If we want to stand firm in the midst of these evil times, and if we want to actually make a difference in the lives of other people (who, make no mistake, are lost and hurting and headed for eternity without God in Hell) then we need to do more than just go through the motions of faith. We need to do more than just privately claim to believe and read devotions and study the Bible. We need to walk out into our world and live it!

ASK: What is one part of the Bible that I know I’m not living out the way that I should right now? What is keeping me from doing that?

Posted by on May 4, 2012 in Epistles.

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May 3, 2012

Thursday: May 3, 2012

READ: Genesis 15-16

BACKGROUND: Chapter 15 totally sets Abraham on a new course – and all of his descendants too for that matter. 🙂 Chapter 16 is a great example of what happens when we trust ourselves instead of trusting God.
By Verse:
15:1 – “Shield” or “Sovereign” means king. I love it here that God says he is Abraham’s great reward. Here’s a guy with crazy amounts of wealth and God says, “I am your greatest treasure.”
5 – What a cool image if you put yourself in Abraham’s shoes. A childless guy looking up at a sky sparkling with countless stars (over 8,000 visible stars in the darkness of an Ancient Near Eastern night) and thinking this would be his descendants.
6 – This is a pretty major verse! God credits belief to mankind as righteousness. We’re counted right, in a sense, through belief.
13 – This happened in Egypt. Israel spent about 430 years enslaved there.
17 – “A smoking firepot with a blazing torch” symbolizes the very presence of God.
18 – One of the key verses in the entire Old Testament for the Jews. God made a covenant with Abraham to give him the Promised Land! Taking – and keeping – possession of that land has been the obsession and the struggle for that people group ever since, up to and including the present day.
16:2 – Sarah is getting impatient because a chunk of time has passed between God’s promise and the present and she still is childless. So she takes matters into her own hands. That is, well, not a great idea.
4-6 – What a horrible, heartbreaking picture of the way that sin spirals and snowballs on us.
8 – Notice that Hagar only answered the 1st question. She didn’t know the answer to the 2nd.
10 – God makes a great promise to Hagar as well. This is reaffirmed in Genesis 17:20 & fulfilled in Genesis 25:13-16.
12 – The hostility between Sarah & Hagar got passed down to the next generation. And the next and the next and the next…It actually remains of the defining conflicts in the world today. The Jews and the Arabs.
13 – I love Hagar’s description of God here. She was lost, lonely, & hurting. She felt ignored and marginalized. And God saw her. And she was just floored by that. So she said, “You are the God who sees me!”

THINK:
DOING what’s wrong is never right.

Doing what’s WRONG is never right.

Doing what’s wrong is NEVER right.

Doing what’s wrong is never RIGHT.

My Dad used to tell me that and it’s a simple truth that I need to stop and remind myself of every day. Sometimes doing what’s wrong feels really right, looks really right, and sounds really right. But doing what’s wrong is NEVER right.

For Abram and Sarai it seemed like a really good idea to go ahead and have Abram sleep with Sarai’s servant Hagar so he could have a son. God had promised to give Abram descendants and Sarai couldn’t comprehend how that was going to happen in her old age.  Instead of patiently waiting on the Lord to fulfill what He had promised, Abram took Sarai’s advice and slept with Hagar. Abram did have a son, Ishmael, but there were serious consequences for his sin. This poor decision deeply hurt Hagar, Sarai and Abram. In fact, as we’ll see later in Genesis, the hostility between Sarai and Hagar was passed on to their descendants. Doing what’s wrong is never right.

While it is incredibly challenging, it is always right to wait on the Lord and trust that obedience to Him is always in our best interest. Unfortunately, like Abram, sometimes we see God’s good gifts and take sinful shortcuts to try and attain them. For example, we believe that marriage is a good thing, but rather than waiting on God’s best for us and saving ourselves for marriage, we begin to “play marriage” and enjoy all that marriage entails as soon as we’re in a relationship with someone we really love. Or we know that a little extra cash would really help us out, so we ignore God’s command to tithe. Sometimes it seems it would cause way less pain for everyone involved if the truth never came out, so we choose to just lie. Doing what’s wrong is never right.

