End of the Year

I've all but given up writing on this blog. My desire in starting it was to have some kind of discussion and I have come to see that it is not going to happen; at least not in this venue. I don't think that anyone at all reads this so I'm just writing to myself and I can talk to myself without the blog! O well...

Psalm 119

I just wanted to say how much I've enjoyed reading Ps.119 this time around. As the years add up of reading through the Bible, my love for God's word increases. I find that I can relate to the psalmist more and more, especially in the joy he experiences from spending time with the Lord in His word. When I started reading the OYB it was mainly a legalistic exercise because I knew I should. The rest of my motivation was wanting what I saw in others who were reading it. Now I can joyfully say that I truly look forward to my time each morning with my Savior!

dilegence

There seemed to be a theme of diligence running through the passages today, plus a warning to avoid those who are not. Peter is a good shepherd and is concerned for the sheep. I think he read Ps.119 before writing this chapter, for both speak of steering clear of those who are set on turning away from God. Proverbs 28:19-20 sums it all up by showing the rewards of remaining faithful and diligent. And in the life of Daniel we see the this lived out. He had lived a long time in pagan Babylon but when he was needed, he was right there, still faithful and humble and ready to be used by God. Sometimes, actually most of the time, my life seems pretty boring and run of the mill, but I need to just be diligent with what I called to do and the rewards will follow.

Psalm 119:33-37

I love reading Psalm 119. The writer has such a passion for God's word, it comes thru in every verse. Today I noticed the total dependence on God to apply the word. In these few verses 33-37, the psalmist says,"Teach me to follow, keep me, give me understanding, direct me, turn my heart and eyes, and preserve my life." Even though he loves and studies God's word, he knows that he can't live it in his own strength or ability. The more I know of God's word the more dependent I become on Him to teach, give, direct, turn and preserve me.

Ezekiel 37-38

I always find these chapters in Ezekiel exciting and terrifying at the same time, for unlike prophecy that is clearly about the distant past, these words speak of things still to come. We get news from the middle east on a daily basis. It truly is the center of the world and everyone is focused on what happens there. Whether it is some little personal problem or major world events, I am so thankful that I can say with confidence, I may not know what the future holds but I know Who holds the future. Amen!

more on faith

True faith equals action. In this list of people in Hebrews 11 everyone of them is noted for something that they did. It is easy to say we believe something but the proof is in our actions. I tend to be more of a wait and see kind of person. But the examples in this hall of faith were trail blazers. They simply chose to believe God and then acted accordingly. I'm thankful for such a clear example of what real faith looks like.

Hebrews 11

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Heb.11:1. Don't you love it when scripture gives us a definition? Especially for a difficult concept like faith. We see in this chapter that faith is essential to please God and it is the means by which God gives us righteousness. Faith is believing that God is who He says He is and He is going to do what He says He is going to do. Verse 13 says that these people died without receiving what God had promised but they believed Him anyway because their faith was in God and not in what they saw.

If anyone actually reads this, I would love to hear your thoughts on the subject.

Hebrews 10:22-25

I'm the kind of person who likes lists. They make it easier for me understand and remember. Here in Hebrews 10 is a great list for my day. There are four "let us" commands listed.

let us draw near to God

let us hold on to hope

let us think of ways to encourage each other

let us keep meeting together

These 4 things and in this order are what helped me get through a pretty low patch recently. Isn't God's word amazing!

looking at history

I thought that today's section of Psalm 105 was an interesting account of Israel's history. It went from leaving Egypt with silver and gold, to provision in the desert, to entering the promised land. There was no mention of rebellion and golden calves or grumbling and doubting that we know went on. It made me wonder if that is the way we will look back on our lives when we are in His presence. All we will see is the continual fountain of blessings from the Father's hand and all the times we failed to respond or turned away in rebellion will be wiped away and forgotten. I know the blood of Jesus doesn't just cover my sin but washes it away and the goodness of God shines brighter than the sun!

God's rest

Hebrews 4 speaks of entering God's rest. We enter by faith in the gospel which leads to a life of obedience. The other choice is no faith, disobedience and no rest. It is a life of always striving to be good enough but never getting there. I ache for those who choose the latter. As I read today's portion of Psalm 104 on the great, vast power of God, I realized that these words are comforting only to those who have entered that rest. We are so blessed to be in this place of rest!

Lamentations

I must say that I don't look forward to reading Lamentations. Just the title lets you know that it is not a happy book. In chapter 3, Jeremiah tells of his own personal suffering. It is so terrible and seems so unfair but even in his pain he is able to remember the Lord. I love verse 24, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him." I thought of the Levites who did not inherit land but God told them that He was their inheritance. In this world we can lose everything and still be the richest people on earth. As I mourn the loss of my mother, I have a peace that can only come from God that she is in His arms. He is my portion too.

Philemon

I love this short book of Philemon! In verse 6, Paul prays that we, "may be active in sharing our faith, so that, (we) would have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ." I find this true in writing this blog. Thinking I understand something and actually writing it down are two different things. It also helps me remember the things I learn.

Today as I read through Philemon, I was struck by the beautiful picture of Jesus that Paul was demonstrating. First was Paul's ministry of intersession; Scripture says that Jesus lives to make intersession for us. Then in verse 9 is the appeal on the basis of love, and verse 14 our response is to be spontaneous not forced. The appeal is for us to love our brothers and sisters in Christ because Jesus loves them. And if they wrong us, we can trust Jesus to take care of it-not to mention that we owe Jesus our very lives. (verse 19) I have often read this book and put myself in the place of Paul, thinking, this is how I should speak up for others. Today I put myself in the place of Philemon with the thought that this is the way I should respond to believers who may have offended me.

Psalm91

Psalm 91 is such a blessing, one of my favorites. I am often tempted to pull it apart verse by verse and make it into a list of promises that guarantee nothing bad will ever happen to me. But I think this psalm is better read as a beautiful whole. Just read it start to finish and let the peace, protection, and comfort of God wash over me. Sometimes even an analytical person like me needs to relax and approach God on a more relational level.

suffering

When ever I am tempted to think I am suffering for the Lord, all I have to do is read a little Jeremiah. Talk about suffering unjustly! Jeremiah was beaten, starved, and put in a pit of mud. He was falsely accused, misunderstood, and even though he knew the truth, no one believed him. When I spend time in God's Word and get His perspective on things, it takes care of so many little trials that come my way.

A spiritual battle

Eph. 6:12 says,"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." It is so easy to fight against flesh and blood, especially when you are being attacked by flesh and blood! But the real battle is always a spiritual one. In Jer. 36, we see a king cutting up and burning the word of God. He thought he was putting an end to Jeremiah's words, but that scroll did not originate with Jeremiah, it originated with God. God protected His word and His prophet. In Psalm 89 God says that He will not violate His covenant or alter what His lips have uttered. Verse 26 says, "He (David) will call out to Me, 'You are my Father, my God, my Rock, my Savior." What a comfort it is to stand on the rock of God's word!