There were serious consequences for Abram and Sarai’s sin. There are serious consequences for our sins. Praise God that we have the gift of forgiveness through Jesus’ death and resurrection. The ultimate penalty for sin – death – has been paid for us. That doesn’t mean that our sins don’t have earthly consequences. They do. God has given us His Word to give us strength and direction for doing what’s right so that we can enjoy the very best in life for us. Sin is enticing and can so easily deceive us. Stay rooted in God’s Word. Remember how faithful he has been – to you and throughout all of history. Choose to do what’s right even when it seems impossible to understand what God is up to in your life. Cling to God’s promise in Psalm 27:14, “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”

ASK: Is there anything I’m willfully choosing to do that I know is wrong even though it feels right? How can I trust God even while I’m waiting to see how he’s going to work things out in my life?

Written by Cari Widdel

Posted by on May 3, 2012 in Law and tagged , .

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May 2, 2012

Wednesday: May 2, 2012

READ: Matthew 6

BACKGROUND: Jesus continues the Sermon on the Mount and his teaching on how to live the radical lives God is calling us to and stand out as his people in the midst of a dark world.
By Verse:
3 – Not literally. That would be weird. The big idea of this section is: If your giving is inspired by trying to earn the praise and respect of people – instead of as a loving, faithful response to God – then it isn’t right.
5 – The word “hypocrites” gets thrown around a lot in this chapter. The Greek word literally means actor – like stage actor or play actor. In essence, someone who is intentionally and purposefully pretending to be something/someone they are not.
7 – It’s not about the right words. Or the number of words. Or the order of words. There’s no secret key in prayer that allows you to compel God. It’s about lining your heart up with his, and very honestly asking him and pouring your heart out to him. And he listens!
9 – “Hallowed” = Revered, respected, honored
10 – God’s Kingdom is a reality even now since Christ conquered sin and death. We are living as citizens of it. This is a prayer to see it fully realized. To see all things set right and made new.
11 – This about needs. Not wants or desires or selfish ambition. Bread. And it’s “us” not “me.” It’s about communal need and not only our personal needs.
12 – Debts or trespasses = sins. They are a way of thinking about what it means to sin. Ponder that. Sin incurs a debt that must be paid. Sin violates and trespasses against the holiness of God.
13 – God never leads us into temptation. This isn’t a prayer for fear that he might. It is a request for deliverance.
9-13 – These are all imperative verbs. Command verbs. Do it! It’s not that Jesus is telling us to command God, but to urgently implore him to do it, to make it happen!
17 – Jews often put ashes on their heads when they were fasting – so that everyone could see how pious they were. Jesus says to maintain a normal appearance instead. Fasting isn’t about proving your piety. It’s about connecting with God.
20 – Treasures in heaven are the things we do in life that matter for eternity – like showing Christ’s love and sharing our faith.
24 – Jesus never says that money itself is evil. Just loving and trusting in it. But he does make it clear that it is very difficult to have it without falling in love with it.
34 – What an incredibly liberating verse! If we really had faith that this was true (and we absolutely should!) it would make life so much better.

THINK (thoughts via my mom today): If your bible is like mine, chapters are divided into sections by bold, italicized headings – kind of like sub-titles.  If my thoughts while reading were also subtitles, they’d look kind of like this:

Giving to the Needy – Does the trivia fundraiser on Friday night count? It’s for a really good cause.

Prayer – Can we hurry up and get to the “This is what I want” part?

Fasting – The thought of it makes me hungry.

Treasures in Heaven – Okay, but I need to run to the mall really quick first…

Do Not Worry – Now seriously, how am I gonna do that?

I’ve been a follower of Jesus for a very, very long time (I’m really old) and yet I struggle daily to give him control of my life. I am the hypocrite, the worrier, and the pagan Jesus rebukes. Too often I try to please two masters, and the light of Jesus in my life is hidden by the darkness of sin.  But despite my miserable human failure the amazing message of Jesus in this chapter is that I get to connect with the Creator of the Universe….It is an invitation for me, and everyone like me, to come talk to our Father – a caring father. It is a reminder that while life is sometimes out of control, he is always in control; that money isn’t that important, that he will give us everything we need, and that we can trust him so completely worry isn’t even possible! I can give him my selfishness, my deception and my pride. And I can do this every day! So, while we will never by perfect, we can let Jesus reign be more and more evident and have more and more impact in every sphere of our lives.

CONSIDER: What would it look like to committ part of this chapter to memory…and the next time you’re tempted to worry or serve two masters or live for yourself etc., you can rebuke your sinful nature with the powerful words of Jesus!

Posted by on May 2, 2012 in Gospels.