Most of what the Lord showed me this morning is just to personal to put on the Internet. I did love our Psalm 89, about the love and faithfulness of our great God. I saw this echoed in Jeremiah 34 where God says that His promises are as sure as the sun coming up in the morning! As always, I would love to hear what the Lord is showing you this day.

a side note

Today what I have to share does not come directly from my OYB. All my thoughts this week have been consumed with my dear sweet Mom. She is in a hospice bed dieing of cancer. At 88 years of age she has said that she is ready to die but for some unknown reason (at least unknown to everyone else) she has been hanging on close to death for almost a week. I have thought all week that the Lord is having a little talk with her. For over 35 years I have prayed for her salvation and in all that time she has been unable accept God's love for her. This morning, the Lord gave me a beautiful picture of His amazing love. It started in the OYB with the prophecy by Jeremiah that the two false prophets would be burned in Babylon. I then thought of Daniel's 3 friends in the fiery furnace who were not burned because Jesus was there with them. Then I saw my Mom right there at the gates of hell and Jesus coming to rescue her. The love of Jesus is willing to go right into the flames to save us. Isn't that just what He did on the cross? This has been a tough week for me but I have had such peace in knowing that my loving Father has heard my prayers

boldness

God told Jeremiah, "Tell them everything I command you; do not omit a word." Jer.26:2b. Paul said, "Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread." 2Thes.3:1a. Both men faced great opposition when they spoke the word of God. My opposition comes in the form of family members who have declared any talk about God as off limits. My prayer today is that I will know what God wants me to say, when He wants me to say it and that I will have the boldness to not omit a word!

Proverbs 25:7B-10

Today's proverb got me thinking about the whole subject of gossip. It occurred to me that there are three types of people: One type are the gossips, They can't wait to tell everyone they know every secret they hear. (Sharing factual secrets is still gossip) The next type is careful not to say too much but they let it be known that they have inside knowledge. This serves to arouse the curiosity of the listener and is not much better than the gossip. The last type is the one who is able to keep private info private. I think that this is the point of our proverb, that our own reputation is on the line every time we open our mouth.

1 Thessalonians 1:3

"your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ." I have spent some time lately thinking about my motives for doing good. This verse speaks volumes. Faith, hope and love are the base that should motivate my actions. In chapter 2, Paul lists some wrong motives: greed, praise from men, impurity and error. I could add a few more like, trying to add to my salvation or earn extra favor with God. Good actions with wrong motives can fool a lot of people but God looks on the heart. All those so called "good works" end up as filthy rags; what a waste! Lord, purify my heart.

revenge

Proverbs 24:29, "Do not say, 'I'll do to him as he has done to me; I'll pay that man back for what he did." This so goes against my nature. The world says, "Don't get mad, get even." I sometimes think that if I don't stand up for myself then no one else will, but this is not faith talking. Faith says, "I will trust my God to take care of me and take care of the other guy as well. In Jeremiah 11:20 we see him doing just that. Jeremiah had the people of his own home town seeking to kill him! But he said, "to You I have committed my case." God answers that these men will be punished, but note verse 23; it says, "I will bring disaster on the men of Anathoth in the year of their punishment." That means that God was going to take care of it in His own time. That's where faith comes in; trusting that God will do what is right even when we don't see it right away.

Thankfulness

As I read through Jeremiah and today's Psalm, I was struck by all the things God has done for His people. His long long suffering is amazing. In Colossians, Paul gives us a list of things to put to death or put off and another list of things to put on. The key that ties all this together for me is found in verse 15, "And be thankful." In my translation it is a sentence all by itself. Such a simple attitude check when my natural man starts to raise it's ugly head.

Colossians 2:2-3

"My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."

Sometimes I tend to think that I need to agree with someone on all points of doctrine before I can be truly united. But this verse seems to say just the opposite. We must be united in God's love IN ORDER to have a complete understanding of wisdom and knowledge. God loves all of His children and He wants us to love each other. This should eliminate rivalry and competition between brothers. All believers are on the same road. Insights should be offered freely and correction, when needed, should be done ever so gently.

Psalm 73

This Psalm is so refreshingly honest. Asaph starts out with, God is good but as for me, not so much. Verse 17 is the pivot point of this psalm, for when Asaph drew near to God, his eyes were opened to the truth. Our enemy has no problem lying to us when we try to figure things out ourselves and lean on our own understanding. In addition to seeing the truth about the wicked and getting a glimpse of their future, Asaph saw that even though he had stumbled into the sin of bitterness, he was still being held by God. Even though he questioned God, God did not let him go. Asaph realized that nearness to God was all he needed and wanted. What a great place to be in.

Psalm 72:18-19

Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel. Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel. Who only doeth wondrous things. Who only doeth wondrous things, blessed be His glorious name forever! And let the whole earth be filled with His glory amen, amen, amen and amen. Glory Hallelujah blessed be the LORD God!

For some one who is not that in to music, I sure love to sing God's word. It is a way of taking what I read in the morning with me all day. This is one song I don't mind getting stuck in my head!

more on prayer

Today we started Philippians and there is Paul praying again. But I noticed something this time. He was praying for them even when things were going well with them. I tend to pray for people only when they need something. Paul was the one suffering in jail but the worst part for Paul was knowing that his friends were hurting because of it. What an example that is for me! Here's Paul in a Roman jail spending his time praying for and encouraging his friends. I have often prayed for more compassion. I think the place to get it is by praying for others.

prayer

The theme I saw today was prayer. Maybe that's because I need to be doing more of it! Isaiah 56:7 calls God's house a house of prayer for all nations. It also says that it is a place of joy. In Eph.6, after listing the armor of God, Paul mentions prayer 4 times. Psalm 70 is called a petition. It's a beautiful short prayer where in 5 verses, David prays for himself, for fellow believers, and for justice to be done. There is no end to the things we can be praying about. Not that God needs our help, but I think He likes to hear our voice.

unity

Isaiah 46:10 "My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please." As I read thru Eph. 4, it is clear that unity in the body of Christ is part of God's purpose. In verse 15-16 I see that it is truth and love that brings unity and immaturity that works against it. Many, many years ago when I went thru pre-marriage counseling, we learned that the closer we got to Jesus, the closer we would get to each other. I have found this to be so true. I love the picture in Psalm 68 of everyone coming together in victory and praise for our awesome God!

Paul prays that we would be able to grasp how big God's love is and then says that God is able to do more than we ask! Paul started out persecuting the church and ended up expanding the church to the whole known world; such is the love of God to all people!!

When I read in Psalms how David prayed for the destruction of his enemies, I wonder if that is how I should pray in this time of grace, knowing that God's will is that none should perish. Today it occurred to me that if a really evil person who has done really evil things becomes a Christian; doesn't that in effect kill or destroy the evil person? He is then a new creation. So I think that I can pray that God destroys all those with evil intent in this world; if it is possible thru salvation.

boasting

Ephesians 2:8, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast." The Lord has been teaching me about boasting and wanting to take credit for things that do. This morning as I read through our passages, especially this one, I got some real insight. I have always understood how the free gift of God's grace removes the source of our boasting; God does the work so how can I claim any credit? So far so good, but this has never helped with my NEED for boasting. If you watch little kids, you'll see them jump up and down saying,"Look at me Mommy." or "Watch me Daddy." We all have a deep need to be loved and accepted. I believe that righteousness is the currency to get God's acceptance. That's why so many turn to some form of legalism. Religion is all about rules, Those who shun religion, just make up their own rules to follow in an attempt to create some form of righteousness. But God... He has a better way. This grace by faith imputes righteousness to us so we don't have to earn it. When I receive His righteousness, I no longer need to try to get credit for anything I do. This is such a freeing thought for me.

Ephesians 1

Ephesians 1:3 is often quoted,"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ." This is a wonderful verse. I have had a vague idea of just what those spiritual blessings are; I knew they were good and that I wanted them, but today I realized that the balance of chapter one is pretty much a list and description of those blessings. Here is what I came up with: We are chosen; we are blameless in His Spirit; we are predestined to be adopted in His Spirit; we are given grace; we have redemption and forgiveness; He makes known to us the mystery of His will; we are included, marked, and sealed with the Holy Spirit. All this is given according to His good pleasure for the praise of His glory. Are we blessed or what?!! There is no such thing as a poor Christian.