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May 1, 2012

Tuesday: May 1, 2012

Read: Joshua 18-20

Background: Joshua, Israel’s leader at this time, is finishing allotting the promise land. Some tribes had already received their inheritance earlier in the conquest, but the last seven tribes still needed to be given their land. Remember, Israel is not taking all this land for their own sake; they are completing the work God has given them to do. This conquest and taking of land was not about Israel becoming an awesome nation, it was about God getting glory. Israel’s job was to be a reflection of the true king.
By Verse
18:1- Israel gathered at the Tent of Meeting, or Tabernacle- this was the place where God’s presence dwelt. Later it would be the temple, and today it is inside of those who follow Christ.
18:3- Joshua wanted these men to take their land, not for their sake, but so that God’s promises would be fulfilled.
18:4- Joshua wanted a survey of the land so it could be distributed accordingly. He didn’t want one tribe to have a small piece of land without water and another to have all the resources.
18:6- Casting Lots??- this sounds like gambling. Actually it is an ancient way of letting God make important decisions. They would cast lots in order to leave the decision up to the divine. No man can interfere with this sort of system.
18:7- Levites don’t get land- Remember why? Right, the Levites were set aside as priests, their service to God was their inheritance and he promised to care for them. They did not need land.
20:2- Cities of Refuge- there were certain cities designated throughout Israel for the purpose of refuge. If someone accidentally killed someone they could flee to this city while the family of the dead person calmed down. This was another act of God’s provision.

Think:  Wow, I think this is an incredible part of scripture. I know it can be difficult to get through some of these long Old Testament readings about the geography of a land we can’t even pronounce. I admit, I was reading this last week and skimming over all the names of the towns, not fully engaged. I get it.

However, let’s look deeper into what this passage really is. It is a clear picture of God’s promises being fulfilled. Joshua was a good leader because he knew the promises of God extremely well. They had been told to Moses and passed down to him. He was not going to forget the purpose God had for him, and that was to lead the Israelite people into his promises.

I love what Joshua says in 18:3 “How long will you wait before you begin to take possession of the land that the Lord the God of your fathers, has given you.” He’s saying, hey wake up! God has promised you something AWESOME, why are you sitting around? Joshua knew that ultimately God would be the one getting glory for taking this land and he wanted these people to get that started. He was recklessly abandoned to the call God had on his life.

Perhaps this is what we need to hear as well. Has God already promised us something good and we are just sitting around, not taking hold of it? Maybe he has promised you greater joy but you need to take a risk so that you can have that blessing. God has promised all of us abundant life, are we taking advantage of that promise? Or are we waiting around for something to fall from the sky. God partners with us in his promises, don’t wait around for a lightning bolt to tell you what to do.

You may be thinking that the call God has on your life is for later, you’re wrong. He has something for you right now, in this situation, in this moment. Don’t wait to live in the light of God’s promises. Take risks for Jesus. Today.

Ask: What are the promises God has for my life? How can I begin to allow the Spirit to work these promises out in my life? What risks is God asking me to take?

– Written by Kelsey VH

Posted by on May 1, 2012 in History.

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April 30, 2012

Monday: April 30, 2012

READ: Psalm 10-11

BACKGROUND: Both of these Psalms contain classic Old Testament portrayals of the wicked that are painted as prideful and disdainful of God as they oppress the righteous. They are calls upon God’s holiness and justice and love for his people – calls for him to take action.
By Verse:
10:5 – It seems as though the wicked prosper in their wickedness, and the Psalmist is calling upon God to right this wrong.
7 – Curses, lies, & threats are the 3 most common weapons of the tongue in the experience of ancient Israel. The prevailing worldview in Ancient Near Eastern cultures was that pronouncing curses upon individuals brought down the power of the gods against them.
14-18 – Every Psalm of lament in the entire book – with the exception of Psalm 88 –contains a confident statement of trust in God’s holiness, justice, love, or provision.
11:1 – David demonstrates an unshakable trust in God’s sovereignty even in a time when it seems the wicked were prospering.
3 – David observes that the foundations of the culture and the world order seem to be crumbling before evil forces.
4-7 – Our hope in dark times is that God is still on his throne and ultimately in control.

THINK: 755.

It’s not just a number. It’s a symbol. Of America, of history, of our national pastime, of the breaking of racial barriers, of superhuman achievement. It’s the most important number in sports history. Or at least it was.