Galatians 6:1

"Brothers if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself or you also may be tempted." I have always thought this warning to mean that I might be tempted by the same sin that I am trying to rescue someone from. While this is true, I am learning that there is another sin to be aware of as well; that is the self-righteous superiority that comes from not falling into that particular sin. I am learning that true compassion and true humility are closely related. I am also shocked to find how little of either I have. At least I know the source of both!

Isaiah 29:13

This verse in Isaiah always causes me a little pain because it is just too true. " These people come near to Me with their mouth and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me." I have been a Christian for a long time, I know the right things to say and how to say them. I also know that even though I may fool the people around me, I never fool God. He knows my heart all too well. I am thankful that at least once a year I can read this verse and repent of all the times my mouth and my heart have not matched. Empty me, Lord, of all the junk that comes between You and me and fill me to overflowing with Your precious Spirit. I never want my heart to be far from You!

Yesterday, I marveled at Abraham's faith. Today, I see the source of that faith, God's promise. Gal.3:16 says that the promise is Jesus. 3:10 says, "All who rely on observing the law are under a curse." I am currently reading The Prodigal God by Timothy Keller. The book focuses on the older brother's attitude in the parable of the prodigal son. He was relying on his good works and was unable to enter into the feast the father had prepared. In Isaiah 25:6, we see the Father preparing a feast! Verse 8 ends with, "the LORD has spoken" Here is a promise to hang on to!

In Galatians 3 we read that Abraham,"believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness." Then in Psalm 60 David says, "With God we will gain the victory." Both men had such inspiring faith. They did not have a Bible like we do, nor the finished work of Jesus on the cross to consider. We also have a 2000 year history of God's faithfulness to His church. So why is my faith so weak at times? I wish I knew.

Isaiah 14:24

This verse is from yesterday's reading; it might just be my new favorite verse! "The LORD Almighty has sworn, 'Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will stand." This applies to every promise of our wonderful God. What a place of rest we have in a God who is able to do everything He says He will do!!

I also liked today's Proverb 23:12, "Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of wisdom." It's amazing what my ears hear when my heart is willing to be instructed.

one solution

Today I saw three men with three different problems but all three came to the same conclusion. First was Isaiah. He lived in a nation that had turned it's back on God. Isaiah was a prophet, he could see the judgement coming. But look at Isaiah 8:11-13, "The LORD spoke to me... do not fear what they fear and do not dread it. The LORD Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, He is the one you are to fear." The next guy is Paul. His problem was a physical limitation that he had asked for deliverance from. His answer is found in 2Cor.9-10,"My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness... that is why I delight in weakness..." Then there is David. He had a close friend who had betrayed him. David could not trust any one but He ends Ps.55 with the words, "But as for me, I trust in You." Whether our problems are from outside the home or inside our close circle or even in our own body, the answer is the same. If we fear God and trust God then we can even "delight in difficulties"

"but I'm a good person!"

How often I have heard the phrase, "but I'm a good person" come out of the mouth of someone who has done something really horrific. Isaiah 5:21 says,"Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight." Psalm 53:3 says,"There is no one who does good, not even one." I have observed lately that people universally crave not only love but a sense of righteousness as well. They will do anything to convince themselves that their sin does not count. Our psalm starts with, "The fool says in his heart there is no God." One quick glance at God and it becomes very clear just how unrighteous we are. David ends by longing for salvation; Isaiah looks forward to the Branch of the Lord. How blessed we are to know that Savior who gives true righteousness!

boldness

In 2Cor.10:1 Paul says that he is timid when face to face but bold when away. I can relate to that. With that in mind, I started reading Isaiah. I am always so impressed with the prophets' boldness. I just can't imagine standing up and saying the things that these guys said. That kind of boldness can only come from the Holy Spirit. I am praying for more boldness.

Proverbs 22:18

Just a quick note today. I love this verse from Proverbs, that it is pleasing to keep the teaching of God's word, "in your heart and have all of them ready on your lips." The world may call us Bible thumpers but we are pleasing to God. I think the key here is to let the Word into our hearts before we let it out of our mouths.

2 Cor.6-7

Today starts with, "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers." I have always been a little unclear as to just where and how to draw that line. As I read today's passage, I sensed a frustration on Paul's part due to the lack of instant communication and information that we take for granted today. Wouldn't it have been nice if Paul could have had a live chat with all the elders of the Corinthian church? Then I realized that we would not have this letter today if Paul had access to our technology. I also started to think about being unequally yoked. It seems to me that all our computers, phones, tvs, etc. have us more yoked to the world than ever. Maybe that is why the line is so hard to draw. As I read thru Ecclesiastes, it becomes very clear that possessions can quickly start to possess us. My prayer is that I can use the tools God has given me to use without becoming their slave and not get sucked into the world's mind set.

eternal riches

In 2Cor.6:10 Paul says,"having nothing yet possessing everything." Solomon had everything but saw that it amounted to nothing. People everywhere long for fame, fortune and power. They want the easy life and envy the celebrity. Solomon had more of everything then anyone ever had and he found that it did not satisfy. Paul on the other hand found the secret. He poured out his life for God's work into the lives of others and accomplished something eternal. Solomon said that there is nothing new under the sun but he forgot about people; created in God's image and no two alike. God's heart is focused on people not stuff. The only thing I can take to heaven with me from this life is the people I have touched for God. Those are riches that last forever!

Job

OK we get to the end of the book and read that Job lives happily ever after. I'm left with a question that probably doesn't get answered because it's not important, but it has always bugged me. Here it is. I get how instead of responding to Job questions, God's presence gives Job a peace that passes understanding and it's life changing for Job. But in chapters 1-2 we the readers are given the behind the scenes look into the events in heaven that led up to Job's problems. So this is my question: Who wrote the book and how did they find out what went on in heaven? I think that Job must be the original author, if not the written account at least the oral account and God must have filled him in on the details even though this is not included at the end of the book. Has anyone ever heard this question addressed? I know that I can over think things and miss the main point.

Yesterday, a nasty fire took over 30 homes less than 10 miles from my house. I see pictures from fire scenes on the news every year but when it is so close to home one gets a different perspective. So today I opened my Bible and read a psalmist asking God why things were going so bad for Israel. We have been reading in Job a similar struggle. Then in Job 38 God shows up with some questions for Job. I remember the first time that I read the book of Job thinking that God's response to poor Job was pretty unsatisfying. But this time I think I get it. God's very presence is the answer to every question. Paul gives so much insight in our 2Cor. passage. I love how he starts: we believe therefore we speak because we know... He then goes on to contrast physical temporal world that we see all around us to the unseen eternal things that we know by faith. 5:7 Says, "We live by faith not by sight." Our faith is based on what we know. I know that God is great and good and all powerful and that He loves me. I know that He has promised me that I will be with Him forever. I know that if Paul could view his troubles as "light and momentary" I should be able to do the same. An eternal perspective is a comforting and awesome thing to have.

I noticed something today but I'm not really sure if I am seeing it right so please jump in with your thoughts. Both Job and the Psalmist were going thru hard times and they both were remembering the past but here's what I noticed: The Psalmist remembered his time with the Lord and he was encouraged but Job remembered his own past glory and he seemed more depressed by it. Now if anyone had a right to feel depressed and hopeless it was Job. He didn't even have a Bible to turn to. I am still not sure I can make my point from today's reading but I know that what and how I remember things affects my mood and attitude.

It is almost like Paul is writing his thoughts on our reading in Job! Job's friends are giving their opinion about suffering but it's pretty clear that they are not speaking from experience. Paul, on the other hand, had plenty of first hand experience with suffering. I'm the type of person who has an opinion on everything but I'm learning from this reading thru Job that it's often best to keep them to myself. Not only is my first opinion often completely wrong but the damage done by speaking out of ignorance is hard to repair. Lord, give me the wisdom to know when You want to speak thru me and when I should just keep silent.

Words to live by

I saw two great passages in today's reading that can form the foundation of my life. First is in 1Cor.16:13-14, Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love. I love the back to basics verses. When life starts to go crazy all around us it's simple instruction like this that will keep us grounded. Then there's Job. His life was way more than crazy, he was desperate, he lost everything and now even his integrity was being questioned. But even in his lowest point he was able to say, "I know that my Redeemer lives!" That's basic! I came across a quote from Corrie ten Boom that makes this point,"You'll never know the Lord is all you need until the Lord is all you have."

Life is short, even a long one! Today's passages all seem to focus on life and death, all pretty heavy. Before I started reading today my thoughts and prayers were on two people I know who are both close to death. One is a believer and one is not. Only God knows how long any of us has in this life. Our hope as God's children makes all the difference. He is the fulfillment of all our desires and dreams. Many people have a list of things that they want to do before they die but I think that God is the one who has the list, a list of things He wants to accomplish in our lives. Our very existence is His idea and we live for His good pleasure. I'm just so glad I know Him!

LOVE

I started today's reading with 1Cor.13, the love chapter. I was struck with how deep and limitless the love of God is, compared with how shallow mine is. As I read the next passages I found some instruction that will help God's love grow in me. First in Psalm 37: Don't fret because of evil men But delight myself in the LORD. God is not threatened by boastful arrogant people so fretting is at best a waste of energy. The next step, after stop fretting, is to control my tongue! Proverbs says it will keep me from calamity. I know that giving voice to a critical spirit makes God's love that much harder to attain. Then I read how the book of Esther ends with a party. We look forward to a wedding supper! When I think of how blessed I am to be God's child, I can have genuine pity for those who are not. This is how I summed up what I learned today; Pity leads to mercy which leads to compassion which leads to love. Does that make sense? What do you think?

more on Esther

This is such a juicy story. Even Disney could not create such a perfectly evil bad guy. Pride goeth before a fall and boy did Haman fall! Courson had a great observation: When Haman left the banquet with an invite to one the next day, he was in high spirits, but one look at the Jew who did not bow to him and his mood changed. Courson says that you can take an accurate measure of some one's character by the size of things that bug him. Good point!

Esther

O how I love the book of Esther! The only thing I don't like is that we only get to read it for 3 days. So much happens in this short book. I love the details, even the descriptions of the king's garden down to the gold goblets. I especially love to see the hand of God all the way through. Did you notice that Haman cast the pur or lot in the first month and it fell on the last month? This gave the rest of the story a whole year to unfold. This was needed because all rulings from the king had to be hand carried. Such a small detail but God had it covered. What comfort to know that our God not only sees the future but has everything set up for us when we get there!

head coverings

This section from 1 Cor.11 is all about men and women and having there heads covered. I find this passage to be pretty confusing. I know that there is a cultural element here but God's word is timeless and I tend to think that the cultural angle is a cop out. One thing that I find confusing is that Paul starts by saying that the head of the woman is the man and then says that a woman's head should be covered. Does that mean my husband should be covered? I know that Paul is not preaching legalism here and if that is all we get from this passage then we have missed the point. I would sure love to hear your thoughts on this subject.

Psalm 32

David is so open and honest in this psalm. I'm thankful for this peek into a heart that truly sought God. Here's what I learned from this psalm. It is so much better to come quickly, repent readily, and surrender completely. Joy waits for those who do, while groaning, heaviness and weakness wait for those who refuse and try to just cover it up.

So much has been said about Nehemiah, it is a favorite of many teachers. What stood out for me today was the list of people who worked on the wall. It included priests, rulers, a goldsmith, and a perfume maker. Any one of these people could have said, "I am not called to do manual labor, I have a special job to do." But there are some jobs that require everyone to pitch in. Nobody can do everything and there is a time to stick to what we do best and let others do what they do best. A common job with a common goal and everyone working side by side can be an amazing thing to be a part of.

Praise and Worship

The LORD has been teaching me some things about praise and worship lately, and Psalm 29 is a perfect example. Verse 1&2 says,"ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name; worship the LORD in the splendor of His holiness." Praise is simply ascribing to someone or something what is good about them. We can praise our child, we can even praise our dog. But when we start praising God and ascribing to Him all the great things He has done and how awesome He really is then worship is the natural response. Praise brings us into "the splendor of His holiness" and we can't help but worship. The better view of God I have (and praise sharpens my eyesight) the more faith I have and the more joy I have. I have often heard that a fruit tree does not strain to squeeze out fruit, but I have seen trees strain to reach the sun, and there will be no fruit until it gets the sunshine that it needs. So like David, I say, "Ascribe to the LORD, O mighty ones, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength!"

Ezra 3&4

This is an interesting statement from Ezra 4 , The enemies of Judah...said, "Let us help you build.." We see their true colors as soon as they are denied. I thought back to King David, when he wanted to build a temple. When God said no, David did not throw a fit and try to stop anyone else from building it. He gave all his resources to the one who would build it. But here in Ezra we see a clear picture of how our enemy works. He tries to blend in and if that doesn't work he sets out to destroy. I think that it is interesting that the people living around Jerusalem were so against the Jews having a place there. Nothing has changed in all these years. Where ever we see God at work we will also see the enemy trying to undo it. I'm so glad that, "Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world"

a moveable heart

I love starting to read Ezra. After the sad ending of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple, everything is starting over. The promises to use Cyrus after 70 years of captivity to bring the people back are seeing their fulfillment. Ezra 1:5 says,"everyone whose heart God had moved - prepared to go up" I found myself asking, "Is my heart movable?" When God wants to do something big would I be in that group whose heart God had moved? or would I say, "No thanks, I'm comfortable where I am." Those who stayed behind gave to and supported those who went, and they were blessed to that extent, but they did not get to see first hand the great things that God was doing.

Psalm 27:1&4

Today I am just going to copy two verses from Psalm 27 and let the Word speak for itself. 1"The LORD is my light and my salvation- whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life- of whom shall I be afraid?" 4"One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek Him in His temple." amen

God's promises

In 2Chron.34, God fulfilled a promise to judge and He made a new one. Back in 1Kings 13:2, a prophet told King Jeroboam that a descendant of David named Josiah would burn the bones of the false priests on the altar he had built. This is exactly what happened 300 years later. Then in this chapter, God says that He will bring judgement on the people but not in Josiah's life time. (you only have to read ahead two chapters to see the fulfillment of this) We don't know just how or when the promises of God to us will be fulfilled but we can certainly count on them. I'm not real big on waiting but my God seems to kind of like it! OK I guess it builds faith and character and all that good stuff. It looks like once again that Father knows best!!

battle with the flesh

Today I saw a theme of our battle with the flesh. Starting with Hezekiah cleaning out the temple. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit and need to be cleaned out when ever the flesh gets the better of us. Paul spends a whole chapter begging us to just stop quarreling over the small stuff and to let love rule our actions. As a parent, I've seen how silly some quarrels can be and yet I'm so quick to get all worked up over nothing. In Psalms, David says, "Who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart" I thank God that He has made a way for me to deal with sin and find forgiveness. Our Proverb today says,"Ears that hear and eyes that see - the LORD has made them both." What a gift to hear and see the truth!

I don't have much to say today. Maybe my head is a little fuzzy for some reason. This would be a good time for you to jump in with your thoughts on today's reading.