From 1954-1976 Hammerin’ Hank Aaron hit 755 home runs, shattering Babe Ruth’s all-time record of 714. Aaron withstood a great deal of pressure, hatred, oppression, and racism as he pursued the record, but handled himself with incredible class and grace throughout his career. He earned his place among the pantheon of American sports heroes. A decade after Aaron’s retirement a young outfielder named Barry Bonds hit the big leagues. Bonds was a preternaturally gifted player and an amazing hitter in his own right. He would have easily gone down alongside Aaron as one of the best to ever play. Then he cheated. He used illegal steroids to boost his strength and his performance. And in 2001 – after never even hitting 50 home runs in a season in his career and averaging less than 40 per year – he hit 73 of them in a single season. And he went on to eventually break Hank Aaron’s record. I don’t know how many home runs he hit. Nobody really does. Nobody really cares because it wasn’t fair. He got to be the all-time home run king by cheating.

Sometimes in life it gets really frustrating to watch people cheat their way to the top, but it happens in every area of our lives – in business, in schools, in sports. And it’s especially frustrating, when we’re trying hard to do the right thing, to watch as people who are brazenly doing wrong gain popularity and acclaim and “success.” This is what the Psalmist struggled with – watching wicked people prosper and flaunt their wickedness in the face of God and his people.

But, like the Psalmist, we can be confident that God is in control. No matter what happens and no matter how things appear at the present time, eventually every knee will bow before him and God will judge people for their actions and bring justice. Though we may not experience an immediate sense of justice in this broken world – we can be confident along with the Psalmist (and the prophets in the Old and New Testaments) that God will one day bring justice and that our faithfulness will be blessed as we seek to be the people he created and designed us to be.

ASK: Do I sometimes get frustrated because I feel like people who are doing wrong are prospering at my expense? Do I trust that God will ultimately bless those who follow after him?

Posted by on April 30, 2012 in Psalms.

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April 29, 2012

Sunday: April 29, 2012

READ: Matthew 7

BACKGROUND: This is a continuation of the Sermon on the Mount which began in chapter 5, and Jesus deals with some important topics for living as his disciples in this passage.

By Verse:
1 – One of the most misquoted verses in all of Scripture in modern America. The idea is not that we shouldn’t ever judge anyone else and that we should just live and let live and allow truth to be relative and say its okay for anybody to do whatever they want. That’s hardly the message of the Bible. The idea is that we shouldn’t be self-righteous and act like the faults of others are any worse than our own.
6 – Teaching should be given in accordance with the spiritual capacity of the learners.
8 – Ask, Seek, & Knock are all imperatives (commands). Do it! Be persistent!
13-14 – Notice that there is no middle road. 🙂
15-16 – False prophets = people who claim to be sent by God and representing him but actually aren’t. We can discern who false prophets are by examining the fruit that their lives and ministries produce.
22 – The phrase “that day”, as almost always in the Bible, is referring to the Day of Judgment.
29 – Jesus taught differently than other Rabbis. Most Rabbis quoted other Rabbis or Rabbinical writings as their sources of authority when they taught. Jesus didn’t. He taught with Divine authority.

THINK: (From Joe Stowell in Our Daily Bread, September 7, 2010)

One of my boyhood hobbies was building model planes. Every time I opened a new box, the first thing I saw was the instructions, but I didn’t think I needed to follow them. In my mind I knew exactly how to put the model together. Not until I had glued a few pieces together did I realize I had skipped an important step, like putting the pilot in the cockpit.

It’s easy to think that we have no need for instructions for our lives, only to later realize that we’ve messed things up. Which is exactly why Jesus advised that following His instructions is the way for wise people to build a safe, solid, and significant life (Matt. 7:24-29). He had just told the listening crowd to turn the other cheek, to go the extra mile, to forgive enemies, and to sell treasures so that they could give to the poor (5:39-44). But just getting the instructions isn’t enough. The key is to follow them. “Whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock” (7:24).

Those who don’t follow the instructions are, as Jesus put it, “foolish” (v.26). To the world, forgiving your enemies and giving to the poor may seem like a silly way to build a life, but, take it from Jesus, it’s the wise way. To build a rock-solid life, follow Jesus’ instructions.

ASK: Are there instructions from Jesus that I know in my head but I’m not really putting into practice in my life right now? What steps do I need to take to make sure my life is being built upon a solid foundation?

Posted by on April 29, 2012 in Gospels.

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