The one verse that stood out to me was 2Chron.28:22. In the life of King Ahaz this verse is pretty telling. "In his time of trouble King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the Lord." I thought of 2Thes.2:10-11 which says that those who refuse to believe the truth will believe a lie (or The lie) instead. This is good to remember when talking to unbelievers.

More on arrogance

About a week ago I had a dream. I don't even remember any of the details but the point was loud and clear, I have a problem with arrogance! I know it was the Lord showing me this and I know that He would not reveal it to me unless He wanted to fix it. This dream came before this section of Romans where Paul says, "don't be arrogant", "don't be conceited", "don't be proud", and "don't think more highly of yourself than you ought." OK I give! I repent! Lord help me to not look down on those who are not where I am spiritually. I know that any insight I have is a gift from You. Man! it was not that long ago that the Lord delivered me from a sever case of inferiority. At the time I felt like no one really liked me, not even God, but He set me straight and He set me free. And now I have slid all the way to the other side! I'm so glad that the Holy Spirit never let's me out of His sight!

Romans 11:20

"Do not be arrogant, but be afraid." Our connection to God is 100 percent God holding on to us. It's based on our faith in His grace. We can start to slip when we either doubt His loving grace or we put our faith in our own goodness. Either way it's pride that pulls on us, and the result is the same. I think this verse is saying that it's healthy to have to have a fear of our own pride. 1Cor.10:12 says, "Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall."

Great Leadership

Today we read the words of two of Israel's great kings and we can see what made them great. First is Jehoshaphat who went into battle with the worshipers first. He knew that only God could win the battle and his actions proved it. Then in Psalm 21:6, David says that God made him glad with the joy of His presence. David had every material blessing, he had all the praise and honor, and he had success in everything he did, but the source of his joy was the presence of God. The good leader keeps their eyes on God and points the way for everyone else to follow. This puts them on the front lines but it also gives them a clearer view of the source of true joy.

What can I say about Romans 8? This is such a wonderful part of scripture I just want to read it over and over! There is one verse in 2Chron. 11 that stood out to me, it's verse 16. "Those from every tribe of Israel who set there hearts on seeking the Lord, the God of Israel, followed the Levites to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices to the Lord, the God of there fathers." Few things were more important to an Israelite than their inheritance of land, but here are a few who were willing to leave their land in order to worship God. I'm looking forward to meeting these folks when I get to heaven! It got me thinking about my priorities.

Psalm 18:26 "To the pure You show Yourself pure, but to the crooked You show Yourself shrewd." How often have I heard someone say, "That's not a very loving God" or "I can't believe in a God who would do or say that." Today's Psalm seemed to say to me that the condition of our heart determines how we see God. Then in Romans 8:15 I see that our position also affects our view. "but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by Him we cry Abba Father." The ability to approach the throne of God and see His true nature is something the world just can't do. I love 2 Chron.9:7 where the Queen of Sheba proclaims, "How happy your men must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom. Solomon on his throne is a picture of God and how happy we are to stand before Him and hear His wisdom!

Submitting to God

Today I saw a theme running through the passages I read. It had to do with choosing to submit to God. First, the temple of Solomon, the temple was never meant to contain God. It was a place where God placed His name. It was a focal point for the people to seek God. It wasn't even necessary to actually be at the temple, a person could just turn toward it. This is classic repentance. It is an acknowledgement that the person is the one who had turned away and they were turning back to God and submitting to His way. I love how Solomon even includes foreigners in this. Then in Romans 7&8, Paul talks about our struggle with the sin nature and how we are powerless against it apart from the Holy Spirit. It all comes down to who or what we submit our minds and hearts to. We are no match to the enemy but he is certainly no match to our God! In Psalm 18, David describes how God came to his aid. God can and will move heaven and earth to defend those who are His own. Submitting to God is a glorious thing!!

Blessed

How blessed are we?!! Rom. 4:7-8 "Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD will never count against him." In Ps. 13 we see that no matter how our troubles seem to pile up and we can't see any divine deliverance on the horizon we still have our salvation to rejoice in and God's unfailing love to trust in.(verse 5) David says in verse 6. "I will sing to the Lord for He has been good to me." I say, amen we are blessed indeed!

We have all heard the expression, Put your money where your mouth is. Today the Lord has shown me that I need to put my mouth where my faith is! Prov. 19:13 says that a quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping. Ps. 12:3-4 speaks of the boastful who think they can fight and win battles with their tongues. But in verse 5 the Lord says that He will arise and protect us when we are maligned. It is pride that seeks to fight battles that belong to the Lord. Faith produces humility and humility increases faith. This is the road that I want to walk on. The battles we are called to are not against flesh and blood. And when the Lord has granted rest on every side I want to devote my heart and soul to seeking Him. 1Chron.22:18-19

Romans 2:25-

Curcumcision was meant to be an outward sign of an inward dedication. Only God can see the inside of someone. It is so easy to just see the outward appearance of someone or just look at what they say or do and think we know what's in their heart. We can even fool ourselves with words or actions and avoid dealing with the inside. If I can't even always know my own heart I should never think I know someone else's. Today's Prov.19:11 Says, "A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offence." I'm so glad I can say like David in Ps.11, "In the LORD I take refuge" and "For the LORD is righteous, He loves justice; upright men will see His face." !!

arrogance

Recently I have been accused of arrogance by an unbeliever. So I looked up the definition: full of or due to unwarranted pride or self-importance. I found myself asking the question," Is it arrogance if one really is superior?" I am certainly made of the same stuff as any unbeliever, I'm formed in the image of God, fallen and sinful to my very core. But I am also forgiven, accepted, made God's child and Jesus' betrothed. My standing before God has nothing to do with my own merit but it is none the less different, none the less superior. The most humble of saints will appear arrogant to the unbeliever. I can't help going back all the way to Cain and Abel. Abel's sacrifice was accepted by God and Cain hated him for it. With all of this in my mind today, I read 1Chron. 17. In verse 17 David says,"You have looked on me as though I were the most exalted of men." He went on to say, "and You know your servant." It makes no difference how anyone else looks at me, the important thing is how God looks at me. And the result is truly humbling!

Injustice

Psalm 7 is a shiggaion which means a loud cry. David had been slandered by a guy named Cush. I just hate injustice. I don't even like watching movies about injustice. The greatest injustice of all time is what the innocent Lamb of God suffered on my behalf. David also suffered injustice and his response was to cast it all on the Lord. I like what John Courson said about David, "Rather than getting sore about the situation, he soars above the situation by praising God" Our Father is a just God and we can trust Him no matter what comes our way.

Psalm 6

Lately I've been learning that we all have a special and important place in the body of Christ. In Chron. 6:31 David appointed men whose whole job was to sing in the tabernacle. David was a man of passion. He had huge trials and huge victories and he had the ability to express himself in the midst of it all. David lived and died 3,000 years ago! I'm so glad he wrote it down! And I'm thankful that the Lord preserved David's words so I can pick up my Bible in 2009 and be moved and inspired to trust God today. What if David had said to himself, "Nobody wants to here this!" and then just got up and went to work? The body needs everyone doing that special thing they were made to do.

Psalm 5

Give ear to my words O Lord, consider my meditation. Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King and my God, For unto thee will I pray, my voice shalt Thou hear in the morning. O Lord in the morning will I direct my prayer unto Thee and will look up.

I was able to type this Psalm from memory because I learned it as a song. I pray that the Lord will raise up song writers who set scripture to music. We were exhorted on Sunday to meditate on scripture. Songs often get stuck in my head, Wouldn't it be great if the words to the song were God's words?!!

Who's in charge?

Anyone observing Paul's situation would think that he was a powerless victim locked up in jail for two years at the whim of the Roman governor. I imagine that even Paul felt frustrated at times. We have the benefit of reading the end of the story and we can see how God's promises are always fulfilled in God's time. God promised Paul that he would go to Rome and that's where he went. I want to remember this when it seems like God has forgotten about His promises to me. It is such a good thing to be reading thru the whole Bible every year because I'm the one with the short memory!

I loved reading Paul's words to the crowd. (Acts21:37-22:16) He spoke their language, found common ground and told his story. The fact that he even wanted to speak to the people who had just beat him up showed his great love for them. The crowd, on the other hand, had such a hatred for anything Gentile. It got me thinking about the whole subject of hatred. 2Kings22-23 tells of King Josiah's campaign to rid Israel of everything that was not from God. He was motivated by love for God but that love caused a hatred of evil and anything to do with it. Psalm 1 speaks of not associating with the wicked or mockers or sinners. I guess I should stop associating with myself! Please see Carol's comment yesterday and my response. I think this all ties together. God loves all people. Jesus died for all people. But the old saying, "love the sinner, hate the sin" seems just too simple to me. As you can see I have not really settled all this in my mind. I would love to hear your thoughts on this subject of just where a hatred of sin takes us and how we respond to what we perceive as sinful.

We like sheep

Mob mentality always amazes me, how a whole crowd can be worked up by so few. Acts 21 is an example of this. Paul was doing nothing wrong but before he could even defend himself the crowd was beating him! This was not the first time either. In 2Kings 21:9 Evil king Manasseh led the people astray. We are truly like sheep and it is much easier to lead sheep down hill then up. After reading today's passages I am struck with the need to pray for our pastor. That his heart will remain pure towards God so he can clearly lead the way and "press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."Phil.3:14

God holds the future

I love the saying that goes: I don't know what the future holds but I know Who holds the future. Today I saw two examples of this. It is great to be able to read these stories from the past and see how God came through just like He said He would because it takes care of all the "what ifs" I can come with. First in 2Kings 18-19 Hezekiah was faced with the most powerful army on earth surrounding Jerusalem. He tried to pay them off but that didn't work. The only option left was to look up to God and God came through in an amazing way. I could read this story over and over because I know how it ends but how scary for Hezekiah! Then I read the account of Paul heading for Jerusalem in Acts 24. The outcome for Paul was jail but the Spirit not only told Paul, He also told many of his friends about what was coming. I think that God wanted everyone to know that He was still in control and that nothing takes Him by surprise. What peace this knowledge brings! Last I read Ps. 149:4. "The LORD takes delight in His people." Like the psalmist I just want to dance!!

And the serpent said to the woman, You surely shall not die! For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God." Gen. 3:4-5 The devil's scheme from the beginning was to get people to question God's character and motives. I have often heard the God of the Old Testament described as angry vengeful and always in a bad mood. But when I hear this kind of talk, I assume they have never actually read the OT. In 2Kings 17 God lays out His case against Israel. Having just spent the last six months reading Israel's history up to this point I get a much different picture of our infinitely patient God. It is important to have an accurate understanding of God's character because that is the foundation of trust. Trust is the foundation of faith and without faith it is impossible to please God. To know God is to love Him! and like David to praise Him always!!

fear of God

Today I saw two sides of the fear of God. First was in Acts 19:13-20. The seven sons of Sceva fell into the common trap of thinking that God's power could be accessed if the right words were used, almost like using a spell or incantation. But God is God and He can not be controlled or manipulated by anyone or anything. They found this out the hard way! Verse 17 says that everyone who heard about it was seized with fear, but the result was that the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. This is one way to get the fear of God. The other is found in Psalm 147. David spent time meditating on the awesome power and greatness of God. God's awesome power can bring comfort or dread depending on one's relationship to Him.

Romans 8:28

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Rom.8:28. Today's reading gives two examples of this wonderful verse. In both examples we find believers where they are supposed to be, doing what they are supposed to do but their circumstances are not what they would have chosen. First is the women who's son had been brought back to life. She was forced to leave her home for seven years because of a famine. This was a home that was being used faithfully to bless God's prophet. God used the circumstances to not only restore her home but to provide financially for her as well. The next example of Rom. 8:28 is Paul and Silas in the jail. They were preaching the gospel and Paul was even used to cast out a demon from a girl. They were doing everything right but what did it get them? a beating and jail! It is so great to read this story and see how God remained in control of everything down to the last detail! I want to remember this the next time I face some minor inconvenience.

Ahab

1Kings 21:25-26 says, "There was never a man like Ahab who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, urged on by Jezebel his wife. He behaved in the vilest manner..." I can't read the account of Ahab's life without marveling at the incredible grace of our God! Ahab was the worst of the worst but God never gave up on him. My reaction to Ahab's act of humility at the end of his life would have been, "too little too late Ahab!", but God was so glad that He went and shared it with Elijah. What a God we serve!

Psalm 136:27-

Do you ever envy song writers or poets? I do because I can't even come close to doing that! I'm doing well to just put together this little paragraph each day. I like Psalm 136 because it is like a "paint by numbers" psalm for me. I can use its structure to write my own song of thanksgiving.
1 Give thanks to the LORD for He is good. His love endures forever.
27 to Him who made a way of salvation. His love endures forever.
28 who sought me out when I was lost. His love endures forever.
29 who made me part of His family. His love endures forever.
30 who meets my every need. His love endures forever.
You get the picture. I don't think God minds me adding to scripture as long as I am not trying to pass it off as His word. What are you thankful for? What has God done in your life? Use this Psalm to express yourself if you are challenged like me.

Psalm 135

"I know that the LORD is great, that our LORD is greater than all gods!" :5 "Praise the LORD for He is good; sing praise to His name, for that is pleasant." :3 What a privilege it is to call Him Father!! What an honor for Him to call us His children!!!

Acts 10

I love how Peter is never given time to think or talk things over with friends. He has a vision and is told by the Spirit to go with the guys who are knocking at his door. When he arrives there is a crowd waiting for him and before he even finishes, the Holy Spirit takes over the meeting and everyone gets saved! When the Spirit tells us to do something, I think it is best to do it right away without asking too many questions or talking it over with everyone we know. It is one thing when we are not sure what God is leading us to do but when it's clear, the sooner the better. I know that I can talk myself out of anything given enough time.

There are three topics in today's reading that I see and they seem to go together. First is the amazing patience of the Father that we see in reading thru Kings. This book is so frustrating to read and I think it's meant to be that way. When history is condensed like that we can see the big picture. We see what God puts up with every day! The next thing I saw today was the great lengths God went thru to reach the gentile world. It took an angel and a vision that was repeated 3 times to get the gospel to people like you and me. God certainly has an agenda. The last thing I saw was in Psalm 133:1 "How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!" I have been impressed lately that unity only comes when we lay aside our personal agendas for God's agenda.

1 Kings 10:8

This is one of my favorite verses. The Queen of Sheba says to Solomon, "How happy your men must be! How happy your officials who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom!" Solomon was the wisest and wealthiest king ever. As such he is a picture of Jesus. We are so truly blessed to stand in His presence and hear His wisdom. Every time I open my Bible I get to hear His wisdom!

In 1Kings 8:39 Solomon prayed," You alone know the hearts of men". God knows those who are His own. We are the apple of His eye. This is reflected in the psalm today. Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit when he accused the Sanhedrin of murdering the Anointed One and then he was welcomed into heaven. My thoughts seem to be pretty disjointed today. I can't get what I'm thinking into words, so I'll just have to let God make this make sense. I know there is a point here. Maybe someone can take a stab at it today. Or maybe you got something completely different. Please share.

Stephen

I love Stephen's working knowledge of history. With the anointing of the Holy Spirit, he is able to draw out the details to make his case that Moses not only foretold of Jesus but Moses' life was a picture of Jesus as well. Isn't it great to read about Stephen describing Solomon building the temple and also be reading the actual account in 1Kings? The time we spend reading the Old Testement, even when we don't understand it all, adds to our ability to see the big picture. I never know when the Holy Spirit will bring to my rememberance something I have read or studied but I always love it when He does.

1 Kings 5-6

Today I want to post a question. Why is it that the leader gets all the credit for a building project when the only work he actually does is give the order to start? Solomon conscripted 30,000 labourers to build the temple. They did all the work, he gets all the credit. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? I can't help but add Psalm 127:1 here; "Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain." When it comes to giving credit where credit is due, it all really should go back to the Lord, don't you think?

joy

Psalm126:3 The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.
I say AMEN. I think our souls crave joy just like our bodies crave food. ( see Prov.16:26 ) Hopefully this desire will drive us on to walk closer to the only source of true joy. Today's psalm is a picture of that.

unity

Today I saw two examples of unity. The first was in 1Kings1 Adonijah led a rebellion in order to make himself king. He had a party and only invited those who were united with him. This unity did not last long. At the first sign of opposition, everyone split. (see verse 49) Then in Acts we see the disciples living in unity even when the Jewish leaders made all kinds of threats. The difference was the source of their unity. In the disciples case no one was running there own agenda. They were all unified around Jesus and the Holy Spirit's agenda.

Acts 3

Whenever I read this passage about the lame man who was brought to the Beautiful gate every day, I wonder how many times he saw Jesus and just let Him pass by. Unlike the blind man who cried out for Jesus to stop and heal him, this man saw nothing but a possible income. This is an example of God's perfect timing. We don't know all the details of this guy's mind and heart, just that God reached down and healed him when he least expected it. And God got the glory from both Peter and the healed man. Today's Ps. 123 tells us to keep our eyes on the Lord. How many missed opportunities are there when we look only to man?
Does anyone else want to break into song as they read, "He went walking and leaping and praising God!"? I have a few thoughts/questions on the last chapter of 2Sam. Does any one want to discuss it?

It's been a week since my last post. I haven't had much to say that I thought was profound enough to type. I still don't but today I read in 2Sam.22:31, "As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless." I don't need to improve on perfection. If I don't have any special insight that's worth posting, I can always type a verse.
Please feel free to share this blog address with anyone you think might be interested.

persecution

Yesterday seemed to be about trials, today it's about persecution. Jesus prayed, "I have given them Your word and the world has hated them." I think I understand this but then I read Prov.16:7, "When a man's ways are pleasing to the Lord, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him." Which is it? I'm confused. If you have been reading this blog and not commenting this is the time to jump in. Two verses come to mind. First is 2Sam.11:17 "But the thing David had done displeased the Lord." Today's 2Sam. reading is the fruit of David's sin and seems to prove the Proverb. The other verse I thought of is, Rom.12:18, "If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men." I really do want to hear from you today. My hope for this blog is that it becomes a discussion and not just me rattling on and on. Someone once said, "When I do all the talking, the only thing I learn is what I already know!"

Trials

John 16:29-30 is a climax moment of faith for the disciples. Jesus is pouring out His heart and they are starting to get it! In a matter of hours, this new faith would be crushed as they watched Jesus be condemned to death. I can't imagine the grief or the questions they must have had between Friday and Sunday. Do you remember the poster of the kitty holding on to the knot at the end of the rope? When we go thru times of testing, sometimes all we can do is hang on to what we know for sure and look for that peace that surpasses understanding. The psalmist sheds some light on this: he says,"Before I was afflicted I went astray but now I obey Your word." V.67 "It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn Your decrees." V.71 He even says, "in faithfulness You have afflicted me." V.75 Sometimes it is difficult to remember that Jesus "has overcome the world"! John 16:33 and that "The Lord works out everything for His own ends."Prov.16:4. David's affliction was the result of his own doing but the Lord used it to shape David's life.- read Psalm 51.

I love how John 15 and Psalm119 go together. Jesus tells us to obey His commands and the psalmist says that he will "hasten and not delay to obey". Then, just so we don't get confused, Jesus tells us that His command is to love each other. Prov. says that our motives are weighed by the Lord. When we look at David's life, it is easy to focus on the mess he made with Bathsheba and miss the act of love toward Mephibosheth. It is comforting for me to know that our Father is pruning out the unfruitful parts, the unloving parts and cultivating His love in us.

John 14:15-31, These words of Jesus are so precious to us as believers. Words spoken right before His death. I never really noticed the question asked by Judas(not Iscariot),"But, Lord, why do You intend to show Yourself to us and not to the world?" This is a good question. I have felt this way before. Wouldn't it be easier if the Lord just revealed Himself to the world? Then everyone would know that we Christians are not crazy, that we speak truth. But Jesus answered that only the ones who loved Him and obeyed Him would know Him. Jesus then promised to come back. That's when every knee will bow. How privileged we are to know Him now! The attitude of the psalmist is so amazing. He loves and delights in God's rules and commands. This fits so perfectly with the words of Jesus that we just read. It is Holy Spirit revelation that sees obedience as the road to freedom. Prov.15:33 Wisdom and humility are the result of spending time with Jesus. David's reaction when he went and sat before the Lord in 2Sam.7:18-29 is exactly what I have seen today; humility and awe that I have been included in God's people!

John 13:18-19

It seems that the disciples are still pretty clueless about many things. Jesus not only knows what is going to happen and why He knows what questions will come up down the road. Faith crumbling questions like: If Jesus is God why did He pick someone like Judas? Did Jesus make a mistake? So Jesus answers the question before it is even asked, "I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill scripture." I believe God's word has answers to all the tough questions. Ps.119 equates it to great riches. I am so thankful to have a Bible that I can read and with the Holy Spirit's help understand.

1Sam.30

Today's reading was so rich! I want to share something from John Courson's commentary on 1Sam.30. I'll try to paraphrase the highlights. When our kids have been carried off by the enemy there four things we should do following David's example. #1 Encourage yourself in the Lord. #2 Inquire of the Lord. #3 Do what He says, don't be passive, take that step of faith. #4 Be generous with all the Lord provides. So many of us have kids that have been carried off and ripped off, I thought this was awesome insight for today.

Prov. 15:23

I love this proverb. One of my favorite things is having the right thing to say at the right time. When someone has a question in women's Bible study and a scripture just pops into my head, it is wonderful! My challenge is to always recognize that this is the Holy Spirit at work and never let it go to my head. In 1 Sam. 15:12 we see Saul setting up a monument in his own honor. I would never do this outwardly but what do I say in my heart when someone say's, " You are sooo wise."? I hope I can think of my friend Cecilia and just point to Jesus.

1Sam.20-21

Sometimes it's hard to read about all the trials and hardships that David endured. Saul had none of these hardships. He went directly to being king but the power and praise went right to his head. David, on the other hand, learned to praise God in the difficult times. He learned what it meant to go without and to be unjustly accused. This was the place to learn humility before being greatly used. I always try to wiggle out of every inconvience that comes my way. Then I wonder why I'm not being used more.

Sunday May 17

John 9 starts out with Jesus and His disciples walking along and seeing a blind man. The disciples first question was not, "Lord can You heal him?" or "Lord will You heal him?". They wanted to know why he was blind. I find myself asking the same question. I think it is because I am hoping to avoid a similar fate. If I can assign fault then I don't have to worry about it happening to me. Faith takes a different approach. Faith puts all security in a loving Father and is then free to act with compassion and a desire to see God glorified. I want to choose faith!

John 8:31-32

The truth shall set you free! How often has this part of a verse been quoted completely out of context? It has become a mantra of the world to excuse all sorts of odd behavior. But when I read it in context the words of Jesus are very specific and conditional. To the Jews who had believed Him, Jesus said,"If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free." Jesus then goes on to explain that the freedom He is talking about is freedom from sin.
OK I'll get off my soapbox. It just really bugs me when people who have never read the Bible misquote it.

John 8

As Jesus spoke, some argued with Him, determined not to believe in Him. While others, who heard the same words at the same time became believers. I always feel that if I did a better job telling people about Jesus then more would respond. I think that this is just the enemy trying to get me to shut up. Jesus' own brothers did not believe until after He rose. We are called to witness to what Jesus has done in our lives and the rest is up to the Holy Spirit. I loved Psalm 111 It is a good place to meditate. Jesus said that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. If my meditation is on Him my words will reflect it.

1Sam14:43

Here is a portion of Scripture that I find confusing. This interaction between father and son even has the translators confused. KJ and ESV end Jonathan's words with a period, as if to say he was agreeing with the death sentence. NIV ends with a ? which looks like he is argueing. Then NASB and NKJ use a ! which leaves it up to the reader to decide Jonathan's tone. It seems to me that Saul was way out of line in calling down this curse but he was king. Wasn't Jonathan also out of line for complaining about his father even though he was right? It looks like there were problems in their relationship, starting with Jonathan not telling his dad what his plans were. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? I tend to get snagged up with these kind of questions and miss the main point.

John 7 & 1Sam. 12

Publicly Jesus is met with crowds who just wanted to see miracles and be fed. Privately Jesus is met with unbelief. Being misunderstood has got to be one of the worst feelings I know, especially when you know the truth and no one will believe you. In times like this, let me not lash out, let me have a tongue that brings healing. Prov.15:4 In 1Sam.12:23 Samuel says,"As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you." I think that prayer for the unbelieving in our lives must always go before interaction with them. Samuel says that it's a sin not to.

1Sam. 10

Lets start with yesterday's reading. My first thought after reading ch. 10 was, "wouldn't it be nice to have a Samuel to tell me exactly how my day would go and what to expect?" Then I read Courson's comments and saw that Samuel's words are for all of us. There were three things that Saul was going to encounter. First, he would learn of his father's concern for him. Then there would be sharing of bread by the men carrying wine, bread and young goats. Lastly he would meet prophets and would join them in prophesying. The Father's love, fellowship with the Son and anointing with the Holy Spirit are what each of us should expect every day. Then there's the line in verse 6 "and you will be changed into a different person". Carol asked what this meant. I think for Saul it meant that he woke up that day a farm boy and ended it as the king of Israel. For us, every encounter with the Living God is life changing.
I'll talk about today's reading in a new post.

Mother's Day

Just a quick note on this Mother's Day eve. Did you notice where Samuel chose to call home? It was Ramah. That is where his mother lived. She sacrificed so much to dedicate him to the Lord, but as he traveled around judging Israel, he always came home!

Theme for Today

In reading over my notes for today I noticed a theme running through the passages. It has to do with rebellion and how it blinds us to the truth. First in 1 Sam. judgment was coming. God had clearly predicted it, but instead of repentance and turning to God, they chose to rely on a religious object with disastrous results! John 5:39-40 Jesus said,"You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about Me, yet you refuse to come to Me to have life." Imagine studying Scripture and missing Jesus but Jesus says it is a choice. Psalm 106 tells of the unending cycle of God's goodness and blessing and man's rebellion. Then Prov.14:30 speaks of a heart at peace. That is truly our goal, isn't it? I think we see an answer in the life of Samuel. He lived in the tabernacle and ministered to the LORD. not just for the LORD but to Him. That is the place where I find peace and a taming of my rebellious heart.

John 5:1-23

Here is a man who had been an invalid for 38 years, now walking around with his mat and the only thing the people near by could see was the fact that he was carrying a mat on the Sabbath. This is the fruit of legalism. God had just done something huge, something wonderful and yet there were people who only saw more evidence for there case against Jesus. Jesus, on the other hand, who is walking in perfect obedience does not back down even in the face of the leaders death threats. They object to Jesus calling God His Father. In the next 5 verses, Jesus uses the terms Father and Son 7 times each. Jesus is the Truth! I love that I can stand behind Him even in Him! Ps.105:45, Praise the Lord!!!

Ruth

Oh yes! I love the book of Ruth. Especially after reading thru the book of Judges, it is so satisfying to see God's hand at work right in the midst of everyone doing what was right in there own eyes. Ruth, who is a picture of the church, "just so happened" to find her way to Boaz' field. Boaz the redeemer is a picture of Jesus. It is no accident that any of us found our way to Jesus. Ephesians 1:4 says "He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world," There's something to chew on for awhile.
If you want to read something that's truly astounding on the book of Ruth, look up John Courson's topical study of Ruth 1-4 called, A Prophetic Overview Of Ruth. I have been reading Courson's commentary on the Old Testament each day after our OT passage and have found it to be rich in the anology and insight.

John 4:4-42

When Jesus went and sat at the well He was exactly in the center of the Father's will but from the disciples point view it seemed all a little off. First Jesus wanted to go thru Samaria (we might say this was out of their comfort zone), then He decides to sit down and rest awhile. The disciples hurry off to get some food, maybe that will revive Jesus so they can get moving. When they get back they find Him talking to a woman and not just any woman but a Samaritan with a bad reputation. They totally ignored her and more importantly they ignored what Jesus was doing in talking to her. Meanwhile, Jesus is being energized by seeing faith spring up in this lost woman. Doing exactly what God wants, in His timing, with His power is truly energizing, even when it is phyically taxing. God supplies the energy to do what He calls us to do.
Psalm 105:4 Look to the Lord and His strenth; seek His face always.

John3

These are pretty inspired words from John the Baptist. He shows such great insight- far more than the disciples- yet even John started to doubt when he was isolated in prison. This is good reason to visit those who can not come to church regularly. Prov.14:22-24 says to plan to do good and then work hard at it. Just talking about it is not good enough. This speaks to me. How often have I seen a problem and known what to do but put it off and ended up doing nothing?!! God forgive me.

The wedding John 2

I think that Mary must have been close to the wedding party because her son and all his friends were invited. She saw a need and took it to Jesus. She didn't tell Him what to do. She didn't even make any suggestions! She only stated the problem and then told the servants to do what Jesus told them to do. Jesus and His group of young strong fisherman friends could have gone into town and brought some wine back. I think that if Mary had requested that, Jesus would have done it. But Mary left it up to Jesus and Jesus chose to do a miracle that grew the faith of His disciples.
Wine is not a necessity. It is for enjoyment and Jesus made the best! When my joy has it's source in godly things, fellowship, praise, prayer, etc. , it is always sweeter with a better aftertaste then pleasure found anywhere else. Psalm 103:3 says that He satisfies your desires with good things.
I took from this today that it is always best to trust God to decide how to bless me.

Judges 13-14

The story of Samson always leaves me a little baffled. One on hand, he is divinely conceived, separated from birth, and empowered by the Holy Spirit. On the other, he is eating from dead animals, partying with the enemy, and marrying an unbeliever. Is he an example of how not to live? Or is God saying that he can use anyone no matter how they mess up? Maybe both. Are there any insights anyone has on Samson?

Hi, The purpose of this blog is to let readers of the One Year Bible share insights and or questions from each day's reading.